Out of a tight spot

It's the Hyatt of cheek to charge Rs 100 for valet parking.

Bumper-to-bumper with larger and costlier cars, my little Zen crawled up the steep slope to the Delhi Hyatt Regency's portico. At the top, it attracted so little notice that I had to gesture broadly before the valet parking supervisor (black coat) noticed me.

A "valet" (beige shirt) looked me up and down and said: "It's Rs 100. If you park it yourself it's free." Undeterred, I handed over the key and stepped up the stairs.

A short while later, I came out, handed over the card and asked for my car back. It was called for, and Black Coat told me to give the money to the valet in the car. After a moment of obfuscation, I explained to them that I had only Rs 30 on me.

Black Coat gave me a very suspicious look and said, "You don't have sau rupaye?". The Coat and a Beige Shirt peered into my wallet, and then the Coat said, baldly, "You can pay by credit or debit card."

Protesting that I had barely stepped in, and that Rs 100 was a high rental for a few minutes of parking space, was met with a stony stare (Coat), and a frankly entertained expression (Shirt).

The Shirt remonstrated, saying that if I had told them it wouldn't take me long, he would have kept the car nearby. This had nothing to do with my financial embarrassment, and I told him so. "This must be happening all the time," I went on, "so what do you do?"

"It never happens," said Beige Shirt, dismissively. "Nobody like this comes to a five-star." He added, proudly, " Even autos and scooters or bikes have to stop outside the gate. People have to get off outside."

As example, he gestured approvingly at the SUV that had just yielded a woman in an expensive-looking hairstyle while indeed, at the same time I saw two young women in impractical skirts, and heels toiling up the slope in the sun. Clearly, not good enough for porch delivery.

"You can pay by credit or debit card," repeated Black Coat. So I did, reluctantly, and took only small pleasure in watching him heavily leave his podium to process it. My car arrived with the A-C on (always annoying when people make free with my coolant; but then, I'm not a five-starrer). And I drove off obediently.

Score: 6.5/10 for efficiency tempered by a high charge, supercilious behaviour and a five-minute-plus wait for the car

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