How to avoid resort fees?
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,014
How to avoid resort fees?
I just booked two nights at the Waldorf Phx and there is an add'l $35/night resort fee. Any chance or experience with Diamonds getting this waived at all?
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
As long as people keep staying at resort fee hotels, hotel chain management will keep saying that customers don't mind paying, or even worse garbage about appreciating the value received.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
I guess I just don't get it...hotels have always had lots of fees, most of them imposed by localities looking to skim money off of a captive population. No, none of these have ever been visible on the first page pricing screen. Hotels then realized that they could employ this practice to their own advantage, especially for business travelers whose travel policies generally limit just the base rate, not the full price. Yes, it is a sneaky practice. Yes, the fact that it is a "fee" rubs people the wrong way. But at the end of the day, it is part of the price, and the price can be viewed before booking.
I'm not defending the practice, and pricing transparency right up front ("all-in" rates versus base rates) would be a great consumer-friendly measure, but what I don't get is the ratio of time taken off people's lives complaining on Flyertalk about this (decades) versus impact it has had on the practice (zero). Just click to the full price, decide if you want to pay it, and get on with your lives...
And, for your own sake, my goodness, don't ever book a rental car...you'd have a heart attack reading the itemized invoice.
I'm not defending the practice, and pricing transparency right up front ("all-in" rates versus base rates) would be a great consumer-friendly measure, but what I don't get is the ratio of time taken off people's lives complaining on Flyertalk about this (decades) versus impact it has had on the practice (zero). Just click to the full price, decide if you want to pay it, and get on with your lives...
And, for your own sake, my goodness, don't ever book a rental car...you'd have a heart attack reading the itemized invoice.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 381
Sorry to inform you but resort fees/destination fees ect are here to stay. No hotel company bows down to FTers because they are too small of a population. As long as the general population just wants to see low rates online that is what they will see and have the resort fees added. No skin off of my back. Just green backs in my pocket.
#7
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,872
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,014
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
In other words, it was fully disclosed, you chose to accept it, and you now have no argument against its imposition. Unlike air carriers which are required to post the full price of a ticket, all in (and then provide a break down), no such requirement exists under federal or any state law, for hotels.
There are hundreds of threads on this topic on FT, including many relating specifically to Hilton. No need for yet another one. The answer is always the same:
1. You may dislike the fees and that is your choice. But, they are here to stay and their use is increasing. Finding places without them is increasingly hard and that leaves you with tougher decisions to make if you are prepared to boycott their use.
2. The time to make these decisions is prior to agreeing to pay the fees. If they bother you, do not book. Same as lengthy cancellation terms, and anything else that gives you heartburn.
There are hundreds of threads on this topic on FT, including many relating specifically to Hilton. No need for yet another one. The answer is always the same:
1. You may dislike the fees and that is your choice. But, they are here to stay and their use is increasing. Finding places without them is increasingly hard and that leaves you with tougher decisions to make if you are prepared to boycott their use.
2. The time to make these decisions is prior to agreeing to pay the fees. If they bother you, do not book. Same as lengthy cancellation terms, and anything else that gives you heartburn.
#11
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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#13
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
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Is Hilton showing you different info from a US ISP? Using a UK IP address the fee is shown very clearly next to the room types summary - it only isn’t shown on the original list of PHX hotels. EU law is tougher of course.
#14
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 381
Because then you will complain that the rate is xyz dollars higher. Just accept that resort fees are here to stay.
#15
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