This woman just found out the hotel added $350 of fees to her hotel bill for items she never used during her stay at fancy resort.
You just stayed at a really beautiful hotel or resort and had a relaxed time during your stay. But shock sets in when you decide to check out. Suddenly you notice a list of fees tacked onto your bill that you were not aware of and did not notice them at the time of your booking. These were not part of the room rate shown that was both attractive and affordable.
Resort fee, WiFi fee, Parking fee, Safe fee were all added to your total room charges adding another $350 to your bill. You protest to the attendant helping you but to no avail. The attendant simply shows you your reservation you had made listing the charges down in the fine print, which you subtly agreed to when you hit the “book it button.”
These added fees have grown like a cancer and have become commonplace in the hotel business to many hotel chains and resorts. The practice is called “drip pricing” and has been commonplace for years, netting the hotel industry billions of dollars per year.
Customer booking their hotel online.
Hotel chains have quietly and systematically added on charges whether you use those amenities are not. Once again it has been left up to the consumer to be aware of what they are purchasing and be diligent for not paying what they don’t use. In July 2019 Washington, D.C.’s attorney general sued Marriott International, and Nebraska’s attorney general sued Hilton, both alleging deceptive pricing on the part of the two hotel giants.
Just as the airlines have schemed their way into charging you extra fees when you fly, the hotel business has followed suit and started tacking on charges you neither want, asked for or used during your stay.
The concept of charging a resort fee was started at two Caribbean resorts back in 1993. Now resort fees have spread, with many hotels, not only in resort locations but also urban areas and even smaller city hotels are charging such fees.
In 2010, fees and surcharges pulled in $1.7 billion. In 2018 total hotel fees and surcharges, including resort fees, raked in $2.9 billion. 2018 was the year of widespread introduction of the fees in the urban market. The number of hotels charging such fees in urban areas soared 400 percent from 2017 to 2018.
This is where adding hotel fees started, in two Caribbean resorts.
So what are some of these fees that hotels/resorts are charging their guests & how do you eliminate these costly fees from your final bill? Let’s take a closer look:
Resort Fee
Resort fees may be one of the sneakiest and the #1 way that hotels trick customers into paying more. In the past, resort fees were exclusively charged by actual resorts in order to help maintain expensive facilities like fitness centers, golf courses and tennis courts. But now, even budget hotels are adding the charge onto their bills to cover basic (and sometimes unnecessary) services such as Wi-Fi, newspapers, phone calls, and faxes. The fee may only add up to a couple bucks per night or as much as $65 per night.
Solution: Don’t make a reservation on-line
Yes it seems easy to jump on the computer and make a reservation. Instead call the hotel and speak to a live person when making your reservation. Have a list of questions covering any fees they may potentially charge a guest. Get the person’s name and the time that you talked to them. A really sneaky way to protect yourself is to record the conversation.
Parking Fee
Driving to your destination means you have to park your car. At a hotel/resort facility it could come with a high price. Most hotels charge anywhere from $10 to $30 per night to park your car. Some hotels in major cities offer valet-only parking, which can cost upwards of $75 a night. Then there are the sneaky hotels that charge all their guests an automatic parking fee whether or not they parked their car there.
Solution: Park Elsewhere
Don’t park at the hotel unless absolutely necessary. In many larger areas there are public parking that is much cheaper if close to the hotel. You can also try and negotiate a fee if you are a loyalty or rewards member of that hotel.
WiFi Fee
I don’t know of many travelers that don’t take their cell phone, laptop or iPad with them when they travel. But staying connected, either for business or personal reasons, can come with a high price tag. Many hotels offer complimentary Wi-Fi, but there are plenty of popular chains and luxury hotels still charge up to $20 a night.
Solution: Use alternative sources
Many hotels have a lobby free zone you can use at no charge. This zone is generally in the lobby and does not extend to your room. Another way is to use your personal hotspot on your device you have set up through your cell carrier. Find other sources of free WiFi by seeing what locations come up on your search in your devices settings. Finally, there is always Starbucks.
Early Check-In/Early Check-Out Fee
So you get to your hotel early and ask if your room is ready, the attendant says yes and you check in for your stay. Checking in to a hotel room before the agreed-upon time, even if the room is ready, could land you with a fee up to $50. Checking out earlier than planned can also rack up even more fees. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to end your scheduled hotel stay a day early, you may be asked to pay between $50 and the cost of a full night.
Solution: Call ahead
The easiest way to find out is to talk to a live person rather than relying on what you find on the hotels website or just guessing. If you feel you didn’t get all the answers you wanted over the phone, confirm with the attendant at the desk any questions you still have on any additional fees that could be charged.
