Marriott Finally Realizes Guests Might Not Want USA Today Outside Their Door Each Morning

from the think-of-the-savings dept

Tue, Apr 14th 2009 6:11am — Mike Masnick

In the last two boutique hotels I stayed at, when I checked in, they asked if I wanted a physical newspaper delivered each morning. This is a good thing, as, for me, mornings in hotels consist of me checking up on the news via my laptop, and then getting annoyed when I finally open the door to head out and realize there's as newspaper there I need to throw out. However, the big hotels have continued to force it on you whether you want it or not. Perhaps that's finally changing. Marriott is the first major hotel chain to say that it will now stop automatically delivering a paper to hotel rooms, instead giving guests the option as to whether or not they want it. While I'm sure some newspapers (especially USA Today) may be freaking out about this decision, it only makes sense. The hotels will certainly save a lot of money, guests are happier and everyone wastes a lot less paper.

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Filed Under: hotels, newspapers

108 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 6:42am

I have the same problem but at my house. The local papers are constantly "advertising" by throwing papers/trash into my yard.

Does anyone want to go outside and pick something up out of the grass to bring it inside to read? I can hardly believe that distribution system ever worked.

Anyway, 2 or 3 times a week I have to clean up litter in my yard. I have no idea how to get them to stop.

The great irony is that I called to see what Sunday delivery would cost. First, I had to get the whole paper, and not just the coupons. Second, it cost more than buying it at the newsstand.

You would never think their income stream depends on selling advertisements.
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David T, 14 Apr 2009 @ 6:43am

It's not about competing with "free"...
In the world v2.0, it's not about competing with free. It's about being relevant enough to attract eyeballs. Several industries would do well to understand this.
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Shawn, 14 Apr 2009 @ 6:49am

Huh?
As it happens I stay in hotels fairly frequently as well and I step over USA todays seemingly 100 mornings a year or more. I however, could care less . . . why is this so annoying? I just step over them and head to the elevator?
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Thomo, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:00am

Bar charting
How much effort is there, comparatively, to picking up that free USATo, and to lugging your laptop thru airports and hotel corridors?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:00am

Recently left comment:

Good Chain. Highly Recommended. The Marriott Express doesn't get as high ratings it deserves. Never read the USA Today, would rather receive the local newspaper, or perhaps (fingers crossed) a surprise like the WSJ. If that surprise showed up on the doorstep, it could turn out to be a long term relationship for all involved.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:01am

This has to be a troll, right? If not...

why is this so annoying? I just step over them and head to the elevator?

Do you even realize how callous this statement makes you look like? As long as you can ignore a problem, it's not really a problem? Is that it? Well, you may possibly have noticed in recent years, there's been a focus on conservation. People like you may think there's no problem with wasteful consumption, but at least if given the choice, there are others out there that would prefer not to the waste.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:02am

Re: Huh?
some people are compulsive cleaners/OCD. I have fun pissing off my girlfriend putting things at angles or have objects knocked over on the dinner table... but I digress...

some people are ecologically super friendly and it irritates them that a small redwood gave it's life that morning so a hotel filled with people could ignore it.
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Adam Singer, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:03am

That always bothered me too...
Print news? Why!? They might as well deliver it to me on a dinosaur. Seriously though, can we please stop printing news...what a waste.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:04am

Silly Marriott
Marriott hotels are a little bit special in some ways. They tend to be a little behind and want to do (technical) things their own way rather than the correct way.
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Sheryl, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:05am

Marriott Newspapers
The reason Marriott is changing this service to its guests, is to support it's green efforts and reduce our carbon footprint. The USA Today will still be available at no charge from the front desk at our Select Service and Extended Stay brands and as an optional delivery at our Full Service properties.
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Loraan, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:05am

If you look at the bottom of your registration when you check in, you will often (always?) see text like the following: "Please call the front desk to refuse delivery of USA Today. If refused, a credit of $0.75 will be applied to your bill."
My point is that the hotels may not "save a lot of money" because they are already passing the cost of the paper on to you. What I think will happen is that the system will shift from an opt-out to an opt-in model.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:07am

Re:
"Do you even realize how callous this statement makes you look like? As long as you can ignore a problem, it's not really a problem?"

I fail to see a problem? Mike says he finds it annoying to throw them away . . . I dont even pick them up? Im not ignoring anything, they DONT INTEREST ME . . . so there is no problem here for me?

If you want to make some larger ecological argument fine, but I dont recall any such argument in the article above so I was curious about why this was so annoying for him?
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Zaven, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:09am

Now if only we could get them to give free wifi
Horray for common sense. Don't give me a paper unless I ask for it. Now if we can get these expensive hotels to give us free wi-fi we'll all be set. Can anyone explain to me why I get free internet in a $50 a night motel but not in a $150 a night hotel?

