$386 For A $109 Room? NYC Property Charges Higher Fees Than Any Hotel, Ever

We’ve finally found it: the hotel with the most egregious add-on fees in the country. Every other hotel can stop trying, because the 31 Street Broadway Hotel in New York cannot be beaten.

On top of the room rate, they charge:

  • 49% Destination fee
  • 47% Bed linens fee
  • $120.00 Property service charge per stay

Their mandatory fees are 96% of the room rate plus $120. Normally there’s some pretense that a destination (or resort) fee includes some “benefit.” Here they do not suggest you get anything other than to stay at the destination. That’s usually what the room rate is for.

And what does your room rate cover? Not the linens on the bed, apparently. Those are extra – 47% extra.

As a result, a $109 room actually costs $386.87 – plus there’s a $175 damage deposit, too.

Even though the room is advertised for $109, if you cancel you pay $158.73.

Unbooked rooms on the day of they advertise as low as $45. Why not when they’ll actually bill you $243?

Even considering the photos on web about this place, and knowing the total price going on, guests still consider their stay ‘disappointing’ according to Booking.com:

Maybe this is why? You’d think the property service fee covered pest control servicing of the property?

(HT: @FindFlightsForMe who highlights airline award availability, and doesn’t charge for the service.)

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Bed linen fee? I am surprised there is not a mattress fee or a fee for soap and towels. “Sir, would you like a room that locks? There is a $50 key charge.”

  2. @David – How in the world does this article relate to your argument? And I am a Republican, though increasingly getting frustrated by people like you- you are not helping the cause, my friend. My suggestion is to point out the policies that allow “fee-gouging” to begin with.

  3. @Joe Biedermann. Well said. I can’t wait for the MAGA folks to split from the GOP and form their own party. Until then, they’ll just keep making all of us look like idiots.

  4. Once many years ago, when I was newly in the army I stayed for one night in a clean sheet hotel in center city San Francisco for $1.75. They handed me my sheets when I checked in. No additional fees.

  5. By paying the 31 Street Broadway Hotel’s mandatory ripoff fees of 96% of the room rate plus $120 on my credit card, I can fast track earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles. This is one more reason why I love the benefits of my AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard®

  6. Considering the bio/profile of the woman who posted this to X, I’d say bravo to 31 Street Broadway Hotel. She’s going to make her stay miserable for management you, beat her to it.

  7. @Jon Biedermann there’s always one like that on each web page. So sorry about what has happened to your party. As a Democrat I wish nothing more than having two healthy opposing political parties. Unfortunately it starts with your leaders who are out there saying President Two Corinthians is a grave threat to our democracy, and that is why this November they will be voting for him.

  8. “Mr. Miller” is not a Republican, nor in any way a conservative. They are pretending to be one and reflecting the MAGA stereotype simply to reveal its utterly preposterous logic. Otherwise, how do you explain such nonsensical rhetoric? They are most likely a red hot flaming liberal.

  9. Does the linens fee mean you can take the linens with you? Not that you would really want to with the bugs and all.

  10. Love how the 14.75% tax is figured on the room plus the fees and the service charge AND also on the other city tax. Taxed on your taxes….only in NYC.

  11. @Kluge and JoeBeidermann

    Thank you. As a moderate Democrat I am all for conversation and compromise. We are equally frustrated by this vitriol from the far left. Why do so few ever talk about the silent majority? We are actually the voice of reason and make up what is the primary voting population. Yet we get stuck with poor candidates, extreme policies on both sides, and nothing getting accomplished. All because the minority of voters who make up the extremes scream louder, are more violent, and hijack the system. Enough.

    I long for the days of Reagan. Or Clinton. There was discourse, sure, but we see clearly now that we were not so far apart when it came to what’s best for our country.

  12. This is EXACTLY what you get with deregulation.

    Scary that certain people want more of this.

  13. I’d like to think if you cancel the destination fee the linen fee etc would not be charged because you didn’t arrive at the destination You didn’t use the linens etc but I’m probably wrong

Comments are closed.