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HotelChatter OpenThread :: Who Charges Resort Fees?

July 7, 2008 at 2:15 PM | by juliana | 8 Comments

Resort Fees are never loved. No one likes ponying up another $20 atop a room rate at check-in. And resort fees are a major buzzkill when you think you've found a room within your budget only to find out that you have to pay an extra $35 a night.

Hotels know that these resort fees suck so they try to trick you by calling it different things like a "Service Charge" or a "Hospitality Fee" or even a "Bellman's Gratuity Fee." But whatever they call it, it still feels like a serious case of nickel and diming.

As we've seen with hotel WiFi, hotel guests don't like to be charged for extra services. We would rather you just roll that into the room rate.

But could there be a silver lining to resort fees?

Some resort fees that we have encountered recently we didn't mind, especially when they covered the cost of valet or self-parking and in certain situations, internet access. Some hotels charge $15 a day for WiFi, while resort fees can be $20 and cover internet, breakfast and parking.

Sure, it's not ideal but if a resort fee saves us from constantly having to pull out our credit card or fumble for single bills to tip the staff, then maybe resort fees can actually make your hotel stay easier. Then again, some resorts charge a fee that doesn't include internet or parking or anything extra that's really of value.

Here we're hoping to create an unofficial list of hotels with resort fees and what you get for those extra dollars a night.

Below, name hotels you know that charge resort fees, what they are, and what you get for your fee dollars.

[HotelChatter OpenThreads are a place for readers to get in here and talk about hot stories and issues of the day in an open forum. If you are already a HotelChatter member log in to comment, if not become a member for free and comment away.]

8 Comments

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  1. juliana

    HotelChatter Editor

    Re: OpenThread:: Who Charges Resort Fees?

    Let's see...Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel charges $25 resort fee. When I stayed there two years ago it didn't include internet but now it does. It also includes a bunch of other things. Notice how you can use the beach chairs for this charge. Ridiculous.

    The La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs area charges $27 which includes high speed internet, self parking, access to fitness center; local, 800 and credit card calls.

    July 7, 2008 at 2:26 PM
  1. TravelHawaii

    HotelChatter Member

    Resort Fees at Hawaii Hotels

    I'm happy to report that our company, Travel-Hawaii.com, maintains a data base of Hawaii Hotels, and one of the things we carefully track is Resort Fees--both how much they are and what they provide. There's currently 15 hotels in Hawaii that charge Resort Fees. We have a special web page listing all of this info here: Travel-Hawaii.com/hawaiiresortfees.html Aloha. JL
    July 15, 2008 at 3:20 PM
  1. paperposter

    HotelChatter Member

    Re: OpenThread :: Who Charges Resort Fees?

    hardrock hotel in  vegas close to 8 dollars .you get a shuttle to the strip if you want thats runs only during the day. they claim there's a resort fee but still charge it in the winter when the pool is cloosed.

    Resort Fee $7 per day  plus taxes

    July 15, 2008 at 9:20 PM
  1. ali

    HotelChatter Member

    Resort Fees

    The Caribe Hilton in san Juan Puerto Rico Charges resort fee of 22.26 per day along with 14.31 room tax and 10.00 occupancy municipal.... That is an additional $46.57 on top of my $159 room rate...  This is going to make it more difficult to travel with my family in the future.
    November 30, 2008 at 12:48 PM
  1. travelwizard

    HotelChatter Member

    Resort Fees

    The Parker Palm Springs charges a resort fee (btw 25 and 30 bucks) but it includes Wi-Fi,  access to the spa, the saline pools and I believe it includes parking. The Parker is also just an amazing place to stay for a few days.
    http://betterlivingthroughtravel.com/2008/10/29/the-parker-palm-springs/
    December 9, 2008 at 12:45 PM
  1. juliana

    HotelChatter Editor

    rock center hotel

    i just found this. rockefeller center hotel charges a $10 fee for the rooms with a refrigerator and microwave.
    December 9, 2008 at 2:54 PM
  1. andrewmoquin

    HotelChatter Member

    I'd love to...

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    From the great little music of New York usic Festivals community

    April 20, 2009 at 8:01 AM
  1. Jim Speiser

    HotelChatter Member

    Resort Services Fees Are Illegal!

    Just about every hotel in Palm Springs charges an RSF, even the ones that aren't really resorts.  They started around 1999, at least that's where I first encountered them, at the Westin in Rancho Mirage.  When I asked what it was, they immediately took it off my account, like they were embarrassed.  Ever since then, I've asked various hotels to justify their RSFs, and have come up with several different excuses, none of which can overcome the fact that this is simply an illegal Bait-And-Switch charge.  Imagine if you came to my restaurant and I charged you a $3 "Silverware Usage Fee."  Same thing.  It's illegal, plain and simple.
    September 7, 2009 at 7:51 PM

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