How to Avoid Stupid “resort” Hotel Fees
I thought paying for Wi-Fi access in hotels was a practice that died ten years ago, but alas, there are still places that charge you to connect your devices to the Internet. Some hotels also charge extra for other amenities such as pools, bikes and yoga classes on the beach, which you may or may not use, and may not even be available during the COVID era.
These so-called “resort fees” aren’t all that common— only 7 percent of US hotels have them—but they’re often mandatory, expensive, and charged on top of the room rate. If they are explicit, at least you know what you are allegedly paying for. But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with these fees. Here are some ways to avoid them.
First, find out where resort fees exist
You probably won’t run into resort fees as often. However, when you do, they often exceed the room rate, which is too good to be true. They’re also not limited to what you consider a “resort” as some hotels charge extra under the guise of “destination fees” according to The Points Guy .
ResortFeeChecker.com collects data on resort fees for popular holiday destinations. Otherwise, be careful when booking. If you’re doing this online, read the fine print at every step, as fees may not appear until you click Confirm, or they may appear to be taxes you expect to pay. Some fees may even be per person and not per room.
If you book by phone (does anyone do this now?), ask directly about the fees and get a written copy of the confirmation and the total if you can.
Please note that cleaning fees and maintenance fees also apply at widely varying rates across platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, so your nightly rental may only be a fraction of your total bill. It’s usually explicitly stated, but there’s probably little you can do about it (unless they’re for basic amenities) other than paying.
Book with points or miles if you stay at chain hotels
If you like to stay in hotels of a certain brand, join the loyalty program. According to The Points Guy , hotel stays paid for with loyalty points are often commission-free. Hyatt and Hilton generally do not charge a resort fee for premium bookings. However, Marriott charges the standard fee.
Co-branded credit cards and shared travel reward cards are one way to earn points, as are hotel entitlements and some other spending. If you have elite status in a loyalty program, you also likely have some leverage to forego your commissions.
Choose another hotel
It sounds obvious, but if you don’t want to pay the resort fee, look for another hotel, especially an independent or unbranded one, or book a vacation rental (although, again, there are fees here too). In popular resort areas like Las Vegas and Hawaii, it can be harder to find free accommodation, but it’s possible.
Negotiate with the hotel, especially during COVID
You may not be able to get the resort fee waived, but it doesn’t hurt to try. This tactic may be more effective if any of the amenities your fee supposedly covers, such as pool access, guest happy hours, or fitness classes, are not available during your stay. At the very least, make sure you get a complete list of everything you get for the resort fee, and if you have to pay it, take full advantage of all amenities.