Posted on 11/30/2011 1:10:58 PM PST by ConservativeStatement
Times are tough, so many people are searching for hotels with free continental breakfasts.
Problem is, some of those eating aren't guests, says Hampton Inn manager front desk clerk Alfonso Tobenas. That's right. Folks walk into tourist hotels and pose as guests to gain access to morning chow. Who would do such a thing? Lots of people, according to local hotel insiders.
"It is what it is, bro, times are tough and they're hungry," Tobenas says. "They're just trying to beat the system and save a buck. The first time you're going to get away with it, the second and third time I'm going to ask you to leave."
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.miaminewtimes.com ...
Wouldn’t it be more entertaining to occupy Embassy Suites Happy Hour?
As in: The Democrats "gain access" to elections.
They gave me tickets on check in, and I had to give the "Breakfast Lady" a ticket every morning.
I figured that it was just the hotel chain (it's not one that I use often) being a PITA. Guess I was wrong.
That’s what I was thinking. Much better foraging at happy hour. Buy a coke and it’s not even stealing!
In college my roommates and I would go to the local Holiday Inn for happy hour. We would buy one drink, and then ravage the Hors d’oeuvre buffet table.
If it was crowded, we could blend in. If not, the manager quickly spotted us. Also, if we went too late, there was nothing left.
Then I got a job....
In years past I traveled on business quite a bit. With extremely rare exceptions, nobody ever asked me for ID when I showed up for the free breakfast, which in some cases was the full hot type.
In fact, probably 3/4 of the time when I’d sign for a meal at the restaurant for lunch or dinner, I’d just sign my name and room number and nobody asked me to prove I was staying there.
In those locations where they have a conference center, many evenings there are events with heavy appetizers or full buffet tables. Seldom is there any effective check on who gets in line.
I suspect a lot depends on how you dress and act.
Every bite I ate was legitimate, but I did notice how easy it would have been to get free food.
ML/NJ
Back in the days when I wore a suit and tie, I was amazed at what you could get away with. No one ever questioned you.
Embassy Suites Breakfast Buffet is the far better deal.
When my kids were little - it was worth the extra bucks to stay at Embassy Suites for the breakfast buffet? My family of four easily consumed some $40 bucks worth of good chow.
Two winters ago I lived like this in Miami.
The trick is to get a room key card. It doesn’t have to work, it just has to be the right color. Just keep in your hand all of the time.
Free breakfast, use of the computers in the business center. I actually got a lot of work done on a personal project I was working on. Swam in the pool and used the bathrooms. I was sleeping in my car at 3 alternating Walmart parking lots. After everybody gets used to seeing you, it turns out like one big happy family.
They just think you are on a very long business trip.
At Walmart, you just tell them (and the cops) you are taking a nap while your wife shops, which works perfectly at anytime if they are open 24 hours a day. Just park in a different spot every night.
There are several nice (not fantastic) hotels within long walking distance from our apartment and my wife and I sometimes take our weekend constitutional with one of their breakfast buffets in mind.
Of course, we always pay, but I imagine we could just waltz in eat, and leave — if we were that kind of people. The Japanese staff would never think to ask.
I really like the Chinese dim-sum buffet that Tokyu-Inn in Kichijoji puts up. They also have the best coffee. Richmond Inn in Musashino has great American style sausages, but both only serve scrambled eggs.
If we want eggs to order, we have to walk all the way to the Hilton in Shinjuku. There’s a cook there that will make an excellent farmer’s omelet if he’s not too busy.
Surprisingly, the Hilton is the cheapest of the three.
Funny-—I actually stayed at TWO Hampton Inns in the midwest
last month, and I noticed this phenomenon: seemed to be some unlikely people in the breakfast room, which was located in its own big room right off the main corridor. Now it all makes sense.
A true “foraging for free” website I’ve never seen referenced by urban foragers is:
http://neighborhoodfruit.com/find_fruit
the place that i’m staying tonight and tomorrow night has free breakfast AND dinner. i just came back from dinner incl. wine and beer and nobody checked that i was staying here.
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