Please someone explain it.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:09am

Re:
I think what's more important, and what we should focus on, is that this guy is REALLY CONFUSED about stepping over the newspaper and heading to the elevator.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:11am

Who pays their bill? Mine was always paid by... erm...

Nevermind.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:14am

Re: Re:
How about the guy smoking a cigar at 5:00 am?

Always a hoot. If you can find him.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:16am

Re: Re:
Im not ignoring anything, they DONT INTEREST ME . . . so there is no problem here for me?

Me me me. Believe it or not, this issue is not about you and your emotions about stepping over a newspaper. It's about the broader topic of whethere there should even be a newspaper there for you to step over and, more importantly, the time and energy it takes to create and get that newspaper in front of all those hotel rooms that more and more people don't even want.

If you want to make some larger ecological argument fine, but I dont recall any such argument in the article

Apparently you didn't read to the end of the article, specifically, the last six words.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:17am

Re:
>Do you even realize how callous this statement makes you look like?

Do you even realize that this is the next best thing to complaining at the front desk about the paper being there?

Don't pick it up because you don't want to leave it there. Don't pick it up because it was "meant for you." Don't pick it up to be neat. Don't pick it up to throw it away. Don't pick it up out of boredom and disinterest. Don't pick it up to leave it inside for the next guest.

Do ANY of these and it appears that the paper is a wanted and welcome item. If enough people step over it, leave it laying there, or even kick it across the hall, then the hotel quickly realizes that it's not wanted and quits supplying them.

Yeah, they'd realize it quicker if people complained at the desk, but even in this nation of whiners, very few will whine for a good purpose.
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Petréa Mitchell, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:17am

You throw it away???
Speaking of waste, why not just leave it on the corner of the table or something so they can recycle it?
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Greg, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:19am

Re: Huh?
Exactly. Just leave it on the hallway floor. The hotel staff put it there, they can pick it up if another guest doesn't do it.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:19am

Re: Now if only we could get them to give free wifi
Because you're sucker enough to pay an extra $100 a night for a hotel then you're probably sucker enough to pay for your wi-fi.

Sucker!
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Tyro, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:23am

About time
When I used to stay at the Marriott and other chains I'd make a point of telling the front desk to NOT deliver newspapers. The waste & pointless costs bothered me at first and then it became a grudge match. The front desk would tell me "yes, not a problem" and the bloody paper would still turn up. I would fight this stupid fight for months and nothing changed.

It's about time that some high-up mucky muck got involved.

Next issue: the hotels always leave notices that tell us about the costs & damage of excess laundry but at plenty of hotels towels & sheets would always be washed, regardless of what I did or what lofty ideals they'd express on plaques.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:24am

Smart people don't pay for WiFi. They find a way!

Never underestimate the power of the Linksys WTR54GS, my son.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:25am

Re:
[Bows down]

That's the best device known to man. Put it in repeater mode, and stick it behind a pop machine, and you're golden!
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Celes, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:26am

I worked for a Marriott property recently. I realize lots of people (myself included) these days get their news online, but you'd never know it from working there. Even though we delivered papers to the rooms, we'd still run out of the extra ones we had set up near the front desk. Most people would grab them on their way to breakfast; I suppose it's more practical to read the paper during breakfast rather than risk spilling your juice on your laptop. (Maybe some people aren't this clumsy. I, however...)

It really is good to see them finally going from opt-out to opt-in. However, I do see one problem: most travelers, especially frequent travelers, just want to get their keys and go when they check in, and yet there is already a litany of questions that must be answered before they can do so. (Most Marriott Rewards members, in my experience, will create a profile with just name, address, and usually credit card number. They don't remember to update preferences and thus get asked these questions again and again.) This is just one more to add to the pile.
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Ima Fish, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:28am

Re: Bar charting
"How much effort is there, comparatively, to picking up that free USATo, and to lugging your laptop thru airports and hotel corridors?"

A lot considering that the USA Today only has one day worth of very narrowly selected news, while the laptop will you keep you updated throughout your visit. Not to mention that the laptop can play games and movies, while the USA Today simply represents a dead tree.

And you're ignoring the fact that the laptop will almost certainly go regardless of whether you get a free copy of USA Today. It's not like someone is going to be torn between the choice of carrying a USA Today with them or their laptop (or iPhone, iPod Touch, DSi, PSP, or any other device that can the latest news.)

