Hi knute -

I think that charging everyone implies that you have a space for everyone. That is just not the case in big cities. We both go to the Hyatt Boston in the Financial district. We both get charged for parking. Mine is in the garage next door where there is available space. Yours is in Cambridge where the next closest available space is. We both pay and you need to take two different subway lines and walk 3 blocks. If everyone who stayed in Boston on any given night was guaranteed parking, I could rent space in my driveway 30 miles away in Lowell. However, if everyone takes a shower or eats a piece of coffee cake and a juice, I think they can provide that.

Because they can.

Beating a dead horse guys...

Y'all should know by now that whenever you see something in place that makes you scratch your head --- it's because of the almighty dollar. Bad decision on the surface? There's money being made somewhere... Consider it.

It depends on what they want to charge too. In a suburb or along a highway, parking should just be rolled into the price. I am willing to bet a majority of guests have a car at these establishments. In the downtown, CBD hotels, yes I understand business travelers do not all have cars and I understand it is expensive. But then explain to me why it costs twice as much as the garage on the corner five feet from the hotel. Presumably the pay-to-park garage is also charging for costs plus profit. So how is the hotel's cost reasonable? They can only charge it because it is a form of fraud—you didn't realize how expensive it would be until you were there and then it was too late. The convenience of the CBD hotel's parking lot is minimal. Valet service maybe, but a lot of hotels do not have a non-valet service. So they are hiding fees and tricking you into paying for them. That's why people are angry about it.

I was reading prices in this thread and scratching my head. Seems odd to revive an 8 year old thread and comment on it as if you were adding something new to a poster who maynot even still be around. If you have something new and timely to say, I'd suggest that after 8 years it's time for a new thread.

AMEN Patrick!! It is SO weird. And Knute's premise (I read 'way too much before checking the date) is so bogus. Maybe he'll come back out of indignation. LOL

Actually, I don't think the initial premise is bogus at all - it's a pet peeve of mine to be charged for parking at a hotel where EVERYONE arrives by car. I don't mind at an urban hotel where only some people (and probably not even most) do not.

However, bringing up an 8-year old post to start a new rant is pretty "bogus" in an of itself

Someone pinch me. I wasn't really criticized by two different people for commenting on an old thread with nothing substantive to say was I? It's almost as though THAT's EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID.

It just got my parking bill for 8 years

$45,397

Should I tip him?

I would also like to add that when you search for "Why do hotels charge parking fees" in google this is the second result. Out of 600,000,000 results. One might conclude that this thread, while old, is still relevant.