What is this new junk fee? "Amenity Fee"
Dec 3, 2019, 5:41 pm
#61
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 161
Profit 101
This has become the PROFIT Scam of how we squeeze more $$$$ out of everyone with us still showing low rates in the search engine wars.
Dec 3, 2019, 6:34 pm
#62
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: Million mile American and United; Marriott Platinum, bunch of dust gathering other affiliations
Posts: 5
I am Marriott Platinum so I'm on the guest side as well, but you can see that Marriott has engineered everything in their Bonvoy structure so that you will not use an OTA (although they have negotiated much lower cost contracts with 8-12% commissions I believe). Because of contracted "price parity" you will usually not see a better rate booking direct with the hotel or with the OTA so why not call the hotel and tell them that you are ready to book on an OTA but will book direct if they waive the resort fee. 9 times out of 10 that will work!
Dec 3, 2019, 8:33 pm
#63
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,551
My employer won't reimburse resort fees. They seem to be viewed as a luxury that's inappropriate for business travel, yet the reality is that sometimes you must stay in a property that charges resort fees. An obvious example would be a convention in Vegas. I'm not sure what happens if the garbage fee is called a destination or facilities fee.
I did recently attend a convention in Vegas where the host hotel quoted a fee and did not charge the resort fee on top of that (which would normally have been probably $35-40).
The truly damaging thing about resort fees was about 8-10 years ago, when you would bid for a hotel on Priceline and then get a hotel for which you bid $50, except the real price was $70, and it wasn't disclosed until after your credit card had been charged. I don't think Priceline even has the "Name Your Own Price" auction anymore, and both Priceline and Hotwire disclose resort fees in their opaque listings.
I think that mostly it just lets hotels look more competitive on price comparisons. However, like everyone else, I'm hoping that the Attorneys General lawsuit is successful. Just tell me my hotel is going to be $70 when you advertise it. I'm a big boy, I can take it!
Dec 4, 2019, 1:14 am
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,216
What it all comes down to is that with hotel searches being heavily automated and commoditized, 90%+ of the market doesn’t care whether they’re in a Marriott, a Moxy, a DoubleTree, an Ibis, or Dave’s Quality Lodgings, they just want a bed and they want it to be cheap cheap cheap. If a hotel doesn’t show up on the first page of hotels .com (other sites are available) then it’s not getting booked. So hotels have a huge incentive to strip stuff out of their base room rate as displayed and add it later in fees, after the customer has already mentally decided to stay there. Google “drip pricing”.
Dec 4, 2019, 1:46 am
#65
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Does something prevent a hotel from charging resort and other junk fees on OLTA etc. bookings but not on bookings through Starriott or alternatively from showing the total including resort fees on the Marriott website? If this were a uniform Bonvoy policy, it would provide an additional benefit to booking through Starriott while at the same time showing those cheap rates for comparison on OLTAs and consolidator websites.
Dec 4, 2019, 5:09 am
#66
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Does something prevent a hotel from charging resort and other junk fees on OLTA etc. bookings but not on bookings through Starriott or alternatively from showing the total including resort fees on the Marriott website? If this were a uniform Bonvoy policy, it would provide an additional benefit to booking through Starriott while at the same time showing those cheap rates for comparison on OLTAs and consolidator websites.
Dec 4, 2019, 5:15 am
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
I think we ought to get points for the xxx fee we were charged - everything that's NOT paid to the government/city/whatever authorities. I remembered a while ago that I didn't get points for parking as the parking lot is not owned by Marriott (even though I had to validate the parking at the front desk) - is it still like this?
I actually like Hilton search filter quite some because you can actually pick "free parking" as an option to show which hotel offer free parking, maybe they should add an option of "no resort fee".
I actually like Hilton search filter quite some because you can actually pick "free parking" as an option to show which hotel offer free parking, maybe they should add an option of "no resort fee".