And your assertion that you have to "lug" a laptop or that it's somehow difficult to navigate through corridors carrying such a device is simply ludicrous. You might not know this, but laptops have gotten a lot smaller lately. And even a giant laptop is much smaller than your luggage.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:30am

Re: Re:
hotel quickly realizes that it's not wanted and quits supplying them

Just like the Yellow Pages will stop automatically delivering to houses once they realize the majority of people just go online to look up phone numbers? But wait, that happened years ago, so why are they still wasting all of this paper? Because they, like the hotels, have a vested interest in it. Even though most people do look up phone numbers online, there are enough businesses out there that still think buying space in the Yellow Pages is worth it. And even though the hotels know that most people don't want a newspaper at their front door -- or at least want the choice -- they have a vested interest in either charging for the newspaper or just imbedding it into the overall price of the room.

In short, the hotel already knows that you don't want the newspaper, so leaving it conspicuously at your door doesn't do any good.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:32am

Why you pay for wifi at expensive hotels
Zaven asked why you have to pay for wifi at expensive hotels. I did ask that question at a hotel a couple of years ago. The manager's answer was basically phrased in PR speak, but my understanding of what he said follows.

When WiFi first started getting poplular there were companies that signed contracts (10 year in the case of this hotel) that said that the company would provide Wifi equipment and connectivity and the hotel would charge for the connections. Expensive hotels signed the contracts and economy ones did not. Eventually hotels and motels realized that they could attract customers with free Wifi and that it was relatively cheap to install and support. Expensive hotels are still locked into the contract, but the economy places are not. I am guessing that as the contracts expire hotels will have to make a choice. Some will be converting to free. Others may want to maintain the revenue stream; it is often hard for businesses to give up actual revenue streams in favor of hard-to-quantify factors like how many customers can I attract with free WiFi?
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Ima Fish, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:32am

Re: That always bothered me too...
Several years ago my local paper had the city turn over a city block so the paper could expand and build a new printing press. At the time I said it was ludicrous because in ten years we won't even be reading newspapers anymore. Everyone laughed and thought I was an idiot. Now that same local paper publishes only three days a week, and I still have a few more years to go before my prediction is shown to be correct.
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Iron Chef, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:34am

Re:
Totally Correct, Sir.
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Joseph M. Durnal, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:34am

Local Paper Please
USA Today is the same boring national news that you see on every TV channel and major news web site. If I'm staying in an unfamiliar place, I would much rather get a local paper as I may not even know how to find it on the web (ok, maybe that is a stretch). A local paper might give me something to chit chat about with a client over coffee, or just give me a feel for the town I'm in. When I'm out of town on business, I want to make the most of it, so I try to avoid the same old things I can do at home. For the same reason, I avoid chain restaurants, well, except for chains that I don't have at home!
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Ima Fish, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:34am

Re: Re: Re:
Every so often some idiot comes into my office wanting a phone book to look up the number. I ask them what number they're looking for while I hand them the book. In seconds I have the number off of the computer while they're just getting started fumbling through it.
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Shawn, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:41am

Re: Re: Re:
I agree its wasteful and its fine with me if its stops, my only point is, I dont find it irritating? Do you guys really go through life getting all exasperated at any percieved waste you come across . . . you must spend alot of your time really miserable and angry?
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Celes, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:45am

Re: Why you pay for wifi at expensive hotels
I'm going to guess that it depends on how many complaints they get about the wifi charge. (This generally means written complaints, especially on the surveys that are emailed post-stay.) Since those surveys do have a real impact on the stability of the hotel, at least for Marriott and Hilton brands since those are the only two I know, they are more likely to listen if there are multiple complaints received in that format.

I know, you thought nobody read those things, right? They're actually quite important.
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Celes, 14 Apr 2009 @ 7:48am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Now THAT I agree with. Even in a hotel, guests who aren't near their laptops at the moment will call the front desk and ask them to look it up rather than pick up a phone book. Can you blame them?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:01am

Re: Re: Re:
>In short, the hotel already knows that you don't want the newspaper, so leaving it conspicuously at your door doesn't do any good.

Nonsense. Hotels don't make enough direct money from placing USA Today, or any other paper, at your doorstep to be doing it for that reason. They do it because some people want a paper, and a whole lot more use (or appear to use) one if it's available. It's essentially a low cost to break even act that appears to them to satisfy more customers than it annoys and they consider that a good promotion. If it appeared that few people were interested they wouldn't waste the time.

>Just like the Yellow Pages will stop automatically delivering to houses once they realize the majority of people just go online to look up phone numbers?

