[kkkkkaran]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

Could you claim insurance in such a case?

The hotel paid us the IDV, and also gave a loaner car until they paid us and for a short while longer, as goodwill. So we didnt attempt claiming insurance. What hit though, was that we brought the IDV lower to reduce insurance premium. This incident has now made sure, the entire family pays for the best coverage available.

[reachbennym]

Had my first bad experience with valet parking few days back at Grandmama's Cafe in Koregaon Park. The microSD card with my songs collection was stolen from my Honda City. Thankfully the navigation card was left behind, although it was found in the wrong slot. Called up the restaurant manager a couple of times,who promised to investigate but has not bothered to respond.

[boniver]

Took my 15 year old daily driver to Kolkata's largest hotel, JW Marriott today. Dropped my parents off on the porch and the valet refused to accompany me if I didn't let him drive. No issues! Parked the car in the basement myself and walked back inside. This way, I got to choose a good parking spot myself, and didn't have to worry about unsafe parking!

Sharing a photo:



Still doesn't look out of place in a modern parking lot!

[nibedk]

I have been driving more than 20 years now. Not even one single time have I ever handed over the keys to a valet.

I have always been very skeptical that what if there is any accident when the valet is driving. More than the damages to the car I would be worried if there is any human involvement. Hence I choose to drive and find a parking spot myself. No point getting involved in unnecessary trouble. There are already too many in our lives.

Irrespective of whether I am driving a Nano or Mercedes. I doubt if I can ever muster enough courage to handover my vehicle keys to anyone else.

[Rajesh K R]

Originally Posted by nibedk

I have been driving more than 20 years now. Not even one single time have I ever handed over the keys to a valet.

I have always been very skeptical that what if there is any accident when the valet is driving. More than the damages to the car I would be worried if there is any human involvement. Hence I choose to drive and find a parking spot myself. No point getting involved in unnecessary trouble. There are already too many in our lives.

Irrespective of whether I am driving a Nano or Mercedes. I doubt if I can ever muster enough courage to handover my vehicle keys to anyone else.

Exactly !! I echo your sentiments. I have never handed over my cars to any Valet till date since the last 20 years of my driving. Dont like the fact that some one driving my car. I just get the creeps when i see the way the vehicles are being driven inside the service center by the staff. They appear to be so overconfident and i always pray that my car comes out unscathed from there.

[hondatoyotafan]

I once had this bad experience 6 years ago when valets trashed my swift in a multiplex parking lot which had only valet parking. I could find pepsi stains pop corn and body odor etc and also i have a very high end ICE in my car with JBL comps,amp and a sony sub. I guess the valets were having a party while it was parked as i could see that my ICE settings were changed. No amount of complaining to the multiplex helped even the Valets just shrugged off saying that my car was trashed to begin with.

Ever since then i never take my newer cars to a valet space. I never go to a Valet space in my Kodiaq or VW. It is usually my 8 yr old beater swift doing duties where valet is required. Atleast my losses would be less.

Even my friends when we go to parties in such places are puzzled about why i turn up in a beater swift with better cars in my garage. Some even point to others giving their High end Audi/BMW/Mercs to valets. But i am better safe than sorry.

[Nalin1]

I have never given to a Valet and have not even understood why we ever need to! What is the big deal in spending another five minutes to just park the car and then join the others ?
How can we even handover the car to an absolute stranger?? It is like handing over our house keys to some person who says he will go and clean the house (just an example) in our absence!

The only people who have ever sat in the driver's seat are those at the service centers and I do not have a choice there! And to be honest, I have enough confidence in them and trust them .
I laugh when I reach a restaurant or any other place and they proudly say "we have valet services"! If I can come driving to the restaurant, I can also park!

[vaasscit]

Originally Posted by Nalin1

have not even understood why we ever need to!

I can narrate my own experience - Last weekend we visited a mall in chennai. Its one of the biggest malls in the city - Obviously attracting lot of visitor but very few parking slots.

Result : Owners can park only in two floors and the rest two would be managed only by Valet Parking. Owners need to hand over the keys.

Owners' parking would be full in no time. So, most of the visitors have no choice but to opt for Valet.

There are no other parking options nearby, making it all the more difficult.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by Nalin1

I have never given to a Valet and have not even understood why we ever need to!

Usually, cars are parked in a way that to get one out, others need to be moved. Hence, the valets hold all the keys and move them around as required.

[SPARKled]

For me valets are god sent and touch wood my experiences of using valet services in Mumbai has been fine so far. Have had lots of instances where valet parking has saved me the agony of finding a parking spot (try Fort/Colaba/Taj area and Oberoi /Trident/Express Towers) late morning on a weekday before you realize what a great service these big hotel valet parking guys are doing for you. Am a complete valet fan and am more likely to visit a place having a valet service than one that doesn't. Infact Its cheaper to use a valet service parking (fixed cost) in certain malls of Mumbai than self parked parking costs.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

For me valets are god sent and touch wood my experiences of using valet services in Mumbai has been fine so far. ...

Thank you for putting an opposite point of view to many of the posts here! Whilst I dislike handing my car over to a "valet" (valets, originally, were servants who looked after gentlemens' clothing etc) I will do occasionally. Given the choice, I'd prefer a ten-minute walk.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

For me valets are god sent and touch wood my experiences of using valet services in Mumbai has been fine so far. Have had lots of instances where valet parking has saved me the agony of finding a parking spot (try Fort/Colaba/Taj area and Oberoi /Trident/Express Towers) late morning on a weekday before you realize what a great service these big hotel valet parking guys are doing for you. Am a complete valet fan and am more likely to visit a place having a valet service than one that doesn't. Infact Its cheaper to use a valet service parking (fixed cost) in certain malls of Mumbai than self parked parking costs.

Can't agree more!

Theoretically, while I am very anti-valet given 2-3 experiences in Mumbai: A posh SoBo eatery Valet wrecked a honda city and was running away from the scene with other valet's chasing after him, my wife's Vento was nearly totaled when the Valet pressed the accelerator instead of the brakes, etc.). But then again, I've also been on the receiving end of scratches on my car when parked on the road and what not - Heck, most of the scratches on my car is from roadside parking.

The way I see it, if there is a safe spot - I'd prefer parking on my own. Otherwise Valet is the way to go but only limited to 5 stars where they drive nicer cars than mine - because 90% of the valet's only get access to the beater in the garage.

[Samba]

One funny incident-

I drove to 'The Park Hotel' in Kolkata, the security guy came and asked me to handover my car to the Valet. I politely told him, i will park it myself.

The reply from the security guy was - Sir, let me explain, valet parking means, our driver will take the car from you and park it.

Me- Thanks for the explanation, but i will prefer an English tution class on some other day, so please show me the parking.

Security guy- Go straight, take right & park in the basement.

Me- Thank you.

In most cases, i keep giving lame excuses to the valet guys like- my car is having a clutch problem, a starting trouble etc etc. This do not hurt their ego and they help me to park as well.

[motorworks]

Im in my 11th year of car ownership. Never have I given my car to any valet till date. I always prefer to park myself and have never handed over the keys to anyone except the service centre guys.
Even when my wife was pregnant and the hospital had no parking option and only valet, i refused valet and used to park my car on my own. Sure, I invited the wrath of the wifey for being so particular, but after all these years she understands now.

[speedmiester]

Supreme court has ruled that Hotels cannot shy away from liability if there is theft/damage for cars parked by their valets.

What is disappointing is this is ruling for a case filed in 1998, 21 years to decide a case?

But atleast this should be wake up call for hotels/valets who always used to avoid liability under the pretense of "owner's risk"

Hotel liable for vehicle theft from parking