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What is this new junk fee? "Amenity Fee"

What is this new junk fee? "Amenity Fee"

Old Dec 2, 2019, 3:42 pm
  #46  
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Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyer40
So i spoke with the hotel this morning.

The fee is for all of the amenities that the hotel includes. This is:
1-free coffee in the room. If you run out, they will bring you more (no kidding, this was the leadoff line)
2-heated pool for use 7am-10pm
3-fitness center use 24 hours a day
4-free champagne or mimosa, but only available on weekends check ins from 3-5pm (WHHHAT?)


Seriously, I asked to speak to a manager. Got a front desk manager on the phone. Went through list. She also included a huge (HER WORDS) benefit the agent forgot. Free water bottles. They give 2 per room per day. (I did say i would just take them out of the lounge, to which she replied lounge food had to be consumed in lounge!)

Well folks, guess this means I will look elsewhere. Be honest and put it in the room rate. This is deceptive at best.
This actually made me giggle I have a pretty damning view of resort fees in general, but at least most properties pretend to give things for it (so that Arne can claim consumers demand it).
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Old Dec 2, 2019, 4:47 pm
  #47  
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Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyer40
So i spoke with the hotel this morning.

The fee is for all of the amenities that the hotel includes. This is:
1-free coffee in the room. If you run out, they will bring you more (no kidding, this was the leadoff line)
2-heated pool for use 7am-10pm
3-fitness center use 24 hours a day
4-free champagne or mimosa, but only available on weekends check ins from 3-5pm (WHHHAT?)


Seriously, I asked to speak to a manager. Got a front desk manager on the phone. Went through list. She also included a huge (HER WORDS) benefit the agent forgot. Free water bottles. They give 2 per room per day. (I did say i would just take them out of the lounge, to which she replied lounge food had to be consumed in lounge!)

Well folks, guess this means I will look elsewhere. Be honest and put it in the room rate. This is deceptive at best.
Mormons who started Marriott and remain its executive chairman don't drink coffee and don't champagne. Outrageous.
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Old Dec 2, 2019, 4:53 pm
  #48  
 
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Originally Posted by Stgermainparis
Recent stay at St Regis NYC. I was not charged the daily $50 fee. Agent at check in said shed waive it. I still got complimentary museum tickets and morning coffee/fruit.
Ok, I'll bite, would you care to share any thoughts on why this may have occurred? Are you a frequent guest? Did you use a corporate rate that waives the fee? Or did you just smile and say it's your anniversary/honeymoon?

Regards
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Old Dec 2, 2019, 5:52 pm
  #49  
 
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What if you are traveling for work and your workplace won't reimburse you for caffeine or alcohol? Can you waive the fee?
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Old Dec 2, 2019, 10:57 pm
  #50  
 
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Originally Posted by scubadu
Ok, I'll bite, would you care to share any thoughts on why this may have occurred? Are you a frequent guest? Did you use a corporate rate that waives the fee? Or did you just smile and say it's your anniversary/honeymoon?

Regards
Have stayed three times in 20 years so not a frequent guest, no corporate rate code, smiled and asked for upgrade (got a nominal one) but no anniversary etc. Not really sure why. Didnt want to ask frankly.
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Old Dec 2, 2019, 11:06 pm
  #51  
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Originally Posted by sethMCOflyer
What if you are traveling for work and your workplace won't reimburse you for caffeine or alcohol? Can you waive the fee?
Thats not a bad point. I know Walmart has a zero tolerance policy of expensing alcohol, for example. Marriott would probably just say to make sure you dont check in between 3-5pm
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Old Dec 2, 2019, 11:17 pm
  #52  
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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.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:01 pm
  #53  
 
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Originally Posted by 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.
Then the way to rationalize it would be to check whether the local hotel tax is levied on the fee as well. If not then the property is tax dodging, and I bet the AG would be interested in that.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:01 pm
  #54  
 
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I'm not going to lie, but nonsense like this makes me want to book hotels where the fee is an excessive share of the overall cost via an OTA for the sake of screwing the hotel out of the intermediate commission. I'm actually there with IHG at this point.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:02 pm
  #55  
 
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Originally Posted by diburning
Then the way to rationalize it would be to check whether the local hotel tax is levied on the fee as well. If not then the property is tax dodging, and I bet the AG would be interested in that.
Even if the AG doesn't care, the DA (or equivalent) for the town might be inclined to take an interest.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:03 pm
  #56  
 
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It covers the toilet paper and shampoo in your room.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:11 pm
  #57  
 
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"Sheraton Nashville"

Probably an indoor plumbing, running water, and electricity fee.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:12 pm
  #58  
 
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I am afraid to ask why, so I will just accept the credit on my Marriott Bonvoy account for the five days of destination fees at a large NY hotel. I didn't say a thing to get the credit, but I will take it.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:22 pm
  #59  
 
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I certainly agree with the sentiment, but the sales pitch clearly states ELIGIBLE charges [emphasis mine]. This is sort of like if I promise to give you a million dollars unless I don't, it's clearly stated and it is what it is.


Originally Posted by 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. Youll earn 10 points per US$1 spent on eligible hotel charges, except at Element, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites hotels, where youll 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.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:36 pm
  #60  
 
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Ask for it to be waived. If they won't do it at the front desk, ask your CC to dispute the ENTIRE charge, including the room charges. Chances are, you'll end up paying it, three months later, but can you imagine if 5,000 people did this every day?
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