I don't, unless I happen to be sitting at my computer, and my computer is always on if I'm awake. None of my family or friends do unless they can't find the number in the directory. Online yellow-pages absolutely suck compared to local directories, even though the latter aren't very good themselves, because it takes more time to weed through all the suggestions and close matches and non-local businesses to find the one you wanted - often even if you were perfectly specific.

Most carriers don't even provide yellow pages these days and, for our area, even AT&T quit providing directories unless they were requested. They got so many complaints that they re-instated them, but you still have to request some directories that used to be automatic.

The reason there are yellow pages being dumped on yards is because 1) those businesses know they still get a large volume of calls from them 2) third party printers make a good profit convincing businesses that their directories are more useful and will get more views than the real ones. Sometimes they actually do, sometimes they don't.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:03am

Re:
Maybe try calling them? You know, use that 19th century "telephone" thing. Ask to speak with the circulation manager. If that doesn't work, a letter sent certified mail to the publisher, stating you will seek an injunction if they don't stop will work. Allude to future civil actions if they don't.

Communication - it really does work
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Stuart, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:03am

Re:
AC idiot. He didn't put the paper there when the hotel gets tired of picking up abandoned papers in their hall they might think of what a waste it really is and stop it. If all those fucking tree huggers out there take the paper they won't bother to read and dump it in a recycling bin the hotel will never know and go on wasting Energy to produce and deliver the paper. You figure out the better way to handle it.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:04am

Re: Re: Huh?
I have fun pissing off my girlfriend putting things at angles or have objects knocked over on the dinner table...
Don't get laid often eh?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:06am

Re: Re: That always bothered me too...
.....but as far as we know, you may still be an idiot. A savant, but an idiot nonetheless.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:10am

Re:
Never underestimate the power of the Linksys WTR54GS, my son.Make that WRT54GL
If you have to ask what it is - GOOGLE
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:19am

Mike,

Can you kindly ban originators of comments 36-41?

They haven't learned how to work with people.

Thank you.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:21am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
You do realize that "irritated" and "exasperated" aren't synonyms, right? How in the hell do you go from "irritated" to "exasperated", "miserable", and "angry"? Maybe you should focus on reading comprehension instead of making tenuous extrapolations that suit your own assumptions.

Maybe I should feel more strongly about it, but as it stands, I feel the same way as Mike about the newspapers, irritated.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:27am

Re: Re: Huh?
Just throw your cigarette butts out the window of your car. The road crews will clean it up.

Just let the door close behind you. That old lady that was only two steps behind you can open it for herself.

Just leave all your lights on in your house when you're not there. You can afford it and the power company will just burn more fuel to keep the electricity coming.

Just go through life not considering the impact your actions have on others.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:29am

Starwood Hotels gives you the paper option too!
I have been staying at Starwood Hotels (Westin, W Hotel, Sheraton, Luxury Collection) for years and they give you the option of not getting the paper as well.
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Love to Read, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:31am

Easily annoyed?
What gives? Reading the paper while walking, riding in a cab, during breakfast is a joy. You seem to have lots of free time in the AM to read news in your room. For me, I need to hit the road ASAP in the AM and USA Today or other local paper is ideal to optomize the get-up-and-go of daily life...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:39am

Re: Re: Re: Huh?
All he has to do is partially open a condom leave it on the bedroom table the then waits for the OCD to kick in. She cant stand having a partially opened condom it must be used.
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udamdirtyape, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:42am

Re: That always bothered me too...
Do you really want to read everything off a computer screen? And what about people who not have a computer with them? Sometimes its nice to read a good old-fashioned paper... You wouldn't advocate for the end of printed books in favor of Amazon Kindles would you? The paper used by newspapers is made from farmed trees and recycled paper, it is biodegradable, and wont be in a landfill or poisoning some 3rd world population like our laptops will in 10 years.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:43am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Nonsense. Hotels don't make enough direct money from placing USA Today, or any other paper, at your doorstep to be doing it for that reason.

By "imbedding it into the overall price of the room", I meant that the hotel marginally increases the cost of the room and appears to give their customers a nice little benefit. Not that they sit around and count up all the extra money they made by "selling" newspapers to their customers.

They do it because some people want a paper, and a whole lot more use (or appear to use) one if it's available. It's essentially a low cost to break even act that appears to them to satisfy more customers than it annoys and they consider that a good promotion.

The issue is that the formula is changing. Instead of looking at the newspaper and thinking, "Oh, that's nice. I can read the news as I eat breakfast at the buffet" more people are thinking "What a shame. All of this paper going to waste when so many people read their news online now."

Most carriers don't even provide yellow pages these days and, for our area, even AT&T quit providing directories unless they were requested.

