The travel industry has seen many innovations in the last decades, some popular, some less so. Most of them, of course, geared towards improving the bottom line.
But few innovations are as universally unpopular as resort fees. While a few hotels make them optional, most properties now have them as a mandatory part of the hotel rate. We’re not talking a few dollars anymore. Many hotels in Hawaii now charge $25 per night, and that doesn’t always include parking.
The Ritz Carlton in St Thomas charges $58 a day. Now that is serious. At least it includes a number of watersports, use of the tennis courts, parking and internet. Travelers who plan to take advantage of resort activities, could this a good deal, but anyone planning to just sit by the pool with a good book is just out of luck, especially when off-season rates start under $300 a night.
As aggravating as these rates can be, however, at least there is the argument that they may encourage vacationers to try new activities not previously contemplated. Or, that these fees might seem better than “nickeling and diming” guests for everything. (Unfortunately, as many travelers have learned to their chagrin, hotels with resort fees can still find a number of other services they deem worthy of additional fees.)
Despite the complaints, like airline fees, resort fees are proliferating, and they’re finding their way onto hotel bills that, quite frankly, are not resort like. One of the worst cities for new offenders is Las Vegas.
Here are just a few examples: The Monte Carlo hotel, which does have a nice pool, is now levying a $14.50 a day fee but not for the pool. The mandatory $14.50 fee includes use of the fitness center, a newspaper, in-room Internet access, local and domestic phone calls and allows guests to print their boarding passes.
Since the Monte Carlo has summer rates starting at $39 a night, the resort fee can be more than a third the price of the room.
At Wynn and Encore hotels, the charge is $20 for the same items as of June 2010. Which as the Las Vegas Sun reported, they had the audacity to announce as follows:
In an ongoing effort to enhance our guests’ resort experience, Wynn Las Vegas and Encore will implement a $20 resort fee to all reservations,” Wynn Resorts said in statement today. “Responding directly to extensive customer feedback, the resort fee will offer value to customers with a bundling of the most sought-after amenities.
Now, I have been a travel agent for a long time, and I cannot remember a client ever complaining that they wanted a hotel to put in a flat extra fee for amenities, sought-after or otherwise. Some customers may want some of these amenities included in the room rate, maybe.
And quite frankly, using a fitness center and/or laptops is not a top priority for a lot of Las Vegas visitors. Besides, what percentage of travelers even use a room phone anymore now that the cellphone question is less whether or not you have one, but what model you have.
So far, Harrah’s, whose Las Vegas properties include Planet Hollywood, Paris, and Caesar’s Palace, is bucking the trend and advertising, “No resort fees,” on their website, much like Southwest touts their “Bags Fly Free” no fee strategy.
Of course, it’s anyone’s guess how long this will last. I suppose it’s possible that if enough Vegas customers complain, or book away from properties with fees, that some hotels will rescind them. But, as with the airlines, I’m not holding my breath.
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
