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What is The Most Outrageous Hotel Parking Fee You've Ever Paid?

August 21, 2009 at 9:45 AM | by Jennifer Kester | 22 Comments

We've said it before and we'll say it again--when you shell out lots of moolah for a hotel room, free or cheap parking should be an automatic amenity (we'll take that over sweet-smelling bath products). But we've found that the more expensive the hotel, the more jacked-up the parking fees.

A prime example is the Peninsula New York, where you'll fork over between $925 and $16,000 for a room, but if you want to park your vehicle there, the hotel will tack on an extra $60 for every 24 hours—and that's without any in-and-out privileges. What's worse is that most hotels don't even list their sky-high parking fees on their website, meaning you usually don't know until you pull up that parking will cost you upwards of $35 a night.

So we're taking names and making a list. Here are some other pricey-parking doozies that we've found and that our Twitter followers have shared with us:

W Los Angeles - Westwood - One of our editors once paid $14 to park at the W for an hour. Looks like the price has decreased to $10 the first hour and $4 for each additional hour. But if you stay overnight, the price shoots up to a steep $32 for a sedan and $35 for an SUV. (That picture above was taken in 2007.)
New York Marriott Marquis - Valet is $55, and good luck if you have a big ride: SUVs and minivans pay $65 and SUVs that are 6 feet and 2 inches or taller have to pony up $80. If you want in-and-out privileges, that'll be an extra $10.
Malibu Beach Inn - The $23-per-night valet charge with in-and-out privileges may not seem excessive, but before Hollywood bigwig David Geffen bought the place and reopened it in fall 2007, parking was free.
The Blackstone - The $47 daily valet fee is enough of an incentive to book the Chicago hotel's Bike Chicago package and pedal around town.
Omni Chicago Hotel - Not to be outdone by its Windy City peer, the Omni's valet parking costs $49 per night.
Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay - Valet parking is $45 per night, but the real killer is that we hear there's a free lot across the street and the hotel provides complimentary two-hour "coastal access" parking for non-guests. Huh. So people not staying in the hotel get a better parking deal than those who pay for a $399 room.
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles - If you want to keep your wheels here, it'll cost you $40 a night, in-and-out privileges included.
InterContinental Boston - A reader went here for a job interview and had to pay $20 to park for an hour and it wasn't even valet (hope the job was worth it). If you stay the night, it'll be 39 smackers.
Hotel Monaco Seattle - A reader tweeted us saying overnight parking here cost $30, but the hotel now charges $40 plus tax. Though Hotel Monaco does offer incentives for eco-consciousness; you'll save 25 percent off if you bring your hybrid.

Tell us about the outrageous hotel parking fees that you've had to empty out your wallets to pay in the comments below.

22 Comments

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  1. adviljunky

    HotelChatter Member

    Westin Philadelphia

    Nice hotel but not the greatest. I've paid as little as $109 for a room.

    Parking is $42 plus tax per night. Outrageous!

    August 21, 2009 at 2:19 PM
  1. juliana

    HotelChatter Editor

    westin st. francis

    the san fran hotels near union square are always notoriously expensive. i believe the westin st. francis was $52 a night. however, there's a parking garage up the block and to the left, that is much much cheaper.
    August 21, 2009 at 2:33 PM
  1. kelleyth

    HotelChatter Member

    Crowne Plaza Seattle

    28 dollars a night, farmed out valet service with a 1 hour wait and a 5 dollar city tax.

    I don't stay there anymore.

    August 21, 2009 at 2:52 PM
  1. miahotels

    HotelChatter Member

    Four Seasons Miami

    $34 per night.  
    August 21, 2009 at 3:47 PM
  1. qomentaurus

    HotelChatter Member

    Gatwick Parking

    Book early to get the best deal. Hotel prices are like airline prices; as availability decreases, prices will rise.Hotel-with-parking prices  paid in advance are much cheaper than if paid separately, every time.

    Some of these prices are really high. Look at what we pay across the pond, Gatwick Hotels with Parking-Gatwick rooms from £35.00 or parking from £6.21!

