I’ve been in some hotels recently that add 20% to the restaurant bill as a tip automatically. It drives me nuts. Same hotel in Chicago adds 20% tip to the guy who delivers the cart to the room for room service PLUS a 3% “service charge” (whatever that is) PLUS a $7.50 “delivery charge.” Then I have the option to add an additional tip which I never do and I always feel guilty. How much of a tip does the guy who wheels the cart to my room deserve?

Wha? 23%+$7.50 for room service? That IS nuts. Think I'd stay someplace else next time. Should be the same as it's always been, like the bellboy, if they still have them. (Not sure I've ever stayed in a place that did!) A few bucks for humping your luggage up to the room, a few bucks for bringing your food to you, nothing wrong with that. But it should always be up to you. Like any other transaction, if you think you're getting ripped off, protest to the management, fight back.

You pay the guy (or girl) who parks your car, you tip the attentive bell boy, you pay the "required" tip at the restaurant and for room service, if a concierge helps you out with arrangements, he deserves a tip and then you get a bill when you check out and WTF is a


RESORT FEE???

That's easy. They'll resort to anything to squeeze another few bucks out of you! No way I'm paying that without asking what it's for, and if I'm not satisfied with the answer, demanding it be taken off the bill.

That's why you stay at Motel 6. The way things are going, they'll start charging a Hepatitis Fee.

Ha! Stayed at one once, Lafayette, Ind., about ten years ago. Skanky! Don't know if it was because it was a college town, or just badly managed, but it was really filthy and I'll never stay at another one.

I always figured Motel6 was on a rating scale from Motel1 to Motel100.

25-30 years ago, I found most of them to be really bare bones, but "clean" and fine, especially for the discounted rate as compared to the competition. I've stayed at a few after that, and it's been awful.

We all know that it doesn't matter how much we spend on lodging, it ain't truly clean. Thanks, Inside Edition!

I'm a frugal guy to a fault
 

but my favorite Motel 6 story is I'm trying to check in at a facility in Michigan with a reservation and find myself in a line of about six. It gets confusing at this point, but for some reason credit cards could not be accepted. Cash only, which many people do not carry, of course. Some guys simply leave. Line moves very slowly, then stops altogether when the clerk says -- "I don't have any change, I'll have to go across the street to get some." (true story) And did so. When he came back, I told him to cancel my reservation, left and slept in my station wagon overnight.

Back in the day, a motel opened and charged $6 per night. They decided to call it “Motel 6.” At that same time - early 1960s - four star hotels only cost $20 per night and baseball game tickets cost a few bucks! Sadly, those days are long gone!