In the United States we’re so prosperous it’s become boring. We’ve decided we don’t like it anymore and we’re just going to light the economy on fire and be done with it. Tariffs will drive a decline in a dollar and higher prices, and we’re breaking supply chains.
Some businesses, though, are jumping on the narrative to nickel and dime customers for nonsense. The Hampton Inn Dublin in Virginia appeared to impose a $2 fee to print receipts. Update: the hotel’s General Manager tells me that this was intended as an April Fool’s joke.
Due to the price increase on paper due to tariffs if you would like a printed receipt there will be a $2.00 fee applied to your final bill.
Now, China is the world’s largest producer of paper, accounting for about a third of global production. China exports over $1.5 billion worth per year. However a $2 surcharge per printed folio is a little bit insane? You can buy 500 sheets of printer paper for $6 on Amazon.
But what about toilet paper? It seems like that’s a better opportunity for an upcharge on every room! Huge missed opportunity, and apparently the hotel has already backed off of this charge after being exposed for it on the internet.
Hey ya’ll, this is locked down now. Apparently management team has removed the surcharge and seen the error of their ways.
Please stop calling the property and harassing them.
No doubt we’re going to start seeing a whole lot of tariff surcharges (not just price increases, which is what they really are).
Credit: Hampton Inn Dublin
Here the hotel appears to be dismissing this as having been a joke of some sort.
Woah there, Gary. I know you’re being tongue and cheek here, but the “In the United States we’re so prosperous it’s become boring” is not the feeling for most folks–they’ve been struggling before, during, and likely after all this mess.
Also, “We’ve decided we don’t like it anymore and we’re just going to light the economy on fire and be done with it.” Umm, who’s ‘We’ because no one voted ‘for’ tariffs–people mocked it during the election, like ‘oh, just a tactic, He doesn’t really mean it…’ (turns out He meant it.) This is all #45/47. And it ain’t ‘common sense.’ Nope. Not at all.
He alone just destroyed a lot of wealth for no good reason. An economic calamity seems like the only thing that can bring us back to reality. It’s sad because it was avoidable. Let’s not placate the mad king anymore, please.
These tariff surcharges are going to be like the fuel surcharges we saw creep in during the 2008 recession when gas prices were sky high and never left when prices stabilized.
How about people join the year 2025. Have the hotel email you the bill as a pdf and then just save it as a pdf. The trees will thank you.
@George N Romey – AMEN! I’m an old dude (67) and can’t remember the last time I asked for a printed receipt. Check balance on phone or TV to ensure it looks good then check out and either have receipt sent to email or the app. For those that claim they need a printed receipt for reimbursement I bet you have to scan it in so the PDF sent by the hotel actually saves you some effort.
@George N Romey @AC — Welcome to The Resistance, fellas. Bah!
I’ll pretend that you meant your ‘green’ choice in good-faith. Yes, sure, save the trees, save a buck, too. ‘Efficiency.’ Well done.
However, within the context of hotel stays, please do actually review your invoices, via email or otherwise, ideally in-person before departing the hotel, because I’ve noticed an increase, especially with Marriott franchisees, charging for things I did not consume/use (like a parking fee when I didn’t have a car.)
Guests that trust, but fail to verify, are sadly missing out. Just saying, remember to prevent that ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ when it’s *actually* happening to you!
In the year 2025, email systems still occasionally eat the mailed PDF folio.
A hotel charging for a paper receipt? Compare that to an Italian airport charging me $7 to print my ticket out back in 2010. Its all Trumps fault – he is using a time machine to go back and make foreign countries charge outrageously for printing things on paper.
@AlohaDaveKennedy — Beware. Some may diagnose you with ‘TDS’ on here… (perhaps, they would be engaging in the unlicensed practice of medicine! *gasp*)
AlohaDaveKennedy whinging about something that happened a decade and a half ago, in a place thousands of miles away to cling to some form of whatabboutism.
Ah…the maggats are becoming desperate, now that their ignoramus king has been exposed for who he is.
I mean, who His Majesty is.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve checked out, opted to receive a digital receipt only to never receive it. Then you have to go through hell to get a copy. I always get a printed copy.
@Nate H — This. All it takes is to get screwed once, then you know, but we all should know better (and these greedy companies should not do this either.)
