Originally Posted by
arlflyer
I articulated one very big reason why upthread. And that reason is the fact that most corporate travel policies impose a cap on base rate, with taxes and fees being what they are. So this is an easy way for hoteliers to take price on a core segment without ruffling feathers.
Poor excuse. Instead of putting a cap on their rates, for this particular reason, it allows hotels to defraud companies and government agencies out of taxpayers' and owners/stockholders' money. This is bad for everyone, for corporate travel, for government travel as well as for leisure travel. Also, it it defrauding local authorities and schools out of tax, because the occupancy tax, which is usually bigger, will only be levied on the room rate. While the 'BS FEE' will at best get charged a sales tax, which will be lower.
In the end it will lead to local authorities raising taxes, like the 25% tax you need to pay in San Francisco on your parking rate at the hotel. Twentyfive percent of zero dollars can't be that much, but 25% on a parking rate of $20-$40 is an extra $5-$10 a night that adds up to the cost of everyone's stay.
Also, while the Hilton website only displays these BS FEEs on the second page - making it very hard to compare rates - some foreign OTAs don't display the BS FEE at all.
Lastly, these BS FEEs are defrauding Hilton status-holders out of acquired free amenities they are normally entitled to.