Does Anyone Want To Be Escorted To Their Hotel Room?

That last line of the script 'I insist' is plain rude. I have had that multiple times, won't say which hotels but in NYC, and ...well a lot of places in NYC. I think you're placing this FOR AMERICANS IN AMERICA, whereas where you cross cultures and norms, the 'guided tour' is helpful. Tipping is not normal in mainland Europe, and it's not expected for something like this where the clientele is European. If a bell person is carrying my bags from check-in to the room, and that's the culture (particularly at city hotels where the lobby is up a few floors, and then you take another lift to get to your room), then that's fine, it's just a cost to factor in. If it's literally walk in on the ground floor and then my room's on the 5th floor, and I have a single cabin-sized roll-along, someome offering to take me will be firmly rebuffed, I have zero interest in giving you five dollars for the awkward charade of something I would MUCH rather do myself. 1. On a spread out property, particularly resorts, it's actually beneficial to be escorted to your room, particularly where it's a golf cart ride away (in which case it's more organic). JW Marriott Venice, some Kempinskis, most Belmond resorts. In Ritz Carlton hotels, generally you can ask whatever you want at the club lounge, which is less awkward. 2. In Room: Many Europeans won't know how to work AC, just like many American's don't know how to work a thermostatic valve on a radiator. I appreciate being told something helpful about the AC. Most people won't know how to operate the Toto, but that's a slightly awkward chat anywhere. 3. It's a good opportunity to ask the annoying questions that they normally do at the front desk, would you like a wake up call, newspaper, our lounge is x, the pool is x, towels at the pool, and in some cases (status or booking related) the minibar actually IS Free, so that's helpful. Would you like some ice sent up, still or sparkling water, and practicalities like booking in for spa treatments, etc. I don't think concierge chat is good on that walk, but it's a genuine opportunity for someone to be friendly and personable and helps hugely in anticipating guest needs, picking up on things like a big anniversary etc. It significantly reduces the likelihood a guest will reject a room as well, as you're colouring their first impression and taking care of things like the lights, so they see it in its best light. It's also an opportunity to discretely pick up on anything amiss with the room. We've all had times our key card doesn't work, in a spread-out resort that's a F***ing pain. When this happens on the 'tour' version, they simply say 'I see there's an issue with your key, I'll have someone come up with new keys, and would you like me to get some fresh cold water?' or something like that :) Lastly, we've all had times we're given the key to another guest's room right? It means it's not you walking into that.

We arrived at the Hilton in Chongqing and were greeted by all the senior staff including the Manager. To this day I have no idea why. For the entire stay they hovered over us and were extremely helpful. They escorted us to the Presidential Suite and were so proud of their hotel that we couldn't tell them we were ok. I will never forget the experience - they even treated us to a limousine ride to the airport and a fancy dinner in their restaurant. I must admit it was enjoyable to be so pampered. On the other hand we stayed in a fancy Lodge basically overlooking Victoria Falls. Each of the rooms was in a 4-plex. In this case it was a gauntlet that had to be experienced. One luggage person - bags to golf cart. Tip. Driver drives to 4-plex and stops. Tip. Houseboy comes down the stairs and lugs our bags up to room. Tip. Ye gods, it seemed it would never end. Luckily I had a few South African Rand so had small enough that I could tip.. When we travel light (most times) we do our own luggage probably inappropriately in some 5* hotels where nobody lugs their own bags. Sometimes embarrassing.

Take my luggage to my room, by all means, but I’ll make my own way there; probably slowly and circuitously. Unless it’s late at night I’m unlikely to want to go straight to my room anyway.

My daughter & I disagree on the tip amount for a bellhop assisting with our luggage at a 4 star hotel in Europe. Suggestions?

Read all the comments and still no answer. How did this escort thing originate? What was its original purpose?