In my area, everyone gets the Yellow Pages whether you want them or not. This topic has actually come up before on Techdirt. As I recell, someone suggested that everyone who is sick and tired of getting unwanted Yellow Pages take them to the phone company's headquarters and dump them their.
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Me, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:46am

Get a Life
Wow, if you get all upset over a free paper, I'd hate to see you deal with a REAL problem. How about you just get over it.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:52am

Re: Re: That always bothered me too...
The paper used by newspapers is made from farmed trees and recycled paper

OK, point taken about the benefit of reading something on paper, but even farmed trees and recycling takes energy. If hundreds of thousands of newspapers just end up getting stepped over in the world's hotels, then all of the energy put into farming the trees, transporting the trees, processing the paper, transporting the paper, printing the newspapers, transporting the newspapers to the customer, tranporting the newspapers to the recyclers, and recycling the newspapers is wasteful.
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JT, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:57am

Re: It's not about competing with "free"...
Why waste when you don't have to? I'm certainly far from a tree hugging hippie but why waste the paper when you don't have to?

Or are you one of the people that could care less about any kind of environmental responsibility even when it's this simple?
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BTR1701, 14 Apr 2009 @ 8:58am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Newspapers
> I agree its wasteful and its fine with me
> if its stops, my only point is, I dont
> find it irritating?

> you must spend alot of your time really
> miserable and angry?

You really should learn the proper use of the question mark. You put one at the end of every sentence, whether it's actually a question or not. Makes your comments very annoying to read.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:01am

When I stay at a hotel (and its usually a Starwoods property, hey, I like the AM buffet, and my company pays for it, plus the beds at a Weston are really nice) I am up, shower, eat and then in a cab. I am not reading news on my laptop because I am out the door. A paper is a good thing to read while eating.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:03am

Re: Get a Life
So, by your logic, no one should ever discuss any issue unless you consider it a "REAL" issue? How about you post your list of approved issues so us losers can only talk about stuff that you find important?

BTW, has there ever been an instance of someone saying "get a life" where the person didn't come across as a self-important douchnozzle?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:06am

Re: Re: It's not about competing with "free"...
Sorry David... That was for Shawn, clicked a bit too high.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:08am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Huh?
Thanks for sharing that with us. Good to hear, glad you find it necessary to show your manhood to a bunch of strangers that have no clue who you are. Great story, really.
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Hazel, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:08am

Re:
Outside of my home (we do not subscribe to print newspapers) and my business, where I keep 85% of all documents in digital format, saving the rest of the world is not my responsibility. I too have walked over USA Today newspapers that were left on my hotel room doorstep.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:09am

Re:
>> Does anyone want to go outside and pick something up out of the grass to bring it inside to read? I can hardly believe that distribution system ever worked.

You are kidding, right? It worked well for decades
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:10am

Re:
My cat's breath smells like cat food.
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JT, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:10am

Re: Huh?
Why waste when you don't have to? I'm certainly far from a tree hugging hippie but why waste the paper when you don't have to?

Or are you one of the people that could care less about any kind of environmental responsibility even when it's this simple?
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SilverWolf, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:16am

USA Today
Actually, I rather enjoyed having the paper outside my door in the mornings when I stayed two weeks at a hotel in CA for work a couple of years ago.

I don't normally read the paper and it gave me a chance to thumb through one.
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Dan Miller, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:40am

Newspapers
This is actually disappointing to me. The few times I read a physical newspaper are when I'm traveling on business and find the hotel outside my hotel room. I actually enjoy it and look forward to it. There is always an opt out option at the major chains and if people really don't want it, they should just tell the front desk.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:45am

I usually check the "don't deliver paper" box and then, because I am usually up and out the door before others, just grab their paper.
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:02am

Re:
Isn't there some sort of law stopping people from throwing garbage into your front lawn? I thought that there was one for my city as well, but it does not stop the free newspapers.
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:03am

Re: Re:
I'll let you know if they care...

Ok, I'm back already, the answer is NO.
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:07am

Re: Huh?
It's not just the USA Todays. I was just at a Canadian hotel, and in the mornings there would just be stacks of some Canadian newspaper on almost every flat surface.
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:12am

Re: Re: Re: Huh?
What?

You're joking right?