For me, it was the scoundrels at The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland. First, horrible location with the casino. But, for the purposes of this example, they use ‘pressure sensitive’ mini-bar in each room. Upon check-in and entering the room, I noticed a ‘purchasable’ (not complimentary) bottle of water was missing from that pressure sensitive mini-bar. So, I took a photo, called the front desk, and messaged them in the app, ensuring there was a paper trail on what should have been a minor issue. Of course, I, like many of us, was in a ‘rush’ at check-out, and didn’t review the invoice. Sure enough, the hotel charged $20+ for Icelandic water, which, again, we did not have to begin with, or consume. They stayed firm, regardless of the evidence. Had to escalate multiple times. A month later, probably an hour of my time, finally resolved. Shame on them. Never again.
Dang… does every thread have to turn into a Libtard vs MAGAt debate.
I don’t like Trump, but at least he’s breathing and coherent. The last guy was defiintely asleep at the wheel.
I think this business got caught trying to profit off a political position and got their hand caught in the cookie jar. Had this been a business with a security-surcharge for private security during BLM, this would have made front page news. Now its just “meh”.
I think this fee was meant to be more annoying than anything. $2 less the merchant & payment gateway fees of probably $0.40 – $1.60 net…. would probably get away with calling it an Environmental Fee. Or just be honest “Fee for those who hate technology”.
I just checked out of a Grand Hyatt, – and the hotel agent didn’t even give me a choice – she asked if I wanted a copy of my folio – I said “sure” and she repeated my email address. Boom. done.
The constant need by progressives to make every issue political and blame Trump for everything is fascinating. Sometimes a rose is just a rose. I bet if Trump posted that Oxgyen is good for mankind, 2 million progressives would stop breathing in protest. There is so much more to life than Trump. Or Biden or Kamala
Political comments fuel clicks, but in reality, isn’t this just another hotel looking to charge some stupid fee?
I wouldn’t want a paper receipt if hotels would consistently email me the receipt.
I don’t know which is worse though, itemizing a hotel receipt with garbage fees in Concur or scanning a paper receipt.
@Deltahater — As I warned @AlohaDaveKennedy above, I know folks like you would suggest the equivalent of TDS. Yeah, I get it, not everything is #45/47’s fault directly, yet, His administration’s explicit policies and His implicit attitude/vibe of corruption leads to games like with these hotels (and airlines, and companies, generally, abusing consumers trust.) The fish rots at the head. We deserve better.
@haolenate — I’ve seen your comments before, and I know that yout appeal here to ‘not get political’ is disingenuous, especially as you immediately attack #46, who is now a non-topic. Can’t blame our current economic collapse on him, not at all. In fact, objectively, the ‘former guy’ did a pretty good job all-around by comparison. History won’t be kind to ‘your guy.’
Seriously, though, as I’ve said before, everything is inherently political if it involves power, money, culture, and yes, travel, too, because the movement of people has always been intertwined with all that.
So, if you prefer pure fiction, you’re welcome to bury your head in the sand. But as for the rest of us, ignore or engage. I enjoy engaging, even with those I passionately disagree with. Censorship is not the way.
I stay at the Conrad Indianapolis often and have for several years. They ALWAYS offer my folio to view on their computer screen and then e-mail me a copy. It has been that way for several years. That’s why I trust them more than other properties in INDY.
I don’t give any hotel my email address. If they insist I give them a fake one. Why open yourself up to additional spam emails.
@EgE — I’ve been meaning to visit that property, glad to hear a frequent patron approving.
My experience with Hilton in general is that they automatically email you a folio in the middle of the night before checkout and then an updated one after you actually check out. I like that as if the first one has an error I can get that rectified in the morning instead of having to deal with it after I’m already gone.
In most states it is a law to provide the consumer with a receipt disclosing the purchase price, sales tax, meals tax etc.
This is required because the states use these to perform “sales tax” audits for compliance purposes.
I come here to read about tech and to get away from politics. Apparently that’s all in the past.
Well, there’s one more author to add to the block list.
You can’t blame the former guy when the new guy has been in office less than 100 days?
I hope we keep the politics out of here, but comments like yours need to be called out as fringe.
You are absolutely correct! It’s going to get ridiculous.
Hmm
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I would pay more for really good toilet paper. I would actually pay WAY more for.high pressure showers. I am tired of spending $300/night and getting misted.
And now this page becomes political. Actually Trump is doing a good job with the economy but even if he didn’t you don’t have to alienate your readers by preaching your political point of view man. Both parties have their view, to use this flying forum to spread hate on the people who didn’t vote for your option is really low. Just saying.
Really…so when they have a lumpy mattress and my back is wrecked the next day…l will back charge for chiropractic care…massage therapist? The old days of getting one slipped under your door in the , so you can review your charges before they go thru wrong…my Hilton Honors food and beverage credits get left off folio…so should l backcharge my time to correct?
Ironic given Volvo just announced tariff-related layoffs at its Dublin, VA location