Dear Hotels, Yes – All Of You.
This is the shot across the bow, the warning, the big message in lights. I want my breakfast back. Full stop. No: if only this, or IF I book here, there or anywhere. I want my breakfast. Hotels started under the premise of offering a roof for travelers, with innkeepers passionate about caring for those under their care while away from home. Where has that gone?
Ten years ago, you could’ve told me to go pound dirt. When traveling ten years ago, there was no Airbnb, Oasis, HomeAway or other mainstream alternative. But now there is. Surveys have shown that you often no longer offer lower prices than your sharing economy competition. So, you know what would get me to pay up? My breakfast. I don’t need the ridiculous buffet spreads, I just want a couple nice eggs, or some toast, maybe some fruit. And coffee. I LOVE coffee. Easy. I know how much eggs cost and you do too. Let’s not insult each others intelligence.
You see, by forcing me to book a prepaid rate, without the ability to spread costs over time, or book an inflated “breakfast included” rate, where I’m effectively paying $50 for eggs, you make me angry. I feel unwelcome and gouged. If you really wanted me to stay, you’d court me in with a delightful, simple breakfast. It’s charming. For $50, I could buy an egg for most of your guests. I’d even happily cook it for them. But I won’t.
I’ll just go somewhere else and buy something for $5 bucks down the street. And if I’m forced to do that, why not just find an Airbnb that’s cheaper? This is where your ears must perk up. Your only advantage, is that I don’t want to. I want to stay in a place where I can wander into breakfast in sweatpants and slowly prepare for my day ahead with everything made for me and ready to go. Take that away, and I’m at any Airbnb. Spend $5 for some toast and instant coffee and I can live the boxer shorts breakfast dream, in any Airbnb on earth, for $45 less than you charge.
Breakfast should not be a privilege only reserved for those who overpay or hold elite hotel guest status. It should be for everyone who chooses your property over the hundreds, thousands even of other establishments in any given location. And the “city resort fees” come on, don’t get me started there.
I understand commerce, staffing needs and have no problem with profit. But take it out of my indulgent cocktails, early check in or silly upgrade requests. Basically, anything else which is not a doctor recommended part of any day. I’m doing you a favor, because I’ve seen what happens when airlines make things unbearable. It creates a new market – and it’s one you’ll have to live with forever. Do you think major luxury airlines enjoy offering their product which is usually $500 a seat for $250 or less? And still barely retaining market share? They took us for granted, took everything away and they created a new generation of airline. We’re glad, but they’re not!
The simple gesture of coffee and a bagel makes me feel as if I’m welcome, even if you continue to move the check out time closer to 7AM. If you don’t want things to become purely about price. Give me my breakfast back. Otherwise you’re only as good as the last decimal point.
Sincerely yours,
Gilbert Ott – God Save The Points
Totally agree. There are too many choices out there that are better and cheaper to have to be hotel dependent. We are planning a trip to Spain and instead of using my points to book hotels (since there are 5 of us and we would need 2 rooms), I am looking strictly through Airbnb and homeaway. Even locally in the US I now look at Airbnb mostly unless I can find a hotel with breakfast and free parking. I am almoct getting to be in the mindset of giving up hotel points alltogether and just use airlines points.
Many IHG, Marriott and even Hilton properties offer free breakfast as you suggest. It’s fairly common. So to compare AirBnB to save money instead of what? The Ritz? Of course fancy expensive hotels don’t offer this. They are in the business of nickle and dimes. Pay for internet, pay for breakfast, pay for parking, pay for resort fees. You can still say for points or whatever at nice hotels and go down the street for a $5 coffee/danish. Heck we do it all the time in places like Paris, Chicago, New Orleans, etc.
I get the need for free breakfast but I think if nice hotels would just offer a free coffee/ danish / banana grab and go bar and then charge for the full breakfast that seems like the way to go.
Im a Hilton guy, but my issue is it starts at 06:30, most often. Im out the door before 6. So its a perk I dont usually get to take advantage of. So dont be pissed when you see me carry out a 12 pack of water from the executive lounge.
PS- powered eggs are junk
HaHa Gilbert. Which hotel did you just have an experience with that has made you comment so eloquently?
I couldn’t put it better myself how I have felt about the “unbundling” attempts by legacy airlines. they too everything away and still want us to pay the price we did before? #Really? I’m looking at you British Airways, where you have frankly gone too far in taking away the differentiation points that used to justify your short haul Business Class prices…. Well said Gilbert but I would love to know which hotel provoked you into saying this.
Haha thank you very much
