Hotel Charging Guests By The Pound

[The Straight Story]

Hotel Charging Guests By The Pound

POSTED: 9:51 am EST March 21, 2006
UPDATED: 10:51 am EST March 21, 2006

A hotel in Germany has started charging its guests by the pound for an overnight stay, according to a Local 6 News report.

The hotel owner in the town of Norden, Juergen Heckrodt, said he was continually getting overweight guests, so he decided to make them step on the scales to determine room costs.

The hotel requires guests to pay half a euro or 61 cents per 2.2 pounds, according to a Reuters report.

The report said that the move appears to be working with returning guests.

"Much to (Heckrodt's) surprise, the guests were thinner on their next visit," according to the report.

http://www.local6.com/news/8160871/detail.html

[Don Claybrook]

1. I don't at all understand the rationale

Does he also serve meals that are included with the room? Does he depreciate furniture faster for overweight people?

Is he just on a crusade to make people thinner? The article seems to say that fat people aren't penalized, but are not given the thin person discount.

It seems discriminatory to me--maybe I'm missing a part of this.

[TrogL]

2. Broken furniture

My first wife was overweight. One night she sat on a hotel bed and it collapsed.

[jobycom]

3. I wondered that, too. Maybe wear and tear on mattresses, and

stuff like water and towel use, on the belief that larger people require more towels and water, etc. Also, being Europe, he probably does have a continental breakfast in the room price. But his glee at people having lost weight when they return implies he is trying to make people lose weight.

Wouldn't work in America, I guess, but it's still an interesting story. Be interesting to know for sure what percentage of guests lose weight, what percentage are offended and don't return, etc. Also, be nice to know why the hotel owner is doing this.

[valerief]

4. What about tall, muscular basketball players?

[edbermac]

5. Does Calista Flockhart get in for free?

:shrug:

[mattclearing]

6. That was uncalled for.

:P

[question everything]

8. LOL (nt)

[The Straight Story]

9. I think they pay her to be there :)

But I do wonder what poor old Dolly Parton would be charged if she want. I don't think she lose her, uhhh, 'weight'.

[TahitiNut]

7. I guess they're in the running for the next convention of ...

... people with eating disorders like anorexia and bulemia. :shrug: Maybe a fashion show featuring the 'heroin chic' models? Stupid one-sided nonsense!

[SmokingJacket]

10. Boy, would this NOT work in America!

Not even skinny American women would get on a scale in front of a stranger...