Or do you bring the hotel sheets to the laundromat and wash them as well for the staff?
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:14am

Re:
OMG OMG OMG! WE'RE GOING TO DESTROY THE PLANET WITH NEWSPAPERS! OMG OMG OMG!
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:15am

I put a big sign on my mail box with large 3 inch lettering that clearly stated: NO PAPERS OR FLIERS!!!
They continued to deliver the junk fliers every day and then duplicated the fliers in the free Sunday paper.
I even got the poor delivery kid and asked him why he ignored my request... his response was he had to deliver or he would get into trouble or even fired if he failed to deliver to each house no matter what. I called his boss and followed the latter up. Out of frustration I finally said if any representative ever steps foot on my property again I will charge them with trespassing and do everything I can to get them charge with littering.
Needless to say they stopped for a little bit... until a new kid took the flier route and they just ignored the sign again. I simply responded in formal registered mail to stop and re-iterated my trespassing threat plus I include a rather large (but reasonable) bill (my IT consultant minimum 3 hours billable time for each day) to clean up the mess of fliers. They never payed my bill but they also never delivered fliers to my house again.
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:17am

Re: Re: Re:
"Just like the Yellow Pages will stop automatically delivering to houses once they realize the majority of people just go online to look up phone numbers? But wait, that happened years ago, so why are they still wasting all of this paper? "

When you're looking up a general service, say Furnace Repair, the internet is not always the best solution.

For the time that you spend online, and weeded out the bad information, you could have already called 3 places.

Hell, my home address is still listed as an Auto Repair shop on some websites, when there's never been one there, EVER. The previous owner did own one at one time, but it's never had a physical location at the house.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:28am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newspapers
"You really should learn the proper use of the question mark. You put one at the end of every sentence, whether it's actually a question or not. Makes your comments very annoying to read."

and that makes my point invalid . . . how?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:30am

Re:
"I put a big sign on my mail box with large 3 inch lettering that clearly stated: NO PAPERS OR FLIERS!!!
They continued to deliver the junk fliers every day and then duplicated the fliers in the free Sunday paper."

Call the post office, in the United States it is illegal for ANYONE besides your postman or yourself to place anything in or take anything out of your mailbox. The postal system takes this quite seriously too.
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JB, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:33am

DS
In my area the loacal newspaper, that I pay to get delivered, also was delivering a free weekly ad section to all of the home owners. By doing that they can claim a higher circulation and charge more for advertising. The problem was the free ad section was basically just thrown all over the place. The person delivering it would just throw them into the street, often not even by a driveway or house. I called the newspaper and told them if they continue to do it I would file a formal complaint against them with the Board of Health for littering. When they continued to do it, I called my town's Board of Health and told them I wanted to file a formal complaint. They called the newspaper's circulation department and the problem stopped.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:40am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Huh?
I'll make this simple so anyone can understand...

delivering a newspaper that will not be read - wasteful

sleeping on a sheet that is later laundered - not wasteful

Sure, everything we do can be viewed as wasteful to some extent, but if something simple can be done to reduce it, you have a problem with this? You're pro-waste?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:45am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
So, because you have a hard time finding someone to repair your furnace online or there's a mistake on the Internet about your address, this justifies the huge amount of waste involved in sending Yellow Pages to people who don't want them? I have an idea. The telephone companies stop sending out the Yellow Pages and people like you can stop by designated locations and pick up all of them you want.
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Zaven, 14 Apr 2009 @ 10:45am

Re: Re: Now if only we could get them to give free wifi
My thoughts exactly. Given the choice, I never stay at these types of hotels. Unfortunately sometimes I didn't have a choice. Student employee for a college football team. Team pays for the room but not internet. Unfortunately when I'm sitting there all day saturday until we leave for the game, I can't do any work because they won't even let us bill anything to our rooms.
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batch, 14 Apr 2009 @ 11:22am

Re:
Well, I can't help you with your newspaper situation, although if you're looking to reduce junk mail:
http://consumerist.com/367478/8-ways-to-opt-out-of-junk-mail-lists

Its unbelievably awesome to not have to check the mail daily to keep it from overflowing.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 11:30am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Huh?
What's wrong? Woke up to a crooked bed in the morning?
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 11:48am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Huh?
*sigh*

Throwing garbage on the ground - disgusting.

Leaving your lights on - wastful, but who am I to judge.

Ignoring free things that a hotel provides - rude?

Leaving a newspaper on the floor where it was to begin with because you have no intrest in it, and the people that are paid to put it there are also paid to clean it up - rude?

I'm not sure I follow you.
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 11:53am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Excuse me for pointing out that yes, the Yellow Pages can serve a use. Even to people who are not neo-luddites.

