STVA

Every location is a destination in someone's eyes!

KRSW

It's a sign that the hotel in question DOES NOT WANT your business. Book elsewhere, and make sure you send the offending property a quick note of how much $ they're not getting from you.

Out of my Element

No, it's a sign they WANT MORE OF YOUR MONEY. They definitely want your money, they just think you are bad at math

BrightlyBob

Yep. Junk fee, as others have said thank Arne for thinking up ever more inventive con-artist wide-boy nothing fees - maybe if he and the board spent as much time dealing with the merger problems as they do dreaming up specious fees there wouldn’t be any noise around the edges...

est-gratuite

I'm confused.
Is this shown on the final booking page when making a reservation online ?
Or is it added by the hotel onto the bill at check-out with no prior warning ?

Score8

Disclosure aside (not saying that disclosure isn't important), but not getting points on an obvious hotel charge is the grounds for the lawsuit. I understand taxes and all that other crap, but the resort charge is 100% being paid by the guest and paid to the hotel.

EuropeanPete

On what grounds is Marriott ever legally obliged to give points?

Horace

Marriott promises points as a feature of staying at participating Marriott properties as a Marriott Bonvoy member. It's part of what you're paying for, along with use of the room and its features. (A lawyer might use a term such as "implied contract," but I'll just use the word "promise.")

See https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/earn/hotels.mi

Marriott's sales pitch prominently states: "Check in and stay at any of our 7,000+ hotels across our extraordinary portfolio of brands — including Aloft®, W®, The Ritz-Carlton®, JW Marriott® hotels and more. Earn for more than just your room. Earn on all eligible hotel purchases, including dining, beverages, rounds of golf, spa services and more. You’ll earn 10 points per US$1 spent on eligible hotel charges, except at Element®, Residence Inn® and TownePlace Suites® hotels, where you’ll earn five points per eligible US$1."

You can consider a mandatory resort/destination fee be part of the room rate (because it's part of the mandatory daily cost of staying at the hotel), or you can consider it a "hotel purchase" (because the money is clearly going to hotel, not to a third party). In either case, Marriott is promising points. There is nothing in the Marriott Bonvoy pitch about resort/destination fees being ineligible toward calculating points.

However, buried in the fine print of the huge Terms & Conditions document, "mandatory or automatic charges (e.g., resort charges)" are "Non-Qualifying Charges," so they do not qualify for Marriott Bonvoy points.

That means Marriott's sales pitch is clearly misleading. That's unethical. I would think it's also illegal, although that might vary by country and state.

Reports here on FlyerTalk suggest that members earn points on resort/destination fees at some properties, but not at others. I assume that's based on how a charge is classified in a property's system.

Resort/destination fees are slimy to begin with. Using fine print in the T&Cs to shortchange Marriott Bonvoy members on points is even slimier.

icanneverflyenough

Funny though the nightly room rate is a mandatory or automatic charge.

Why we need to use the terms against properties that charge resort fees and demand the replacement amenity. Class action lawsuit for everyone who hasbn't gotten it!

Tanic

More than 100% since many jurisdictions add taxes to "resort fees". Around 110% in Vegas.

bitterproffit

If it makes you feel any better, back in 1980 when it was a Crown Plaza, the rooftop had a revolving restaurant and I took a date there before an Earth Wind and Fire concert.

if it was still cheaper than any of the other choices in the downtown core, I’d say go for it, it’s annoying, but I just add it to the cost comparison. It’s a little out of the way, but nice enough.

X-ON

Just wait ...soon the rate will be $1 and the fee $399 on a $400 hotel night

sethMCOflyer

It doesn't matter if you fight it, most hotels will tell you to pound sand. Most AGs won't care how they list it either.

The worst I've seen is a non-Bonvoy hotel that includes their resort fee with the taxes so their listed room rate was lower than the other hotels nearby and you won't realize unless you're doing the math to realize the effective tax rate is 20%. I had booked there and was sure to pull out my confirmation email showing how much I agreed to pay to them, and taxes beyond that. They didn't see a problem with taking part of the "tax" amount for themself but after 15 minutes or so they gave up to make me leave.

gengar

Wow, is that really the case with MR? At least with Hyatt, points are awarded (e.g., resort fees at Mlife casinos in Las Vegas via the partnership).

Often1

It's pretty common, not just Marriott. Whether it's a "resort", "destination" or whatever fee, it's a fee. Most places no longer specify specific items it covers.

As long as it's disclosed and you agree to pay it, you have no beef. Yet.

Used to be avoidable by staying elsewhere. But, now --- less & less.