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So I spent time Wed. evening at a Comfort Inn in Ludlow, MA ... where I had a fairly comfortable room and a promise of a breakfast, so I slept well even if the internet and Haysus weren't talking so much. I woke, found the piece of paper slid under the door, and went into an instant bad mood.... on account of the $1.50 fee for the hotel safe that they'd tacked on.
Oho, worse, it seems that when I'd wandered in the night before I had signed a slip of paper accepting usual rates ... and they usually charge people $1.50 for the safe *being in the room* even if it isn't used. Me, I'd come in, got some ice, watched the weather channels, and gone to sleep ... safe? Why would I dump my stuff in a safe if I was going to be there ...
To be clear, the nice young gentleman on the front desk understood the problem and fixed it quite rapidly, explaining that *yes* they do charge that automatically, and yes, he *could and would remove it* for me, right now sir ... and that the reason they charge it comes not from Comfort Inn, but ... but from the safe supplier to the franchise, which insures the contents, after all, and which needs to make sure it is covered in case of a problem. I am reminded of Microsoft getting a cut of every sale of many computer sales (even those sold without windows -- the Windows tax which finally seems to be getting nuked because of Linux netbooks) as a matter of course, and I am reminded of the Boss who interviewed Conrad ... Just pay the leedle extra, mon ...
And arriving here in Maryland after a wet trip which included about 5 minutes of snow flurry and sleet, hours of thick fog, several out-and-out downbursts of rain, a few flitting moments of sun on trees still with color in them in southern PA ... the place I'm staying has cured the ice-filled out-going coolers emptying the ice reserves by having coin-op ice. $0.25 per ice run for a modest bucket full.... Well then, it *is* an economy motel within easy walking distance (within view out my window!) of the site of the upcoming class reunion. Not only that, there is a Dunkin Donuts, a Chinese restaurant, an italian restaurant, a buffet-food place, a full scale grocery store, a full scale liquor and wine shop, and Rite Aid ... all within the same shopping complex... so I guess I can forgive that quarter for ice. But after all, I *used* the ice I got last evening. The $1.50 safe fee .... not so much.
More as time and energy permits.
Oho, worse, it seems that when I'd wandered in the night before I had signed a slip of paper accepting usual rates ... and they usually charge people $1.50 for the safe *being in the room* even if it isn't used. Me, I'd come in, got some ice, watched the weather channels, and gone to sleep ... safe? Why would I dump my stuff in a safe if I was going to be there ...
To be clear, the nice young gentleman on the front desk understood the problem and fixed it quite rapidly, explaining that *yes* they do charge that automatically, and yes, he *could and would remove it* for me, right now sir ... and that the reason they charge it comes not from Comfort Inn, but ... but from the safe supplier to the franchise, which insures the contents, after all, and which needs to make sure it is covered in case of a problem. I am reminded of Microsoft getting a cut of every sale of many computer sales (even those sold without windows -- the Windows tax which finally seems to be getting nuked because of Linux netbooks) as a matter of course, and I am reminded of the Boss who interviewed Conrad ... Just pay the leedle extra, mon ...
And arriving here in Maryland after a wet trip which included about 5 minutes of snow flurry and sleet, hours of thick fog, several out-and-out downbursts of rain, a few flitting moments of sun on trees still with color in them in southern PA ... the place I'm staying has cured the ice-filled out-going coolers emptying the ice reserves by having coin-op ice. $0.25 per ice run for a modest bucket full.... Well then, it *is* an economy motel within easy walking distance (within view out my window!) of the site of the upcoming class reunion. Not only that, there is a Dunkin Donuts, a Chinese restaurant, an italian restaurant, a buffet-food place, a full scale grocery store, a full scale liquor and wine shop, and Rite Aid ... all within the same shopping complex... so I guess I can forgive that quarter for ice. But after all, I *used* the ice I got last evening. The $1.50 safe fee .... not so much.
More as time and energy permits.
