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Courtyard Marriott's $20 plug fee.
- Thread starter Chrisizzle
- Start date
mknox
Well-Known Member
Not everywhere. I've been indirectly involved in some Destination Charging programs through an EV club I belong to and it is my understanding that the equipment is the only thing that is donated.
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One thing to remember is that most commercial customers pay the utility a demand (kW) charge in addition to their consumption (kWh) charge. The demand charge is based on the account's highest peak demand for the month, even if it only occurs for 5 minutes. The 17 to 20 kW demand that a Tesla would add to the building's demand could easily result in a new monthly high peak for the account.
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Exactly. I do not believe that offering this service for free is sustainable in the long run. (I also believe that, at some point, road taxes on gasoline will have to be re-thought as well). Companies like hotels can offer free charging as a perk to get business and that is fine. Costco and some credit card companies offer discounts on gasoline for similar reasons. But to expect everyone to provide the service and the energy for free is unreasonable in my opinion. Most entities that install charging equipment (including my own company) have said that the service is free "for now" since, in my case, we are trying to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles for a number of reasons. Once EVs become more pervasive, I think we will all have to expect to pay for the service and the energy.
As a legal/regulatory aside: these businesses are not reselling electricity to you (contrary to the Plugshare Melissa report quoted above). Because the fees are structured on a per-use basis, not per-kWh, they are selling use of charging equipment, which is not a regulated activity in any U.S. state or territory. (Notice that Blink uses /kWh rates in some states but not others. Why? In some states, selling power by the kWh turns you into a regulated utility.)
My personal take is that every business has to make a decision about what amenities to charge for, and what it should provide for free. We see this dynamic in the airline industry, and there is no single model that dominates: Spirit charges you for everything but the oxygen you breathe, while Singapore Airlines is nearly all-inclusive. Most hotels charge for a glass of wine, while some have a free wine reception, presumably because they think free wine will attract more customers of their target demographic and more than offset the cost of the wine. Like the glass of wine I enjoy at the inn, the electricity I use to charge my car has a definite and measurable cost. I appreciate when hotels give me free power (and free wine), but I don't expect either. The presence of either will influence my lodging choice.
FWIW, the markup most hotel bars put on my glass of wine is markedly higher than the markups discussed in-thread for electricity.
My personal take is that every business has to make a decision about what amenities to charge for, and what it should provide for free. We see this dynamic in the airline industry, and there is no single model that dominates: Spirit charges you for everything but the oxygen you breathe, while Singapore Airlines is nearly all-inclusive. Most hotels charge for a glass of wine, while some have a free wine reception, presumably because they think free wine will attract more customers of their target demographic and more than offset the cost of the wine. Like the glass of wine I enjoy at the inn, the electricity I use to charge my car has a definite and measurable cost. I appreciate when hotels give me free power (and free wine), but I don't expect either. The presence of either will influence my lodging choice.
FWIW, the markup most hotel bars put on my glass of wine is markedly higher than the markups discussed in-thread for electricity.
Interesting attitudes towards this from some that seem to lean towards entitlement.
For any business offering a service or suite of products, the value proposition must be determined for each individual customer based on the price of those services. If it's not to my liking, I'll choose an alternative. But I don't begrudge the provider for charging what they deem reasonable to make a profit.
Given that the presence of destination charging @ $15 may be of far greater value than no destination charging at all, it would likely be of great value to me if it makes the difference between being able to take the Tesla over my ICE vehicle.
If it was not a great value for me, I wouldn't be critical in a review, just as I wouldn't criticize them for offering a $3 bottle of water.
However, for almost all other amenities we have significant choice of hotels in an area. This currently is not so for destination charging. Thus I think there's significant value in recognizing that supporting those establishments that provide the option. Once we hit a critical mass where destination chargers are everywhere, we can opt to recommend places that provide free/low-cost charging.
But let's not shoot ourselves in the collective foot over $15. Just remember, $4/gal gas can be back here before you know it... do you really want to take that 500 mile round trip in the SUV just because it's gonna cost you $15 to charge at your hotel?
For any business offering a service or suite of products, the value proposition must be determined for each individual customer based on the price of those services. If it's not to my liking, I'll choose an alternative. But I don't begrudge the provider for charging what they deem reasonable to make a profit.
Given that the presence of destination charging @ $15 may be of far greater value than no destination charging at all, it would likely be of great value to me if it makes the difference between being able to take the Tesla over my ICE vehicle.
If it was not a great value for me, I wouldn't be critical in a review, just as I wouldn't criticize them for offering a $3 bottle of water.
However, for almost all other amenities we have significant choice of hotels in an area. This currently is not so for destination charging. Thus I think there's significant value in recognizing that supporting those establishments that provide the option. Once we hit a critical mass where destination chargers are everywhere, we can opt to recommend places that provide free/low-cost charging.
But let's not shoot ourselves in the collective foot over $15. Just remember, $4/gal gas can be back here before you know it... do you really want to take that 500 mile round trip in the SUV just because it's gonna cost you $15 to charge at your hotel?
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Full disclosure, here is my review.
1) I admit in hindsight, I should not have said the fee was excessive.
2) Before people call me "entitled" by booking the King Suite, I thought I had no choice but to stay at the Marriott to use the charger. Booking the suite was cheaper than two separate rooms. I slept on the couch while my colleague took the bedroom.
3) There seems to be confusion about me being 'prepared' for the fee. A user on Plugshare paid $15 as a non-guest 9 months ago. There is no guideline from the hotel. So, when I saw the $20 misc charge upon check out, I guessed what it was.
4) Since everyone pays the charging fee, there is no incentive to actually stay at the Marriott. Next time I would pay $15 to charge the car and stay in a cheaper hotel.
Review Follows:
“First world problems but I must still complain...”
I selected this hotel because I was taking my Tesla car on a long distance business trip. This was the last hotel charger before my ultimate destination another 100km north.
Most hotels / restaurants add car chargers to solicit the exclusive business of EV owners. If they offer services the competition does not (similar to a business center or pool), they get the booking. Instead, Courtyard Wausau treats it like a monopoly and charges excessively for the service.
Remember when hotels charged for wifi but the coffee shop offered it free? It's like that.
Etiquette dictates I patronize a business where possible but when my battery was low, I found a hotels or businesses happy to let me plug in free.
They also didn't notify me of the costs upon reservation or check in. Instead, I just got a surprise $20 'miscellaneous' cost with my bill.
I also must complain about the "King Suite". I know 'suites' often double for business use or as a place for bridal parties to prepare. This room was clearly set with that in mind. The bathroom was borderline industrial space and the living room had little more than a boardroom table. This 'suite' is not designed for guest comfort.
Room Tip: Steer clear of the King Suite unless you need the space for a practical reason.
Green Features: This is ironic since they have an "environmentally friendly car" service fee of $20.
First, you point out I didn't post my complaint yet somehow, you know the manager had "more sense than the complaint."
Next, I found the manager's response rather snippy by insinuating 'you should thank us for the 100km'. Further, his reply (claiming expense of the charger) was the catalyst for me to visit this forum as ask the original question of whether Tesla subsidized the costs. If so, he can't use it to justify the fee.
And finally, the manager should acknowledge all cost be disclosed to the customer in advance and should ensure that changes in the future.
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