Dec 4, 2019, 5:40 am
#68
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 71
i have less of a problem with resort fees at a genuine resort if you get something for it. but obviously we all know that most of them are complete scams just like the green choice initiative.
in hawaii the labor costs are so high that the resort fee is necessary to get additional revenue. at some of the waikiki resorts you cant even take advantage of everything supposedly included in the resort fee because it isnt available. like the westin that says you get a go pro camera but you have to go to their sister hotel to claim it. well you get there and the sheraton has run out of the go pro cameras. or the cultural lesson is either early in the morning when you're asleep or it's at sunset when you're drinking or ahving dinner.
i always thought marriott had to corporately approve this because i thought marriott (at least at hotels it manages) determined the rates. it would seem that individual hotels can just add this fee on their own, even if they arent a resort.
i also always thought marriott had to approve a resort designation for a hotel because the legitimate resorts were then branded and marketed by marriott as a resort. but i've seen several hotels calling themselves a resort and charging a resort fee (not a destination fee) even though nowhere on the marriott website were they called a resort. this is even more concerning because there have certainly been reports that some hotels doing this and charging the fee dont even disclose it on the website. so you wonder if marriott corporate even knows?
potentially thats a big issue since corporate gets a percentage of the nightly room rate as part of the licensing agreement to use the marriott name. so if you're tacking on a resort fee without marriott's knowledge and your property isn't managed by marriott then i presume marriott doesn't know and the owner or management company operating the licensed/franchised hotel is collecting pure profit without sharing with marriott.
in hawaii the labor costs are so high that the resort fee is necessary to get additional revenue. at some of the waikiki resorts you cant even take advantage of everything supposedly included in the resort fee because it isnt available. like the westin that says you get a go pro camera but you have to go to their sister hotel to claim it. well you get there and the sheraton has run out of the go pro cameras. or the cultural lesson is either early in the morning when you're asleep or it's at sunset when you're drinking or ahving dinner.
i always thought marriott had to corporately approve this because i thought marriott (at least at hotels it manages) determined the rates. it would seem that individual hotels can just add this fee on their own, even if they arent a resort.
i also always thought marriott had to approve a resort designation for a hotel because the legitimate resorts were then branded and marketed by marriott as a resort. but i've seen several hotels calling themselves a resort and charging a resort fee (not a destination fee) even though nowhere on the marriott website were they called a resort. this is even more concerning because there have certainly been reports that some hotels doing this and charging the fee dont even disclose it on the website. so you wonder if marriott corporate even knows?
potentially thats a big issue since corporate gets a percentage of the nightly room rate as part of the licensing agreement to use the marriott name. so if you're tacking on a resort fee without marriott's knowledge and your property isn't managed by marriott then i presume marriott doesn't know and the owner or management company operating the licensed/franchised hotel is collecting pure profit without sharing with marriott.
Dec 4, 2019, 6:14 am
#69
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 16
These fees are ridiculous. The whole purpose is enriching the bottom line and hoodwinking potential guests into thinking they've got a better room rate than the hotels charging an all inclusive rate. As others have pointed out, they may also be a way to cheat frequent stay members out of points or make them pay the fees for what should be a free room.
There are several consumer groups working with state AG's to implement the requirement that all extra add on fees be disclosed prior to booking and on booking websites. The idea is that everyone will be aware of true costs for a stay and be able to make choices of where to book. However, most of us realize the fees won't go away, even if disclosed and we'll have to pay. But at least we pay without unpleasant budget busting surprises.
There are several consumer groups working with state AG's to implement the requirement that all extra add on fees be disclosed prior to booking and on booking websites. The idea is that everyone will be aware of true costs for a stay and be able to make choices of where to book. However, most of us realize the fees won't go away, even if disclosed and we'll have to pay. But at least we pay without unpleasant budget busting surprises.
Dec 4, 2019, 9:58 am
#71
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
i have less of a problem with resort fees at a genuine resort if you get something for it. but obviously we all know that most of them are complete scams just like the green choice initiative.
in hawaii the labor costs are so high that the resort fee is necessary to get additional revenue. at some of the waikiki resorts you cant even take advantage of everything supposedly included in the resort fee because it isnt available. like the westin that says you get a go pro camera but you have to go to their sister hotel to claim it. well you get there and the sheraton has run out of the go pro cameras. or the cultural lesson is either early in the morning when you're asleep or it's at sunset when you're drinking or ahving dinner.
i always thought marriott had to corporately approve this because i thought marriott (at least at hotels it manages) determined the rates. it would seem that individual hotels can just add this fee on their own, even if they arent a resort.
i also always thought marriott had to approve a resort designation for a hotel because the legitimate resorts were then branded and marketed by marriott as a resort. but i've seen several hotels calling themselves a resort and charging a resort fee (not a destination fee) even though nowhere on the marriott website were they called a resort. this is even more concerning because there have certainly been reports that some hotels doing this and charging the fee dont even disclose it on the website. so you wonder if marriott corporate even knows?