Let me go through your house and get ride of anything I find a waste.
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DS, 14 Apr 2009 @ 11:56am

Re: Re: Re: That always bothered me too...
We could all walk around in the dark once the sun goes down as well. That'll save resources. Better yet, turn off your computer, because you are wasting electricity right now. And do you really need to breath as much as you do? Your dumps waste too much water, go borrow a shovel and take dumps in your back yard.
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Crabby (profile), 14 Apr 2009 @ 12:18pm

Re: Marriott Newspapers
And cost savings had nothing to do with it? I mean, I have no objections to a hotel chain trying to rein in costs. But please stop pretending it's because you care so much about the planet -- it's because you're trying to stay fiscally sound in a tough economy. There is no shame in that.
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Crabby (profile), 14 Apr 2009 @ 12:25pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
"Online yellow-pages absolutely suck compared to local directories, even though the latter aren't very good themselves,"

I absolutely agree with this. I can never find a phone number online that easily; it seems like you have to wade through a million ads to find any info. The books have a lead time of 9 months - 1 year from the time an ad is sold to when it is printed and delivered, which makes them ancient in today's terms when they even get to your door. But hey, the ambulance chasers like to advertise in them.

What kills me is that our phone company still prints and delivers the white pages. Who needs it? Like I'm going to be bored, and look through half a million names just to find someone to call? Now that is a waste of paper and resources.
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Crabby (profile), 14 Apr 2009 @ 12:28pm

Re: Re:
Don't worry. We can sop up the excess water from the glacial meltwater with newspapers and old phonebooks. :D
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 12:44pm

I am rooting for global warming. I wouldn't mind turning my house into beachfront property anyway. And tell the truth, would anyone miss Perth Amboy New Jersey anyway?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 12:53pm

Re: Re: It's not about competing with "free"...
Oh, yes, here we go. Recycling paper causes more environmental damage than just tossing it. Did you know that? Did you also know that the bulk of paper comes from tree farms where they grow trees specifically for paper? Check how fast a poplar grows, and tell me that turning those into paper is harmful.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 1:05pm

Re: Re: Re:
Get off your goddamned high horse. I don't pick up the papers off the bus seats, either. I didn't put them there, and they aren't bothering me. Why should I pick up a newspaper off the floor in a hotel? Someone could come around and want that thing, because I sure as hell don't. You call it callous. I call you self-important. Stop being all holier-than-thou and think.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 1:09pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Oh, I use them. That's a full year's supply of charcoal starter, right there!
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Petréa Mitchell, 14 Apr 2009 @ 1:14pm

Now here's a good reason to decline the paper
Arthur Frommer reports that some hotels are now charging guests for the newspapers they get every morning, without explaining beforehand that there is a charge.
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Shooter, 14 Apr 2009 @ 1:19pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
I appreciate having *A* copy of the white/yellow pages delivered to my home (as often as the power goes out around here, going online isn't always an option). But for the past several years, I've had from five to eight copies of two competing phone directories delivered every summer. Slight overkill, IMHO.
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Dohn Joe, 14 Apr 2009 @ 2:26pm

Who Says it Means the Paper Stops?
If they want to get with the times why not just redirect hotel internet to the paper of their choice? They do control the gateway, after all.

The only problem is...now the papers would be in a position to have to convince hotels to do this!
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 3:05pm

Re: Re:
Hey, thanks, for the edit. But the WTR54GS, or the original, is what was meant.
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Weird Harold, 14 Apr 2009 @ 3:13pm

Re: Starwood Hotels gives you the paper option too!
The W Hotel is a little too fancy for my liking. Read: Gay. Even though I have three of their hotel numbers in my phone, they're really, really gay. It's so gay, that Craigslist's M4M section is hosted on servers in the hotel's basement. So gay.
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GeneralEmergency, 14 Apr 2009 @ 3:32pm

Re: Re: Starwood Hotels gives you the paper option too!
Oh come on now, we all know you're super fabulously proud, and there's nothing wrong with that!

http://www.welcometowhotels.com/pride365/
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 6:35pm

Re: Re:
Still works for me. Actually we have little tubes on a pole, so it's dry and not in the grass. Still more fun to sit on the back deck with a cup of coffee and the paper than to have my nose in the laptop again. I like paper books too.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:04pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Huh?
Leaving a newspaper on the floor where it was to begin with because you have no intrest in it, and the people that are paid to put it there are also paid to clean it up - rude?

I'm not sure I follow you.

I was responding to you comment about bringing my own sheets to a hotel. I think most people would have understood that I was saying I don't bring my own sheets because I don't think it's wasteful.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:10pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Why should I pick up a newspaper off the floor in a hotel?

I don't know. I never said that you should, so why are you asking me?

You call it callous. I call you self-important. Stop being all holier-than-thou and think.

I called the statement that he ignored the problem callous. It's like looking at film of famine victims and saying, "Well, that doesn't affect me, so I don't see any problem with this!" Sure, not everyone -- including me -- does everything they can to address the problems that we see, but I don't go around saying they aren't problem because I am not personally affected.

