Hyatt’s Thompson Houston charges $65 per day for valet parking. That amount seems insane to me. This is not New York. The hotel does not have any self-parking option.
The hotel keeps guest vehicle keys in a safe, but it seems to be one of those cheap consumer-style safes you might buy from an office supply store, because it runs on a battery and the battery died. It likely also has a master key, but that wasn’t available. As a result, no guest could get their vehicle.
Here’s one guest that was trying to check out and head to the airport – but couldn’t return his rental vehicle – and is presumably thankful they hadn’t rented from Hertz?
I just finished up a two night stay at the Thompson Houston. The staff, hotel, the room, the Sol7 restaurant were all excellent as expected for the brand. This is my second stay at a Thompson property, Nashville was my first. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. It’s worth mentioning that valet parking at $55/day is the only option through the hotel, there is no self parking for the hotel.
This morning I go to checkout and I am informed that the valet safe is locked and the battery died. They cannot access the safe with all of the keys in it. Meaning I cannot retrieve my rental car on the morning of my departure. The thought of this happening has never even crossed my mind.
In addition to finally returning the rental car to the airport on behalf of the guest, the hotel provided:
- apology
- 10,000 points
- waived valet charges
- reimburse uber from hotel to airport
Credit: Thompson Houston
In terms of compensation, 10,000 points seems light? 20,000 for a free night seems right to me. That’s what the Grand Hyatt DC did for me in September when my room wasn’t ready at check-in. The Andaz 5th Avenue gave me 35,000 points when my room wasn’t ready at check-in time. In neither case did I press on the amount – that’s what was proactively offered when I mentioned not getting a room rate’s worth when I can’t have a room for the time it is rented for.
My only really bad valet was at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. They dinged my car in their lot. They reimbursed the damage and gave me a complimentary room night and restaurant dinner. At least the valet didn’t take a joyride and get carjacked at gunpoint.
Not only is the compensation inadequate — for example, the hotel apparently didn’t pay the extra changes for a late rental — but in some cases the hotel may not be allowed to drive the rental car, depending on the rental agency’s policy on adding a second driver.
That is all. Did they pay for the late car rental return. They fill up the tank also. What about second driver daily fee
BREAK the lock
I’ve got one of those consumer safes with a battery. Behind a panel that can easily be slid aside. The battery is **outside** the locked space, it’s meant to be replaceable without opening the safe so you don’t get locked out by a dead battery. They should have known that and what would be needed–but should doesn’t always mean they actually do.
You will be in breach of contract with many rental car companies when you let an unauthorized driver operate your rental vehicle for any reason. Earlier this month at the Horseshoe property, I was locked out of my room and missed a meeting due to the night latch self-deploying. Security said this frequently occurs locking out people from their room. Guests simply wait for security to then call maintenance to use a common coat hanger to bypass the night security latch.
Listed below is some advice from hbsboak on reddit regarding a rental car driven by an unauthorized driver and involved in an accident.
“No, your insurance won’t drop you for this — it’s not even an insurance matter at this point. But you are hosed.
Because your friend was not an authorized driver of the rental car (not on the rental agreement) your car is considered a non-owned auto and is unlikely to be afforded any coverage through your insurance policy. If your friend has auto insurance, the rental will still be considered a non-owned auto since the rental company never gave him permission to drive the car (it’s all in your rental agreement/contract).
If you didn’t have lights on, as the witness stated, then it’s highly possible the other party could not see your car, regardless of their age and left turn.
Best case scenario there’s split liability with some percentage attributed to both parties. But, based on the witness, I’d probably put you majority if not 100% at fault.
So what’s going to happen now is your rental car company is going to send you a bill for their repairs. If you don’t pay it, they will send you to collections or file suit against you.
The elderly couple will go through their own insurance and have their repairs handled, you will be considered an uninsured party. If they have injuries, their insurance will take care of that too (I guess dependent on state and policy). Then, here’s the fun part, the old folks insurance company will come after you for everything that they paid out. They’ll ask you for payment, maybe make a payment plan, maybe send you to collections, maybe you’ll be sued by the old folks.
Yeah, you’re in trouble.
Edit: your friend is ALSO open to subrogation by the other insurance or lawsuit as the at-fault driver!”
With Hertz President’s Circle, there’s no fee for a second driver. You automatically get the option of adding one. I don’t, however, know if that second driver needs to be disclosed at the time of rental.
As long as all collateral costs were covered, 10,000 points may be enough but waiving a night stay charge would be better assuming that the guest was paying for the room. The hotel has to keep the key that provides an alternate method of opening the safe onsite. Not doing so was a major oversight on their part. The stress from the situation must have been very high.
I’ve stayed at hotels where the night auditor at 6 or 7 am just told me to grab my key from the unlocked cupboard by the valet stand. At other hotels I’ve seen the one valet leave the keys unsecured as they retrieved or parked a car. That’s just asking for someone to steal keys. Quite a few valets never verify the keys by asking for the claim ticket.
If when I was checking out of a hotel they offered to pay for a cab to the airport and to return my rental car for me, I would be stoked. If they also offered 10,000 points and to waive all of the parking fees, I would be over the moon.
Really ? Basically. they carkjackef you.by withholding access to.your keys
Worse valet story ever: we paid $60 for valet at Margaritaville Nashville. They parked our vehicle in a $5 outdoor lot across the street, the back window was smashed in. Next morning we were called downstairs so they could tell us the news and comtinued to deny any responsibility (hotel valet wasn’t owned by the hotel). We spent the whole day in the lobby with another couple who experienced the same thing waiting for the window to be fixed. No one ever came to fix the window, we wasted our only full day in the city sitting in that lobby and then drove 5 hours home with the noise of the wind and rain at 70 mph the next morning. I’m in the hotel industry, they comped one night and our insurance covered the broken window. The other couple got nothing. Never again will I book that hotel for myself or my clients!
Can you start please citing your sources for these articles? It’s journalism 101.
@Mike Strattenburgh – I do, of course…
The Valet at JW Marriott Summerlin (Las Vegas) once gave us the wrong rental vehicle at checkout but we did not notice as it was a red Mustang convertible that was identical to the one we rented. When I returned the vehicle the Budget agent spit out a receipt for another vehicle with higher charges. Upon further inquiry it was determined that the valet gave my vehicle to another guest. As luck would have it both were rented from Budget and thankfully the other driver returned the vehicle earlier in the day with no damage (though without filling the tank). Budget then issued me a corrected receipt.
I was told this happens all the time which is a bit frightening. All things considered I would rather have my key return delayed rather than stolen or given to the wrong customer.
“That’s what the Grand Hyatt DC did for me in September when my room wasn’t ready at check-in. The Andaz 5th Avenue gave me 35,000 points when my room wasn’t ready at check-in time.”
Obviously these places knew/found out about your blog. Doubt anyone else would get refunded a night just because the room isn’t ready at 4pm. Sure I’ve been told to enjoy a drink on the house while I wait when this has happened to me, but you can’t be that blind…some hotels know who you are…