about hotel park valet

[dudaduda]

I'm gonna drive to a nice hotel in a nearby city for a business meeting. I check the hotel website. They have "park valet" for parking. I'm wondering what exactly is that. Is it somebody who waits outside the hotel and park and pick up your car for you? Or is it a nice parking area and valet is somebody who you pay when you enter or exit the parking gate?

Also, I'm wondering if it's proper that I choose to park my car and pick up my car even if the hotel valet would like to do so for me.

Sorta confused...

;-D

[jamesglewisf]

The simplest thing is to always call before you go. Ask them what it is and how much it costs.

I'm guessing that this is just valet parking, but be forewarned: valet parking at a hotel can cost up to $35 a night. It is just another way to charge more for the room. Some hotels don't even have non-valet parking; although, that is rare.

When you call, ask if they have guest parking that is not valet.

I've never been to a hotel that didn't charge you for the valet parking, but you still tip on it.

[jamesglewisf]

I left something out. Some of the hotels that charge $35 for valet parking might also charge something like $10-15 for the other guest parking. It's worth asking. Sometimes after you add on the cost of the parking, a room at one hotel ends up costing more than another hotel.

[dudaduda]

Thanks for your kindly responses!!!

I'm gonna call them tomorrow and find out.

Meanwhile, what really confuses me is the term "valet parking". could you please elaborate more about it? Is it somebody who waits outside the hotel and park and pick up your car for you? Or is it a nice parking area and the valet is the parking lot attendant who you pay when you enter or exit the parking gate?

Also, wondering if it's proper that I choose to park and pick up my car even if the hotel valet would like to do so for me at the hotel gate.

thanks again for your kindly advice. It does help.

[jamesglewisf]

It is someone who waits outside any establishment, gives you a claim check, parks your car, and retrieves your car when you produce the claim check later. You always tip. Sometimes there is a fee involved, sometimes it is free. It is usually free at a restaurant. You usually pay at a hospital, hotel, office building, airport, etc.

[Grimey]

Valet parking is confusing to me. Are you supposed to tip the guy who parks your car or the guy who picks it up or both?

[jamesglewisf]

Tip the guy who picks it up.