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'Package Pushers' Taking Your Money

Where: 50 Central Park South [map], New York, ny, United States, 10019

As we pointed out in this week's Bad Rate, sometimes the offered value of a hotel package is a lot more than the retail price.

Now, Forbes has taken a magnifying glass to some top-tier hotels and their ludicrous lavish packages.

Looking at the "Shoes, Shoes, Shoes" package at the Ritz-Carlton New York in Central Park which starts at $2,605 per night and doesn't include the shoes that you will buy at Stuart Weitzman's request.

Forbes broke the package down with the rack rate for rooms at $695 a night, lunch at the Lever House is $55 a person, 1/2 bottle of wine is $32 and personal shopping ranging from anywhere between $150 and $450 per hour, or at least $1,200 for an eight-hour day. At the lowest level, the "Shoes" package could costs guest $2,095--$510 less than what the hotel charges.

Naturally, the "Package Pushers" at hotels won't do this sort of thing for you:

"We don't normally break down the packages for our guests," says Rebecca Rand, public relations manager at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. "There's value added in the experience they're getting."

True, every detail is arranged and you can sort of pretend these people are "working for you." And if you can afford at least $2,095 on rooms and shoes, then what's an extra $500?

Related Stories:
· Package Pushers [Forbes]
· Ritz Carlton reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Bad Rate: Overpriced Lovers' package [HotelChatter]