Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct Sen. John Kennedy’s party affiliation.
(KTLA/NEXSTAR) — If you’re traveling, there’s hardly a greater feeling than finding a discount on a hotel room. That joy and the relaxation of your trip can, however, come crashing down quickly once it’s time to pay the bill.
Even some of the cheapest hotel rooms can become expensive stays thanks to added fees. Their presence on your bill doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pay them, though.
In the U.S., hotel prices are up roughly 3% compared to this time last year, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index, and they’re expected to remain relatively high. The average room price has hovered over $200 a night, sites like Hopper show.
Amenity fees can tack on another $25 to $100 a night, Clint Henderson, frequent traveler and managing editor at The Points Guy, tells Nexstar.
It wasn’t always as widespread as it is today, he explains.
What are resort fees?
Hotel fee, resort fee, amenity fee — whatever you call them, they’re extra charges added to your nightly room rate. They can be labeled as nearly anything, whether it be for the pool, WiFi access, room service, basket weaving lessons, or a number of other variations.
Fees began appearing around 1997, according to a 2017 report from the Federal Trade Commission. They were initially meant to cover actual amenities provided by the hotels. Now, even hotels without amenities have been found to be charging extra fees.
“The truth is, at least half of the resort destinations have some kind of fee attached to the room now,” Henderson explains. “So they really spread like wildfire.”
As hotels began charging these fees, which essentially help them garner more revenue without a higher room rate, many guests said they were surprised by the fees and weren’t aware of them until they arrived.
A recent analysis by NerdWallet found the average resort fee is about $42. While that may seem minor, resort fees as a whole made up about 11% of the overall costs to stay at a hotel each night.
What’s being done about hotel fees?
You aren’t the only one that despises hotel fees. They fall into a group of other extra charges, commonly called ‘junk fees.’ Others include surprise fees on ticket purchases, credit card late fees, and extra fees on airline tickets.
President Joe Biden and many states have been targeting these junk fees as of late.
Biden has called for Congress to ban surprise resort fees and require hotels to include them in the room rate.
Some states, like California, have also launched efforts to remove the hidden fees from hotel bills. Legislation introduced in California early this year would require the extra charges to be included in the overall price of a good or service, like hotel rooms.
Other lawmakers are, however, uncertain whether they should be involved in the fee argument. While discussing junk fee reform, Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) said in January that “you can’t legislate a requirement that people do the right thing,” the Sacramento Bee reports.
Some hotel guests are taking the fight against hotel fees into their own hands. Earlier this week, a group of hotel guests filed a lawsuit against Marriott International in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing the hotel chain of charging nightly fees on room rates that violate California’s consumer protection and unfair competition laws. They argue fees labeled as “Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance Cost Surcharge” exceed the actual costs of providing employees personal protection devices as required by a local ordinance.
Grassroots efforts, like the group Kill Resort Fees, have also joined in the fight to end hotel surcharges.
Can you refute the charges?
Because resort fees are often required, you can’t simply refuse to pay the resort fees. However, some hotels will let you dodge the surcharges.
Hilton and Hyatt will spare guests from the resort fees on bookings made with rewards, Henderson explains. He adds that the resort fee is waived for Hyatt’s top-tier reward members.
Some travel credit cards will also offer statement credits that can provide you with reimbursement on resort fees, NerdWallet reports.
If you don’t have a hotel membership or a travel credit card, it doesn’t mean you’re saddled with the extra fees. Some may be willing to drop the fee if you ask.
The easiest fees to lift may be those for the pool. If the pool is closed during your stay, for example, Henderson says your hotel may be willing to remove the extra fee from your bill. You may also have luck removing fees for extra perks, like certain lessons or other amenities you aren’t interested in, if you speak with the front desk.
“I would encourage people to ask for the resort fee to be taken off their next hotel stay,” Henderson says. “I think one of the only ways that we’re going to find relief from this is if every single guest at hotels is complaining about it.”
