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Hotels are already expensive, the last thing you need is insidious fees that add unexpected costs to your travel budget. Hotel fees aren’t always something to avoid – especially in popular resorts – but you shouldn’t be surprised by them either. With that in mind, here are some common fees that you can skip – if you’re a busy shopper.
This will save you hotel fees and other add-ons
There are a few ways to avoid hotel fees. One of them is participating in chain hotel loyalty programs, which typically forego the additional costs – wifi, late check-out, parking, resort fees – that are normally charged by off-street customers. Hotel brand award cards are also free of charge and offer cashback or points that can be redeemed for free hotel rooms or flights.
That being said, knowledge is power: knowing what to look out for can help you avoid hotel chains that charge excessive fees – before you book the hotel room (Nerdwallet has a good overview of the fees by hotel chain). Unfortunately, this requires some additional research as many booking sites only list the room rate in their search results and ancillary charges are only added at the end of the booking process. You should therefore carefully check your subtotal for additional costs that go beyond the stated room rate. If a booking page is unclear, you can always book directly with the hotel and request a breakdown of charges (if they are not already listed on the website).
Hotel fees should come as no surprise
While you cannot realistically avoid all hotel fees by choosing to stay at this hotel, you have a right to know what you will end up paying – with no surprises. The best way to do this is to visualize your journey from start to finish and use the list below to think about what fees might be generating. Once you’ve done that, you can start looking for a hotel that will keep the cost of things you don’t really need to a minimum.
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Resort fees
The resort fee (or “destination fee”) is arguably one of the largest creations of money in the hotel industry and is supposed to be used for the use of amenities in a resort, although ordinary hotels with few amenities charge for it. also. A resort fee is around $ 30 per day or more, which can add 10-20% to your hotel bill.
A resort fee in places like Las Vegas or Miami can be hard to avoid, but you can at least shop around and minimize costs as resort fees vary by hotel. The site Resort Fee Checker is a good start. Otherwise, if you have an unexpected resort fee, politely ask the hotel manager what the fee is for. If you have not used any of the services covered by a resort fee, it may be removed from your bill.
Early check-in fee
If you’re on a cheap red-eye flight, make sure that the hotel will charge you extra for early check-in as this can sometimes be a cost up to 50 percent of the room rate, potentially wiping out the savings from your flight.
Additional person fee
Hotels often charge $ 20 to $ 50 per additional adult per night, so keep this in mind when traveling with a companion. They’re probably worth the extra cost, but it’s still good to know in advance.
WLAN fee
Hotels (especially luxury brands) can be pretty shameless about charging for Wi-Fi, with fees that can range from $ 10 to $ 20 a night – although free Wi-Fi is common and viewed by most consumers as a courtesy rather than a premium service . For this reason, I personally do not stay in hotels that charge for WiFi.
The dreaded minibar
The snacks in your room’s minibar are often so ridiculously expensive ($ 16 for a package of M & Ms!) That they should be avoided entirely. If you need help avoiding the allure of the accessible midnight snack, you can look to hotels that don’t have stocked minibars.
Also, don’t assume that bottled water is free in your room – you will often be charged a greatly increased price for every bottle you open.
parking fee
If you’re driving, expect major city hotels to charge $ 25 to $ 35 a day for parking – plus a tip if it’s just valet parking. One trick is to look for free or cheaper parking near the hotel as well.
Gym fee
This could be as bad as the WiFi fee, albeit less common. Again, you should avoid hotels that have charged this fee unless the hotel is otherwise perfect and you see yourself at the hotel gym during your stay.
Tip for housekeeping
Hotels sometimes require a mandatory tip for housekeepers – usually around 10% – but it is rare and so can be a bit of a surprise that can result in you tipping twice.
Safe fee
If you never use a hotel safe, you probably don’t want to pay for it. Safe fees are typically a few dollars, but exactly what that fee is paid for (safe maintenance?) Is unclear.
other fees
You’d think we had it all covered, but hotels may include fees for beach chairs and umbrellas; graduated internet speeds; Telephone usage charges (including local charges); Pet fees; and additional fees for extra beds. Read the fine print and book accordingly.
