extra hotel charges

Four star hotels charge four star prices for breakfast. Two star hotels charge two star prices. For anyone else in this position I would remind that buying breakfast at the hotel is usually a poor deal and boring. Down the street or around the corner will be a cafe with better prices.

I never bother paying for amenties I won't use, a gym being a main one. When I spend thousands of dollars to get to Europe I can't spare an hour to sit in a poorly equipped gym, especially since I can easily walk 10 - 15 miles in a day just sightseeing.
I never take breakfast in room, unless included, and rate is good.
I also tend not to use any agency to book hotels I always book direct.

Jerry, I'd say that hardly any experienced European travellers eat breakfast at the hotels unless already included in the price. It is a known fact that it is usually overpriced and under stocked.

As already stated, most travellers will walk around the corner and experience some local culture for breakfast at probably a third of the price.

Hotels here have been doing the same thing for years. The higher the hotel price, the more you pay for the same things provided at low cost or free by more modest hotels. That's why a Marriott charges for internet but a Fairfield By Marriott offers it for free.

If they charge, go elsewhere. We often stay at nice hotels on a splurge but walk around the block to an inexpensive restaurant both here and abroad.

Jerry,

That's expensive for breakfast and I would never pay for extras. I can go some place else then the hotel and have cheaper breakfast.
If you really want to work out on your trip. get one of those travel gyms. I got one that comes with fitness rubber bands, and a push-up bar that can be mounted in a door way and folds in two. I have not use it yet, but it looks cool and it's light.
I also got some water weights.Very light also. A bit bulky when you fill them up with water, but they do the job.

Jerry,

The breakfast would be actually 36 EUR for 2 , not 60, according to your numbers. 60 EUR (58 actually) would be for both breakfast and gym.

As I understand your post, you did not pay 150 euro for the rooms; you got a discount through Hotwire (probably a major discount). That discounted rate did not include breakfast, or gym access. Were you led to expect otherwise? If not, you have nothing to complain about.

OK Lola, that was Hotwire I was looking at. But, I still say that is dishones. Taking out services and cost is not a discount. If the services are worth €56 on a €150 rate, then we start with a rack rate of €94. That doesn't leave much room for a "discount".

Lee---I'm sure the services are not worth that much---the hotel raises the price for those who do not book with the hotel and get them included in the rate. I think the lesson here is to avoid "deals" on Priceline, Hotwire, and the like, and book directly with the hotel, where you know exactly what you are getting. I always cringe when I see recommendations to use Priceline for Zürich, for example. There are a number of charming 3-star hotels in the old city center (and they include breakfast!) Instead, people use Priceline and end up with faceless business-type chain hotels outside the center. The rooms may be large and modern, and internet provided, etc., but we much prefer the smaller, family-run places.

Lola, I just checked the Priceline website for hotels around Frankfurt, and I think I found his hotel. I followed the booking up to where I would have had to commit my credit card number. NOTHING was ever said about breakfast NOT being included. You have to understand Germany; it's different than the U.S. It is customary there for hotels to include breakfast in their price, I think not including breakfast, just to show a phony discount, is extremely dishonest. I wasn't planning on doing business with Priceline anyway, but this seals it. I will never do business with someone like this, who attempts to make money by misleading you about their price.

Another thing about Priceline, they won't show you the actual hotel until you commit. This prevents you from knowing upfront how good their price really is. If they really had such good prices, they would be proud to let you compare.

Lee---I think he said Hotwire; does Priceline work the same? I have never used either one. I have been to Germany a number of times, as well as Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, . . . I book 3-star places, always directly via e-mail. And yes, in most 3-star places, breakfast is included in Germany. However, in many 4-star hotels with business clientele, it is not automatically included; it depends on what offer you take. I would assume the agencies like Hotwire and Priceline might have deals with the hotels to cut costs by cutting out the extras. Unless the Hotwire website says that breakfast would be included in the price, you can't just "assume".

I'm pleased with the response to my original post. I think (not sure--old brain cells) that hotwire told me breakfast was included, but my manners and my german prohibited me from arguing with the hotel staff. My main question is, how can one hotel charge $150 or more with no breakfast, and another charge $90 or less with continental breakfast included. I'm a value shopper and I fail to see the value for the higher price. Is one paying more for the ambiance??

I just did a pretend inquiry for hotels in Frankfurt on Hotwire. The 3.5 star hotel offered a room for $156. Under "hotel details", it says: "Pool(s):
Property offers at least one pool area; hours and dates of operation may be seasonal. Business Center:
Guests have access to business equipment and services; an additional charge may apply. High-speed Internet Access: Guestrooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access; an extra charge may apply. Spa Services: Guests have access to a spa facility or spa services; an extra charge typically applies."

In other words, there is an additional charge for everything (except the pool). The 4-star hotel for $248 a night was similar, but the hotel has an in-house restaurant. Nowhere does it say breakfast is included, for any of the hotels. Buyer beware.

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic; it's just that everyone needs to read carefully and not assume things, especially if you are going to use a third-party booking agent.

Jerry,

I think it's like that all over the planet.
I remember about 2 years ago when we went to Niagra Falls, in Canada, we stayed at Rennaisance hotel, which was almost 300 CAD/night. The breakfast was included, but we had to pay for the parking , 20 CAD, and for the internet , another 20.
I think the more you pays for a room, the less extras you get. They assume people who pay so much m oney to sleep in a room for a few hours, have money to pay for extras separately.