Choice Privileges - This takes nerve: $5.50+tax "resort fee" for a $36 Rodeway

I was looking for a cheap room for one night in Kissimmee, FL. Found this appended to the reservation page in tiny letters:

"5.50 plus tax resort surcharge per night due at check-in."

It takes some nerve, IMO, for a crummy Rodeway to charge a resort fee.

There are (unfortunately) a number of hotels in Central Florida "known" for this practice, including tacking on to opaque bidding websites.

When a 1-star Rodeway Inn is charging a mandatory fee that's probably 15% of the cost of the room, the resort fee scam is definitely getting out of hand!

The Quality Inn & Suites Anaheim Resort (on Manchester) has:

Resort Fee: 3.15/day.

on their web page.

When I asked them about it on one stay, they claimed that all hotels less than a mile from Disneyland are required to charge it.

Of course, I can't evaluate that, because I don't know what "one mile within" a sprawling thing like Dieneyland really means. (Tons of hotels claim to be htings like "1 blk. Disneyland" when it's a mile-long walk to the entrance, or claim to be "maingate" when they're many many many many blocks from the entrance. At any rate, none of those with those kinds of names I've stayed in -- Choice or otherwise -- have charged such a "resort fee". But I've never stayed at the hotels -- I forget what brands -- that are right next door to the QI&S Anaheim Resort.)

When I asked them about it on one stay, they claimed that all hotels less than a mile from Disneyland are required to charge it.



"Required" by whom?

Sounds like a blatant lie.

"Required" by whom?

Sounds like a blatant lie.

Actually, I'm fairly sure it's legitimate. Years ago, the area around Disneyland was designated the Anaheim Resort District. They transformed the ugly collection of motel signs into something slightly more visually appealing. And, if I remember correctly, the funds for this come from resort fees from hotels/motels within the District. (My best guess is that hotels are required to identify this fee/tax for what it is.)

Certainly, the person could have explained this far better; but, I don't think it's a scam.

Actually, I'm fairly sure it's legitimate. Years ago, the area around Disneyland was designated the Anaheim Resort District. They transformed the ugly collection of motel signs into something slightly more visually appealing. And, if I remember correctly, the funds for this come from resort fees from hotels/motels within the District. (My best guess is that hotels are required to identify this fee/tax for what it is.)

How much signage and/or services would (or should) one get for $5.50 per room per day?

Actually, I'm fairly sure it's legitimate. Years ago, the area around Disneyland was designated the Anaheim Resort District. They transformed the ugly collection of motel signs into something slightly more visually appealing. And, if I remember correctly, the funds for this come from resort fees from hotels/motels within the District. (My best guess is that hotels are required to identify this fee/tax for what it is.)

Certainly, the person could have explained this far better; but, I don't think it's a scam.

"Slightly" is the operative word here.

Wonder what the excuse is in Orlando?

Actually, I'm fairly sure it's legitimate. Years ago, the area around Disneyland was designated the Anaheim Resort District. They transformed the ugly collection of motel signs into something slightly more visually appealing. And, if I remember correctly, the funds for this come from resort fees from hotels/motels within the District. (My best guess is that hotels are required to identify this fee/tax for what it is.)

Certainly, the person could have explained this far better; but, I don't think it's a scam.

Yes, the "Anaheim Resort District" is legit. I found this quote on the "Save Our Anaheim Resort District" webpage http://soaranaheim.com/ : 'The Anaheim Resort District covers less than 5 percent of the city. Yet, it is an economic powerhouse that generates more than 50 percent of all Anaheim tax revenues.'

I guess I'd like to live in a district that collects half of its taxes on un-represented tourist! That'd sure lower my property tax. And not very many people would recognize it as taxation without representation.

Wonder what the excuse is in Orlando?

This chart shows the resort tax rates for Florida's Osceola, Seminole and Orange Counties over the last few years. It appears that the Resort Taxes are legitimate taxes of tourists, supposedly to cover the cost of our visits on their infrastructure. http://www.orlandoinfo.com/research/market/resort_tax.cfm

UPDATE:

Well, I took my son to see The Mouse March 30-April 4 and as I was interested in hotel hopping to take advantage of the current 8000 Choice bonus promotion, I decided to use this Rodeway (5995 Irlo Bronson) 3 times, with 2 Quality Inn Eastgates nestled in between.

The rate (50+) was down to about $30.59 by the time I booked.

This resort fee is a strange beast.

1. At first, it was mentioned on the www.choicehotels.com online reservation page ($5.50).

2. Then it started NOT appearing when I made my reservations.

3. Then when I checked in at the front desk, it was printed as $5.00 on the form I signed.

4. But when the receipt printed at checkout, it was only $3.39! The same all three times.

About $37.50 all-in.

By the way, this is a pretty decent Rodeway. 4 buildings, so it has a nice pool. It's next door to a HoJo's, which has a gift shop with several computers for internet access ($5 per half hour). There is also a gas/convenience store 3 units down for those late-night beer runs. And there is a Dollar Rent-a-Car in the same building, if there should happen to be any car-hopping promotions going on (open 8 am to 6 pm only).

It was better (other than the breakfast), IMO, than the $49 Quality Inn Eastgate. So I will definitely be back.

Poor breakfast, but that's not surprising. But you can always run down to the convenience store for some Dunkin Donuts.

A weird thing was the toilet in one room, which had been hooked to the hot water supply! That was a first for me.

UPDATE:

A weird thing was the toilet in one room, which had been hooked to the hot water supply! That was a first for me.

How did you discover this? One can only assume you are more of a man than most of us. Ouch!

How did you discover this? One can only assume you are more of a man than most of us. Ouch!

Well, I wasn't standing at the time.

Well, I wasn't standing at the time.

Actually, I had the same thing happen about 15 years ago at a brand new La Quinta in Tucson. The funniest part of it was trying to explain it to the young front desk clerk (who honestly didn't believe me at first - didn't really blame her). Did you bother to tell the front desk???

Actually, I had the same thing happen about 15 years ago at a brand new La Quinta in Tucson. The funniest part of it was trying to explain it to the young front desk clerk (who honestly didn't believe me at first - didn't really blame her). Did you bother to tell the front desk???


Yep.

I was hotel-hopping, so checking out that morning anyway.

A weird thing was the toilet in one room, which had been hooked to the hot water supply! That was a first for me.

This keeps the toilet tank from sweating in humid climates. My in-laws had this done in their home in MA. It added a positive note to the bathroom experience in the wintertime for sure, a little annoying in the summer. IIRC, my FIL used a mixing valve to keep from running up the power bill too much.