I had a flight home cancelled because of weather one time back in the days before I had a cell phone. My wife had one, so I called and got no answer four or five times, probably 10 seconds per call. Then I finally got her and spent a minute or so telling her what was up. My tab for six calls totaling probably 2 minutes of clock time and six minutes of charged phone time? $60!!! When I came to the following morning at checkout and accused them essentially of fraud for having such ludicrous non-standard rates without giving the guest ANY prior notice (at the time, most hotels were charging something like $2/minute or so, AND they had a card in the room stating the rate besides), they seemed less than impressed and refused to do anything about it. I should have filed a claim with the credit card company. AND they wanted $10 for internet access. The Grand Sierra in Reno, if anyone’s interested in avoiding the place.
Heh, heh.
That particular profit-enhancing scam has bit the dust.
Nobody even uses the hotel’s phones anymore.
Also I’ve noticed that the “on-line movies” (really porn access) that used to be ubiquitous is getting rare. Apparently people can now access their porn (or for that matter other movies via Netflix) online, so they don’t need to pay the hotel $10 or $15.
You also reminded me of my pre-cell and pre-wireless internet road warrior days.
Used to carry a “phone card” on which 2000 minutes cost something like $10. Went through astonishing contortions to make a phone call on the hotel phone without incurring their charges, and even worse trying to connect to the web without doing so. Sometimes took me half an hour to connect and download my email in 5 minutes.
I guest I’m just really cheap.
I was also always amazed that the more expensive the hotel room charge the higher their other charges were. Seems like a place that charges $200/night could afford to comp local calls, but no. OTOH, Motel 6 and similar places often didn’t charge for local calls.