It's been heavily documented that the airline industry is fully "nickel-and-diming" it's customers ... Most airlines don't include food in their prices - but they make buying food available for additional purchase... They've taken away magazines, pillows, blankets, and other amenities that were industry standards for a very long time ... They've done this to try and gain additional revenue in non-traditional ways ... Buying premium movies, upgrading to business class, even paying more for window seats vs. middle seats has become a trend...
Well - on Friday - when I checked into my hotel.... They told me there was a $3 per day "maid service fee" which was in place "for my convenience" so I didn't have to leave a tip when I left...
First of all - I very rarely left a considerable tip for the maid. I was (and actually still am) convinced that a small portion of the hundreds of dollars I pay per night INCLUDE the convenience of someone straightening up while I'm gone... Am I crazy?
As is -- hotels pillage customers on mini-bar items ($8 for a bottle of water?), in-room entertainment ($14 for movies - which is more than in theatres in NYC), and Internet access...
Like the airline industry, unfortunately... one hotel chain follows everyone else ... So - I won't be surprised to see the "maid service daily fee" as a standard in a couple of years...
While it may represent an opportunity for some chains to differentiate themselves -- I don't see a white knight riding in anytime soon...
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