potentially thats a big issue since corporate gets a percentage of the nightly room rate as part of the licensing agreement to use the marriott name. so if you're tacking on a resort fee without marriott's knowledge and your property isn't managed by marriott then i presume marriott doesn't know and the owner or management company operating the licensed/franchised hotel is collecting pure profit without sharing with marriott.
in hawaii the labor costs are so high that the resort fee is necessary to get additional revenue. at some of the waikiki resorts you cant even take advantage of everything supposedly included in the resort fee because it isnt available. like the westin that says you get a go pro camera but you have to go to their sister hotel to claim it. well you get there and the sheraton has run out of the go pro cameras. or the cultural lesson is either early in the morning when you're asleep or it's at sunset when you're drinking or ahving dinner.
i always thought marriott had to corporately approve this because i thought marriott (at least at hotels it manages) determined the rates. it would seem that individual hotels can just add this fee on their own, even if they arent a resort.
i also always thought marriott had to approve a resort designation for a hotel because the legitimate resorts were then branded and marketed by marriott as a resort. but i've seen several hotels calling themselves a resort and charging a resort fee (not a destination fee) even though nowhere on the marriott website were they called a resort. this is even more concerning because there have certainly been reports that some hotels doing this and charging the fee dont even disclose it on the website. so you wonder if marriott corporate even knows?
potentially thats a big issue since corporate gets a percentage of the nightly room rate as part of the licensing agreement to use the marriott name. so if you're tacking on a resort fee without marriott's knowledge and your property isn't managed by marriott then i presume marriott doesn't know and the owner or management company operating the licensed/franchised hotel is collecting pure profit without sharing with marriott.
BTW if the things included in the resort fee aren't really available (the go pro camera, not the lectures/events at inconvenient times for you), one should be able to get a refund for a portion of the resort fee. It could even become a chargeback as the goods/services that were charged weren't delivered.
Dec 4, 2019, 2:20 pm
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
i have less of a problem with resort fees at a genuine resort if you get something for it. but obviously we all know that most of them are complete scams just like the green choice initiative.
in hawaii the labor costs are so high that the resort fee is necessary to get additional revenue. at some of the waikiki resorts you cant even take advantage of everything supposedly included in the resort fee because it isnt available. like the westin that says you get a go pro camera but you have to go to their sister hotel to claim it. well you get there and the sheraton has run out of the go pro cameras. or the cultural lesson is either early in the morning when you're asleep or it's at sunset when you're drinking or ahving dinner.
in hawaii the labor costs are so high that the resort fee is necessary to get additional revenue. at some of the waikiki resorts you cant even take advantage of everything supposedly included in the resort fee because it isnt available. like the westin that says you get a go pro camera but you have to go to their sister hotel to claim it. well you get there and the sheraton has run out of the go pro cameras. or the cultural lesson is either early in the morning when you're asleep or it's at sunset when you're drinking or ahving dinner.
These fees are ridiculous. The whole purpose is enriching the bottom line and hoodwinking potential guests into thinking they've got a better room rate than the hotels charging an all inclusive rate. As others have pointed out, they may also be a way to cheat frequent stay members out of points or make them pay the fees for what should be a free room.
There are several consumer groups working with state AG's to implement the requirement that all extra add on fees be disclosed prior to booking and on booking websites. The idea is that everyone will be aware of true costs for a stay and be able to make choices of where to book. However, most of us realize the fees won't go away, even if disclosed and we'll have to pay. But at least we pay without unpleasant budget busting surprises.
There are several consumer groups working with state AG's to implement the requirement that all extra add on fees be disclosed prior to booking and on booking websites. The idea is that everyone will be aware of true costs for a stay and be able to make choices of where to book. However, most of us realize the fees won't go away, even if disclosed and we'll have to pay. But at least we pay without unpleasant budget busting surprises.
Some of those resort fees are pure non-sense, 2 bottle of water and local calls and internet? I have my phone so I don't need free local calls and internet, for $15 I can buy water enough for a shower.
Dec 4, 2019, 4:23 pm
#74
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 3,097
By the way the labour cost here in Scandinavia is really high too and all prices here are all in, i.e. if it's DKK 1500 then you are paying DKK 1500 at check out, not like DKK 1500 + local tourism fee + tax. I'd much rather have a clear pricing - why can't hotels pricing like the airlines?
Dec 4, 2019, 5:57 pm
#75
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,938
For time being at least. The current "pro business" government has been trying to reverse that.