    August 24, 2009 at 5:54 AM
  1. londontown

    HotelChatter Contributing Editor

    ritz carlton new orleans

    $32 plus tax. there's a public carpark out the back but it looks a bit dodge so they have you over a barrel
    August 24, 2009 at 8:58 AM
  1. fhillard

    HotelChatter Member

    westin market place

    San Francisco - $44 a night - sheesh!  literally around the corner from the hotel, 2 mins walk a parking garage for $15 a day.  why, o why so expensive?
    August 30, 2009 at 5:42 PM
  1. Faron Presley II

    HotelChatter Member

    Hotel Indigo San Diego

    Just stayed there and $32/night to park
    September 1, 2009 at 4:06 PM
  1. mrscourage

    HotelChatter Member

    San Francisco - highs and lows

    The Ritz in San Francisco is $70 per night and down the street at the Hilton on Kearny Street, you can park overnight for only $30.  I think it's the highest and lowest I've seen in SF.  I'd rather spend my $40 savings at the Hilton's wine bar.
    September 4, 2009 at 12:37 PM
  1. Jenna Bromberg

    HotelChatter Member

    Boston

    $42 at the Liberty in Boston :(
    September 8, 2009 at 10:25 AM
  1. Natasha Lynch

    HotelChatter Member

    Tokyo Hotel

    Y10,000 (USD$109) for 1 night carpark in the Sheraton hotel in tokyo - already paid Y15,000 (USD$164) for room.  Nothing was free at all - had to pay to use swimming pool and watch any movies at all in room.
    September 21, 2009 at 2:11 AM
  1. ginaedrapa

    HotelChatter Member

    Toronto

    It was $30 if I recall
    September 28, 2009 at 10:10 PM
  1. Sandro Ferreira

    HotelChatter Member

    hyatt san francisco

    60,00 USD night!!!
    October 3, 2009 at 7:25 AM
  1. uniq

    HotelChatter Member

    rocco forte villa kennedy

    26 eur, though the parking is managed by an outside company, just like the example shows in your image for the w westwood - i guess that's where reit's take us :D
    October 27, 2009 at 10:51 PM
  1. dancepuppy56

    HotelChatter Member

    Brisban Hilton...cheap no

    AUS$46.00 a night. even on Christmas Day!, So Australia is expensive to, a car park two blocks away charge $14.00, so staying there over the Christmas break is AUS$143.00...
    ..I'll take the Train
    November 25, 2009 at 5:40 PM
  1. Lighthouse

    HotelChatter Member

    holy smokes

    As many high up places as I have been in DC it topped out at $20. Paying $80 for parking an SUV seems rediculous, I'll park it myself thanks!

    -LH
    poker chips
    December 9, 2009 at 2:06 PM
  1. juliana

    HotelChatter Editor

    mandarin oriental las vegas

    they charged $30 for overnight parking. in a town where it is always, always, always free.
    December 16, 2009 at 10:58 AM
  1. Lau Alfonsin

    HotelChatter Member

    40 e!!!!!

    I paid 40 euros on a London hotel per day+taxes...Never ever go with a car..I won't!! Lala from Paris hotels
    December 21, 2009 at 6:38 AM
  1. twedrosm

    HotelChatter Member

    Welcome to the big city

    Everyone knows that major cities on the East Coast have limited parking.  Fly dont drive in!  Especially NYC, we have more cars here already than we know what to do with.  I think overnight parking should be at least $100 per night in cities like NY.
    January 8, 2010 at 11:34 AM
  1. markd52

    HotelChatter Member

    Big cities are expensive

    Every time I go to a big city like Chicago or LA I see these outrageous prices for parking. I guess land is expensive in these places so they have to make up the cost by charging so much. You're right though, you'd think they would give you a better deal if you are already paying for such an expensive room. But maybe they think if you can afford expensive rooms you won't care so much about paying $40/day for parking. It's usually best to rely on alternative moving services like trains or buses.
    January 14, 2010 at 3:29 PM
  1. Ron Potter1

    HotelChatter Member

    $60.00

    $60.00 overnight at the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park. Plus tip!
    January 20, 2010 at 2:24 PM
  1. bannerday1

    HotelChatter Member

    London

    With the PR Director of The Savoy in London doing a hard hat tour of the hotel...think amazing x 100!
    banners
    March 19, 2010 at 12:41 AM

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