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pauing extra for over 12 year olds, it stinks!!!!!

pauing extra for over 12 year olds, it stinks!!!!!

Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:25 AM
  #41  
 
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I've already explained why one person in a rooms "shouldn't" expect to pay less than two. Market forces. It's just the way it is.

I really don't understand how it's "unfair" at all. Some hotels sell a room for a certain price, for up to two people. Some sell a room for a certain price for up to two adults and some number of children. Some charge extra for the children. Some people prefer an extra room for their kids, some don't mind paying extra fees to have them in their same room, and others want the kids to stay free. Thankfully there are hotels in all those categories, so why not just find one that suits your needs?

I don't understand what "fair" has to do with any of it. Since when is everything in life fair?
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:29 AM
  #42  
 
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I just have to ask why you're so upset over the age 12 policy. Your kids are apparently 21 and 17 so what does 12 have to do with anything? You might still consider your 17 year old a "kid" but surely the 21 year old is an adult now.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:31 AM
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Speaking for myself, if I feel that it is unfair to charge me $100 extra per night for the very same room because my kids will be staying in it, then I will not stay there. I will book with a hotel whose policies I do think are fair.

I feel it's fair to charge for a bigger room, for an extra bed, for a rollaway or for breakfast. IMO, those are all charges I'm willing and expect to pay extra for. I'm not willing to pay $100 per night extra because my kids will use 10 minutes worth of a shower or for 2 towels. I might pay $10 extra per night for those things, because IMO, that's a fair charge.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:33 AM
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Nothing in life is fair. That's why some places charge more for "children" (really over 12 years old is not a "child" these days, and is actually more like a teenager). That's also why some places don't allow children at all.

Use your power as a consumer to pick a different hotel. Why do you HAVE to stay at this particular hotel in MD? It is only a racket if they do not tell you about the charge and then refuse to refund you your monies. You had notice and had the option of backing out. Therefore, I think you'll be hard pressed to find many people on this forum that agree with you.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:33 AM
  #45  
 
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I still get upset over the fact that Disney considers any child over 9 to be an adult. They charge an adult price for a 10 year olds ticket, who do they think they're kidding?

Maybe it wouldn't bother me so much if they didn't use the words "adult"?
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:36 AM
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Reminds me of when I was a kid.

parents had 5 kids, ages 1-10yrs old. I was somewhere in the middle. By the time I was 8 and we went some place that charged for <12, my parents still had 5 kids, the age range somehow magically began to shrink.

First it was 5 kids aged 3-10, then a few years later it was 4-11....

For some reason, my older brother, long hair and teenage mustache still passed for a 12yr old, although I don't think my father ever let him show his face at the hotel checkin, ski lift ticket booth, or buffet cashier.

As for Bergers4, I don't get the Friday rant about paying for 16/17/18yr olds.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:39 AM
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If you think the hotel's policy "stinks" then go elsewhere. Simple as that. No one is forcing you to stay at that particular hotel. It's your choice.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 07:39 AM
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Ipod, LOL at your post, I think my parents did the same thing! We were 3 kids and we traveled a lot, albeit on a shoestring because my parents were far from wealthy, so there were many times we hid my little sister, or my brother and I would lose a year...
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 08:03 AM
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As posted by nina

I feel it's fair to charge for a bigger room

so, if a Hilton is charging $200 for a 125 sq.ft. room and a Holiday Inn next door is charging $100 for a 125 sq.ft. room, is that unfair? Both hotels are full service hotels, both have a restaurant, bar, a swimming pool, a free airport shuttle, etc....

Both offer the same size room, but there is a huge rate difference.


It all comes down to choice. Nothing fair/unfair about freedom of choice. You want to stay in my place pay according to my rules, regardless of what you may think is fair/unfair. There is another place down the road that may treat you more "fairly", at least in your eyes, or it may not.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 08:10 AM
  #50  
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From Sue_xx_yy: "(Charging high 3rd and 4th person per room rates might be a subtle way of discouraging children.)"

That pretty much hits the nail on the head. Lots of places would rather deal with adults than children, and try to price the families with children right out of the market. Nothing wrong with that, it's a business decision, and while those properties might lose some families, they probably make up for it by being more popular among adults who don't want a hotel full of children.
 
Old Apr 29th, 2006, 08:16 AM
  #51  
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I agree with the under 18 stays free at most chains. I think BW, Holiday Inn and most in the Choice Hotel chain.
 
Old Apr 29th, 2006, 08:30 AM
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You can also add Hilton and Marriott to the list of under 18 stays free.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 08:56 AM
  #53  
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I NEVER dreamed the response would be this much! I am on Family Medical leave @ the moment and I do have a little free time,( that I normally never have) and I did think it would be interesting to see what others thought of this practice for everything anymore, and everywhere( I forgot about Disney world for kids over 9). I guess some of yu have a lot of free time all the time i do not, gee my kids and life just keep me busy! I still think it is a racket everywhere, and no I do not have problem with 16 and up, and yes we love traveling with our kids, and no they are not slobs, hogs @ buffets. It did seem like a lot of you all have a problem with kids wherever you do stay , OC.. or anywhere else. Hope you like your own, or @ least your younger family members. I am done with this. You all have fun.. thanks for some interesting thoughts! Happy travels wherever you all go!
 
Old Apr 29th, 2006, 09:14 AM
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Lady, you have a HUGE chip on your shoulder about your kids. My sister has FOUR kids, three under 10-- and cancer-- and doesn't whine about having to pay extra for the kids when she travels, or having to time her travels around her treatments. Kids affect your life, you deal with it.

What the hotels are doing is their choice and it's NOT a racket. It's not just washing a few towels-- it's also water, gas, electricity, noise (more so with small kids), etc. It adds up. And I'm sure your kids are well-behaved, but unless they're stuffed and lacquered, I imagine they have to take showers and brush their teeth and watch TV and run down to the vending machines and ice machine.... I was a kid once, I know what it's like.

You also have been given lists of hotels that allow under-18 guests in rooms for free. Using them for your future travels is YOUR choice-- a good one.
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Old Apr 29th, 2006, 09:22 AM
  #55  
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"I still think it is a racket everywhere"

It's not a racket. You have a choice to stay in a different hotel, or choose a different destination altogether if you feel everything in OC, Md is a racket. Nobody owes you a certain "pre-determined by you" price just so you can stay somewhere you like.

I'd like to go alot of places, but they're out of my price range. Does that mean it's all a big racket, and prices should be lowered and certain fees eliminated just so I can do whatever I want? No.
 
Old Apr 29th, 2006, 09:25 AM
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This poster is clearly crazy. She posts this incoherent post, and then criticizes people for responding ("she is too happy with her family and HER KIDS and clearly we have too much time on our hands").

I'm thinking her kids are the type that behave wonderfully at nice restaurants, aren't loud, and are not a distraction to those around them! Righhhhhhhhhhhhhht! And I'm sure the OP doesn't take her kids to places that aren't appropriate for children either!
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