complimentary items for kids under 10?

[pixeegrl]

I remember reading somewhere-think it was trip advisor- that the onsite hotels offer little welcome gifts for the younger set. Is this true? Is it something the parents pay for? Anyone ever received anything for their little ones?

 

[PatsGirl]

Loews Hotels advertises "Kids Packs" but I've now stayed onsite twice and didn't receive the advertised package. This past February we stayed at PBH and the Loews site said that kids would get a kidspack and teens would get a backpack filled with teen stuff. Nadda... When I asked at the front desk she went out back and came back with a paper PBH shopping bag for each kid (3) with exactly this in it: brochures available at this same desk, a bottle of water, and a bag of chips. I then asked about the complimentary DVDs available on a list of things that Loews teens could "borrow". I was told that unless we were club level, it was not included. I explained that that is NOT what the website stated and that I had told the kids to leave their DVDs at home... oh well, it was a no-go. VERY disappointed with Loews! But, like I said, our other trip was the same.

Now, on the other hand, if you read my trip report, you have to know how happy I was about our upgrade so I didn't have the heart to make a big deal out of what was probably just slightly better than water and chips anyways!

I also forgot to mention that on day #3 I asked about the Welcome Gift from Loews (wine/milk and cookies/newspaper, etc) and was asked what I would like. So much for a welcome gift! I opted for beer and nuts and received it twice. It was two bottles of Italian beer and PBH nuts that were outdated (the sticker was still on the bottom). You gotta love it!

 

[pixeegrl]

Hmmmm Guess I won't mention it to the kiddos then I will just wait and see lol. I am sure I have read one of your trip reports, do you have more? I have slowly begun reading all of them on the board!

 

[rpbert1]

DD got the bag at PBH cannot remember what she got, but at RPR they did not offer anything, maybe if you ask at the checkin.

 

[crossfamily]

Last year when we stayed a RPH the kids got a bag with water and chips in it plus a shovel and pail... I had no idea so I thought it was a nice surprise. I always go with low expectations so that way any surprises is great.

 

[damo]

I don't think the kid's gift or teen gift is always available. It is a promo thing, so ask first. They used to have a Loews loves teens promo a few summers ago.

 

[goofy!]

When we checked into PBH last week, all three of my kids, and my 25 year old niece that looks 15, were handed the Loews backpacks. (I didn't realize we had an extra one for my niece until we got to the room otherwise I would have turned down the 4th one.) In bags were a bag of chips, a chewy bar and a bottle of water.

If the check-in desk forgets, just ask. If they have them, they will give them to you.

The kids checking in next to us got some toys - I think they looked like etch-a-sketches.

We have always received the teen gifts when we have checked in.

We didn't get our welcome gift for a couple of days so I called star services. Things happen. Sometimes welcome gifts get overlooked. But I was quite pleased that they delivered it promptly less than a half hour after I called.

 

[PatsGirl]

We didn't get our welcome gift for a couple of days so I called star services. Things happen. Sometimes welcome gifts get overlooked. But I was quite pleased that they delivered it promptly less than a half hour after I called.

Sure, I understand that things happen but the mistakes should not be consistent and both the kidspacks and the Welcome Gift are things are often "forgotten" and need to be requested. When is the last time you needed to remind one of the hotels to charge you for the fridge you rent? Or any other incidentals for that matter? My answer is never, in fact I 've been overbilled several times for those things.

I don't believe these are oversights. I think they expect you to ask for something that a 4 1/2* hotel should not overlook in hopes that you will NOT ask. And that's cheap --- especially considering the kidspacks were worth less than $1/each (bottled water, chips, granola bar, and brochures) -- cmon, deliver what you advertise.

 

[goofy!]

Sure, I understand that things happen but the mistakes should not be consistent and both the kidspacks and the Welcome Gift are things are often "forgotten" and need to be requested. When is the last time you needed to remind one of the hotels to charge you for the fridge you rent? Or any other incidentals for that matter? My answer is never, in fact I 've been overbilled several times for those things.

I don't believe these are oversights. I think they expect you to ask for something that a 4 1/2* hotel should not overlook in hopes that you will NOT ask. And that's cheap --- especially considering the kidspacks were worth less than $1/each (bottled water, chips, granola bar, and brochures) -- cmon, deliver what you advertise.

In the multiple times I have been, and we go a few times a year, this was the first time Loews had ever forgotten our welcome gift. Every other time it was there the first day.

95% of the time my kids have gotten their backpacks. The times they have not gotten them is when they are not standing with me at the check-in counter. I have way more than I need of the little blue fabric bags with strings on them

And as Damo mentioned, they are not always available. Loews-First does have blackout days for the Loews-First perks. They are clearly detailed on the Loews-First website. They are usually for the peak times. So, if you travelled during these times, Loews did not forget you. You (generic you) were not entitled to the perks during those times. However, I have found that if you call, even during a blackout period, Loews will deliver the welcome gift right away. We have travelled during blackout times and we still get our gift and our Platinum upgrade, even though we technically should not have. Now that is 4* service.

Here are the blackout days for the Loews Universal Hotels for 2008: (From the www.loews-first.com website)

2/16
3/17-3/22
10/10, 10/11, 10/17, 10/18, 10/24, 10/25, 10/31
11/1, 11/26-11/29
12/26-12/31

So, with that kind of success rate, I do believe that it was just an oversight. Loews has been extremely consistent in providing those extra little perks.

And if you read these boards, there are just as many times where people are not charged for parking, their roll-aways, etc. So, indeed those things also get overlooked occasionally. But people don't complain when they get something for free when they should have paid, so it is not as obvious. So saying it never happens is a bit much. Not charging people for certain things actually happens on occasion, just as the welcome gift is overlooked on occasion. But it is usually rectified with a simple phone call.

 

[wwessing]

I don't know which hotels do what. . . but I know what HRH responded when I asked this question to them directly a while back. . .

"While the Hard Rock Hotel brand--
including Loews' own Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort does not
participate in the Loews Loves Kids nor T-Loews GIFT program, special
considerations, Lil' Rocker welcome guitar gifts and activities are
certainly available."

So, HRH doesn't participate in the program and if anyone has received those little gifts for your children upon check-in, they are definitely an unexpected bonus.

Someone else may know the answer, but I would assume that the Lil'Rocker welcome guitar gifts are available for purchase if you were so inclined.