Yes, and many lawsuits were successfully won on the grounds of poor disclosure. The fact that others practice deception does not make the practice "fair" as you state in your post.

How about that exorbitant daily "Room Charge?" What a rip-off.

Usually when I am signing off on the rate whenever I check into a hotel, I notice that in fine print at the bottom, there is an agreement to have a newspaper (usually USAToday) delivered to your room each day. If you wish to refuse delivery of the newspaper, US$.50 will be deducted from the daily room rate.

Ironically, in most hotels there is a stack of newspapers on the counter at the front desk, so if newspaper delivery is indeed refused, you can usually save US$.50 per day and still get your newspaper.

Just thought I would put my 50 cents into this discussion...

Although the "energy surcharge" is a scam (especially in this case, since the room had no heat or hot water, but that's another story), my reference in that post was to the act of forcing me to sign my agreement with the fee on check-in, obviously with the threat of walking me late at night as the alternative. Clearly, on checkout, they would say, "But you agreed to it on checking in, see, here's your signature."

The somewhat odd policy regarding hotel newspapers may have more to do with the newspaper than with the hotel. If you have the option of refusing the newspaper and having 50 cents deducted from your bill, then the newspaper can count all of the ones that do get delivered as "paid readers" rather than give-aways, even though in fact they may be giving them to the hotel for free in return for supporting the "refuse and credit me 50 cents" procedure. The more paid subscribers a newspaper has, the higher they can charge for advertising.

This conjecture is well-made, but inaccurate. The hotels pay for the papers (at a substantially reduced rate) whether the guests pay for them or not. Furthermore, most newspapers's ad rates are set on the basis of paid circulation, not actual subscribers. Finally, some US papers (USA Today is a particularly egregious offender in this area) count "shadow circulation" (people who read papers they didn't pay for themselves) as circulation, too. This way, the paper can count all the copies it sells to your hotel, as well as all the copies the hotel sells to you, thereby counting some papers twice.

Just scrach out that line and then sign.

Stayed at a Homewood Suites in K.C. in January and noticed the in-room safe charge. Went to the front desk to get it removed and saw a sign on the front desk saying you may ask to have it removed. No mention of it when booking. Stayed there again this week and no charge on bill or no sign on front desk. Ever wonder how many people don't catch these hidden charges???

I was charged for a daily newspaper at the Sheraton in Melbourne. There was no disclosure that I would be charged for it...it just came every day. I assumed this was an amenity of the hotel, since every room got it. When I checked out, I was charged for the newspaper (and more than the cost of the newspaper - they had the nerve to mark up the price). Very frustrating.

Hotels in LasVegas are still adding an energy surcharge as well as telephone charges, particularly those hotels trying to make their rates seem lower. The Station Hotels charge for both 800 calls as well as "local line usage fees" plus a 9% hotel tax. What a ripoff of travelers!

Interesting, this just happened to me in Ft Myers.

I recall staying someplace in Florida (FLL?) within the past couple of years where a sign at the front desk said the daily safe charge was mandated by a city or county ordinance.

I found that a little odd, but then out-of-towners aren't voters. ;)

Last year we stayed at the Hilton on Marco Island and they had a daily "resort fee", which covered use of the pool, beach, etc. It was about $7 per day- plus tax, probably- and was added to the room rate and was not discretionary.

I accepted it at the time (was still cheaper than the rate at the Marriott, the official site of the meeting I was attending), but I agree that it's better to write and complain. If it's involuntary, it should be in the quoted room charge.

I stayed at the Hotel Barceló Nervion in Bilb(a)o a couple of years back. Quite a nice hotel, even if the room I had was a little pokey. Anyway, I had a good rate, advertised as €40 (breakfast €10). Normal stuff, I thought, breakfast is normally extra on rates like that.

But no, the breakfast charge was compulsory, whether you took it or not.

I was going to kick up a fuss, but was early checking out, and really fancied something to eat...

Earlier this year I stayed at the Sheraton Sunnyvale (California). They charge a flat fee of $1 per night for unlimited local and toll-free calls. However, this charge is to be added to your bill regardless of whether or not you actually use the phone!

To their credit, they DO mention on the website: "Local Calls 1.00 Usd Per Room Per Night Not In The Rate." However, it isn't obvious on the website that the $1 is charged even if you don't use the phone.

I didn't bother to contest this charge as it was so small. I'm sure they count on a lot of other guests thinking that way as well.