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Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

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Re: Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

#251

Post by dreamcompiler »

jzwinck wrote: post #33

Not about smoking but I recently stayed at a W hotel and was woken in the middle of the night by the room lights turning on. They used electronic push buttons and I turned them off. Seconds later they turned on again. This repeated several times until I was fully awake and called the front desk. "We can come put tape on the sensors." "What sensors?" "There are sensors under the bed." "Oh, so you already know about th…

Stayed at a Marriott property in Germany that had these. Got up in the middle of the night to pee and the automatic lights woke up my partner.

I carry black electrical tape whenever I travel. It's marvelous for disabling sensors and covering up too-bright LEDs that light up the room all night.

Re: Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

#252

Post by inetknght »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #141
zeroonetwothree wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s tricky because the chains (like “Hyatt”) don’t actually own any hotels. They are generally owned by local ownership groups and it can be hard to figure out the real owner. That’s also why one Hyatt could be 5/5 and another 1/5. The chains don’t do a great job of quality control.

That's a cop out. What's the point of a brand if quality control is all over the place? Most McDonald's are franchises, and they famously give very similar experiences wherever you are. Not identical, obviously, but a Big Mac is a Big Mac. This is absolutely on Hyatt corporate. They should have policies regulating these types of detection systems.

> What's the point of a brand if quality control is all over the place?

Extracting rents comes in all shapes and sizes.

Re: Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

#253

Post by dv_dt »

If there is a fire in the building does every single guest get a smoking fine?

Or if there is a prolific smoking guest can they set off detections in neighboring rooms? Hmm

Also this seems like any excuse for hotel management to avoid having real interactions conversations with the cleaning staff who are perfectly competent to discover if a room has been contaminated by smoke.

Re: Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

#256

Post by mindslight »

bgilly wrote: post #248
lxgr wrote: post #132

There has got to be a way to penalize companies for attempting this kind of thing. Even just removing the charge without discussion isn't enough, as some people will be traveling on a corporate card they don't necessarily monitor closely, will confuse the charge for something else etc. Otherwise, I'd love to be able to preemptively and without any prior communication charge (way in excess of the room rate, of course!…

There is a way. Don’t give them any of your money.

So now the debt they claim you owe is partially valid...

(Yes, I'm being obtuse. In response to a simplistically obtuse point)

Re: Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

#257

Post by varjag »

staplers wrote: post #246
762236 wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a way to deactivate the sensor if you find one in your room?

That could open a whole world of legal punishment for you far surpassing a small fee on your bill. Fire safety laws and such. Not that I think this is a good thing but the framework is there to make your life hell if you were caught doing this.

Fire sensors and alarm centrals are very regulated business. This shit won't pass for one.

Re: Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

#259

Post by recipe19 »

It reminds me of a hotel I stayed at that had a stocked mini-fridge. Removing any item from the fridge resulted in an automatic, silent charge. Putting it back did not remove the charge. So if you simply took something out to check it in, or if you wanted to chill your own beverage, they counted that as consuming the item.

They removed the charges if you checked the bill and objected at checkout. But how many people don't look? I'm sure it generated enough revenue to pay for the sensors. No one is going to say it out loud, but false positives are the point.

Re: Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

#260

Post by dwroberts »

jplrssn wrote: post #105
tialaramex wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Leases often work this way. In theory it's illegal in the UK (for a home, businesses are assumed to be big boys who can negotiate on equal footing) but it's still pretty common to be charged when you move out. Specifically UK law says "reasonable wear and tear" is just an expected cost of people living in a house you let to them - so e.g. they're going to wear out carpet after some years, but a cigar burn is not OK,…

They absolutely prey on people not being having the time/resources to fight back. A friend in the UK had his deposit withheld as "mail charges" by his landlord upon moving out. Turned out the fine print in his lease said that he wasn't allowed to receive mail at the house he was legally renting.

> his lease said that he wasn't allowed to receive mail at the house he was legally renting.

Pretty sure that is not a stipulation you can legally put in a tenancy contract. Because both parties have to be able to serve notice on the other via post in writing. Same reason you are legally entitled to know the postal address of the landlord.

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