It's time to kill the resort fee, the most deceptive and unfair pricing practice in the hotel industry.
What Is A Resort Fee?
Resort fees are a mandatory rate a hotel makes a customer pay in order for her to get her key. They are separate from the published advertised room rate for the hotel. A resort fee allows the hotel to advertise one low price but actually charge a customer a much higher price when they get to the hotel. For many customers who pay up front, this is will force the guest to pay two room rates for one night. Hotels say there is no way to get out of paying this mandatory resort fee even if the guest has no interest in the pool, or any of the alleged services the hotel may say the fee covers. The airline equivalent would be if a customer booked and paid in full for his flight but was forced to pay $30 to the gate agent to board the plane.
How Do I Take Action?
Hotels have billions at stake in being able to charge as much as they can for hotel rooms. Many hotel skirt around current FTC suggestions on resort fee pricing. Until there is intervention making this illegal, many hotels will continue to engage in this morally reprehensible pricing. Stand up for yourself and other travelers. The Federal Trade Commission regulates unfair and deceptive hotel pricing and you can make a complaint. Your members of Congress have the power to enact legislation protecting consumers and there is currently a bill pending now!
Why Is This Nuts?
At the Exclaibur in Las Vegas an advertised room rate is $28. The mandatory resort fee is $29.12. The resort fee is more than the advertised room rate. The rate you'd actually pay for the hotel for one night - with taxes - is $60.48. On the luxury side of things, the Fisher Island Club and Resort in Florida charges a $160.50 resort fee on top of a $1,052 room rate. That's a $1,160.50 per night rate - not a $1000 rate. No matter if the hotel is pure luxury or an affordable family vacation spot, hotels across the country seem to have a problem advertising their true rate. We are here to end the confusion and bring truth to hotel advertising.