Resort Fees: No Day at the Beach

Travelers who shop around for good deals on hotels are often surprised to discover that their rooms cost more than expected. The culprit: resort fees, which add about $23 per day, according to ResortFeeChecker.com. But those fees could soon become extinct, or at least harder for hotels to conceal.

In July, the attorneys general of Washington, D.C., and Nebraska filed lawsuits against Marriott International and Hilton, respectively, charging them with deceiving customers. The courts must decide whether the hotels provide adequate disclosure of the fees or whether they’re illegally withholding fees until customers book their rooms, says Bjorn Hanson, a hotel industry consultant. If the lawsuits succeed, hotels may scrap the fees or disclose them more prominently, Hanson says.

Opponents of the fees argue that they’re illegal, even if they’re disclosed, because consumers can’t opt out of them. And often hotels charge for amenities guests wouldn’t associate with a resort getaway, such as local calls or notary services. You can look up fees at ResortFeeChecker.com. Before you book a room, ask the hotel to waive them. It also helps to reserve with points; Hilton and Hyatt generally don’t charge resort fees for award reservations.