And what's up with the holier-than-thou statement? This has never made sense to me. Someone really has to be "free of sin" to make any kind of critical remark? If that were the case, no one could ever make a critical remark.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:12pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Hyperbole much?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2009 @ 9:23pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: That always bothered me too...
You apparently have a screwed up concept of what the term "waste" means. It doesn't mean not using any resources, it means not getting value out of using a resource. Again, let me put it in simple terms for you...

Buying a newspaper and reading it - Not wasteful. Energy was expended to make the newspaper. Someone enjoyed it. Everyone's happy. No waste.

Hotels putting newspaper in the front of everyone's room on the off chance that people will read them - Wasteful. Energy was expended and, for the paper's not read, there was no benefit from the newspapers. Waste.

Now, if you want to talk about this rationally, there is waste in any process. But obviously that's not what we're talking about here. When something is not used at all, then it couldn't be more obvious that it's waste. I'm not saying that you should change your whole lifestyle. I'm simply stating that not using something is wasteful.
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DS, 15 Apr 2009 @ 4:00am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Huh?
No, you just suck at debating.

You (at least I think it was you, becuase you refuse to give yourself any sort of identification) posted:

____
Just throw your cigarette butts out the window of your car. The road crews will clean it up.

Just let the door close behind you. That old lady that was only two steps behind you can open it for herself.
____

How are these specifically wastful? Rude, maybe, but they are not wasteful in context to what you're responding to, which was...

____
Just leave it on the hallway floor. The hotel staff put it there, they can pick it up if another guest doesn't do it.
____

Where the OP is talking about the action of ignoring something that the hotel staff left out indicating that they can also clean it up from.

So, back to what you were replying to. Is it wasteful or rude or disgusting to allow the cleaning staff to more or clean up after themselves?
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DS, 15 Apr 2009 @ 4:02am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
What, that people can and do infact use yellow pages?

That you are basically trying to change the world to your specific view of things regardless of anyone else?

No, I don't hyperbole much.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Apr 2009 @ 4:06am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: That always bothered me too...
You apparently have a screwed up concept of life.

Because the newspapers don't have a use to you, does not mean that they do not have a use for anyone else.

I'm all for opt-in for newspapers. Sure, whatever floats your boat. But not everyone has a laptop with a network connection attached to their hip. As a matter of fact, some people actually REFUSE to take their laptop on vacation with them, because, shocking enough, they are on vacation, and not on call from their job. A newspaper is a much better source of news when you're on the go then TV news, and that's even assuming that the hotel has a good news channel.
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Paul, 15 Apr 2009 @ 4:58am

Re: Now if only we could get them to give free wifi
Simple. Those staying in a $50 room are probably paying for the room themselves. They're watching expenses. The $150 a night room is an expense account disaster. Add $12 daily WiFi and a few $6.00 bottled waters from the mini bar and that room looks more like $200 a night.
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Sean, 15 Apr 2009 @ 7:40am

I'm surprised you would throw away a newspaper just because you find it infront of your hotel door. I would think, from someone I considered so forward thinking, you might, you know, just put the paper down somewhere in public. Walk by Starbucks or a small coffee shop and leave it with them. Just because YOU don't want to read it doesn't mean you should just throw it away.

Tsk tsk.
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nasch, 15 Apr 2009 @ 8:47am

Re: That always bothered me too...
Print news? Why!? They might as well deliver it to me on a dinosaur.

That would be so awesome. I don't read the newspaper, but that I would pay for.
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Aaron toponce, 17 Apr 2009 @ 12:14am

Stepped on
When I traveled for a living, I was on the road 30-35 weeks per year. Not bad, compared to some. However, I would say that it was only about 1/2 of the hotels I stayed at that tried forcing US Today on me. I just left it at the door step, while leaving the Do Not Disturb notice hanging on my door latch all day every day. It was comforting to know that when I came back to my room in the evening, the hotel cleaning crew had taken it away.

There are a couple reasons for not reading the paper. First, it doesn't carry the news I'm interested in. I'm a Unix/Linux system administrator, and I taught system administrators how to do their job. I'm just not that interested in finance, sports, obits and other sections that came in the paper. Second, I get all my news through RSS in Google Reader, most of which is tech-related, such as this site. So, when I was out the door at 7:45 each morning, I had already caught up on everything I was interested in, and didn't have to worry about thumbing through pages that I wasn't.
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Mackenzie, 17 Apr 2009 @ 12:18am

Er...when did this start? I've never seen a hotel give out free papers. Sure, you can ask at the counter for them to charge you a few bucks to deliver a paper, but that's it.
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