NYC Flyer

In my experience, you only save $5-10 bidding vs using an Express Deal. On express deals, fees are disclosed before you commit (and you can often use the resort fee as a data point in combination with some of the info on bidding forums to decifer which hotel you're going to get). There are also Priceline (and Hotwire) booking fees embedded in "taxes and fees", though I find Hotwire to be more egregious in padding their profit in this charge.

iggyray

Just an example of Meadowlands View hotel (NJ good transport to NYC). $56 + 100 "mandatory fee". Does that mean you can bid on a $55 property and end up paying $170???

warakorn

My recommendation:
Usually you need to pay this so-called "hotel fee" at the hotel - not to priceline.
After checking out, I would just dispute it directly with the hotel - or via my credit card issuer. And I wouldn't sign such a folio.

MSPeconomist

hotturnip

This is not a Priceline problem. You would be charged this fee if you book with the hotel directly. If you paid in advance, you wouldn't have to pay the fee until you arrived, just like with Priceline. Your anger should be directed to the hotel companies charging these ridiculous fees.

In my experience, Priceline has been pretty good at noting the "resort fees" when you do NYOP or Express Deal bookings. They include it on the summary page even if there's only one property that might have it in NYOP bookings. Sometimes you can book it, and afterwards find out that it's a hotel that does NOT charge the fee. With Express Deals, you know for sure in advance--it's actually included in the total price, even though you pay it later directly at the hotel.

RoyalFlush

maybe just a technical detail, but wouldn't it be on a reg (registration) card signed upon arrival?

regardless, I ABSOLUTELY abhor any additional fees everywhere.