The Extra Guest Fee
Kids can usually get away with staying without the extra charge. But if you plan on sneaking in another person without telling the hotel, this could land you with an extra charge of between $20-$50 per night if you get caught.
Solution: Contact the hotel by phone
Be honest on what you are trying to do. Adding a third person may only be a nominal charge over what you would pay for double occupancy and a little more comfortable for a good night's sleep for the third party.
The Pet Fee
Fortunately there are plenty of hotels out there that try to appeal to pet owners by waiving any extra fees on a pet staying in your room. Some hotels even offer pet beds and treats. But if you plan on taking along man’s best friend or any other pet, some hotels ask customers to fork over a flat “cleaning” fee of $50 to $100 even if their pet didn’t make a mess. Other hotels charge on a nightly basis, usually between $10 and $25.
Solution: Contact the hotel by phone
For loyalty or rewards guests, this charge could be waived. Lastly you can try and negotiate a reduced fee by pleading that your pet is truly a companion needed for your travels.
Mini Bar & Snack Fee
Most travelers know that the beverages in mini-bars are pricey and many avoid them for that reason. You don’t have to consume them to see a charge on your bill, though. Simply moving an item in the mini-bar can result in a charge because everything in that refrigerator is on a sensor. Also watch out for those complimentary-looking bottles of water or baskets of snacks in the room, they probably aren’t free.
Solution: Avoid the minibar
Don’t eat or drink treats from the minibar unless you are desperate, or are ready for big charges. In fact, don’t even open your room’s refrigerator. Avoiding it entirely is the best way to avoid a shock on your room bill.
Telephone Surcharge Fee
Don’t pick up the phone in your hotel room for any reason other than to call the front desk. Not only do hotels charge for long-distance calls, but also they often make you pay for local calls.
Solution: Use your own phone
Most travelers have some kind of package from their cell carrier that allows so many calls, text messages or data used per month. Besides it is a lot more convenient to use your own device, you can make a call anywhere.
Safe Fee
Safes are one of those hotel room staples that many guests rarely use. Regardless of whether you touched your safe between check-in and check-out, some hotels may charge you just for being in the same room with one. Many larger hotels will charge by the day, while at some budget hotels this fee can come out to about $1.50, just small enough to go under your radar when the bill is calculated.
Solution: Ask questions
At check in ask the attendant if there is a safe in the room and is there any fee imposed. If you do not plan to use this service, just tell them to waive the fee.
Coffee-Tea Maker Fees
So many hotels large and small now provide a coffee-tea maker with several packs of each ready to use. You may think that complimentary coffee first thing in the morning is the very least a hotel can offer, but even that can have a hidden cost. Some hotels have started charging guests a few extra dollars just for using the coffee makers in their rooms. If you read the fine print on your hotel bill and see the words “coffee-maker fee,” you’re better off scrounging for free coffee in the lobby.
Solution: Ask questions
If you called ahead and could not find any information on this, at check in ask the attendant if the room has a coffee maker and is there any fee associated with this whether you plan on using the device or not. If you are not a coffee drinker, get them to take the machine out or have them waive the fee associated with the room.
Ultimate Way to Avoid Hotel Fees
Don’t make a reservation on-line
This is the easiest way to avoid many if not all hotel fees that could be charged. Yes it seems easy to jump on the computer and make a reservation. Instead call the hotel and speak to a live person when making your reservation. Have a list of questions covering an fees they may potentially charge a guest. Get the person’s name and the time that you talked to them. A really sneaky way to protect yourself is to record the conversation.
Read the fine print
If you go ahead and use your computer to make your reservation, read the rules found on a hotel’s website, during check-in and in the room. Also, ask for a list of fees when you check in. Furthermore when shopping for a hotel, keep an eye out for “daily resort charges” and “resort charge” in ads and promotions.
Negotiate a fee waiver
Some hotels will waive fees if you tell them at check-in that you won’t be using the items such as Wi-Fi, the gym, pool, safe that are covered by the fees or you have booked using your loyalty program.
Don’t stay at hotels that charge fees
We are all struck by the grand magnificence of a hotel or resort, but the surest way to deal with hotel fees is to avoid hotels that charge them. Choose establishments that show all the charges upfront. Book a room in an independent hotel or motel or a bed and breakfast instead of a chain often can help you avoid fees.
Book hotel using reward points
One of the easiest methods to avoid a resort fee is to book a room using points. Some hotel loyalty programs waive resort fees on award stays made purely with points.
So now you are armed for your next stay at a beautiful hotel or resort-spa. Knowledge is everything when you travel. Knowing what to expect allows you to take control over your final bill. Use your power by making your reservation over the phone so you can ask all of the pertinent questions. Then once you get to your destination you can relax and have a great time and leave feeling rested rather than grumpy after having to shell out more dollars on your stay than you had anticipated.