There are scams and then there are scams. Resort fees only exist to trick the consumer and to cheat agents out of commission. They make a hotel look less expensive than it is, and even if it’s disclosed prior to booking the property shows a lower price in initial search. Even where a chain like Marriott includes resort fees in initial search on its own website, those still don’t appear on comparison travel sites. Once you’re done comparing chains, you learn the price is higher than what you were quoted.
But even worse are mandatory fees that aren’t even shown to the customer when they’re booking the room. For instance, I’ve written about hotels that add scam charges intended to cover their property taxes without disclosing it to guests. Worse yet, the hotel calls it an environmental fee to make the guest feel bad about objecting. What, you don’t care about the environment?
Still, one of the more egregious examples I’ve seen has to be the Hyatt Place St. Augustine / Vilano Beach which reportedly adds a “Mandatory Valet Parking Fee” of $25 per night.
Here’s the guest’s folio showing the fee:
The guest explains that they did not park at the property and says the hotel charges it to all guests anyway. This came as a surprise at checkout, and is not disclosed when booking a room on the Hyatt website. (It was disclosed on a printed page handed out at check-in, which he did not read until later.)
On checking in – I was asked if I was parking – which I said no, as I took an expensive van service from the airport to the property…
Imagine my eyes literally popping out of my head when I saw $75 in charges for valet parking!!! …I immediately called the front desk of the hotel – and you know what the agent asked me? Did I receive a hand out when checking in? Yes, I replied honestly. Did I note at the bottom about the “mandatory valet parking charge” – no I did not I honestly replied. Well it was right there he said – so sorry you missed it but it’s a “mandatory” fee that cannot be waived…..
Eventually the hotel waived the charge. I suppose he could have tried writing negative Google and TripAdvisor reviews to get scam charges removed as well.
His eyes did not “literally” pop out his head… I hope.
It’s on thw website, and very clear, when you go to book. While people may not like fees, these are not hidden.
@McGee – Unless I’m missing something, there is no disclosure on the website that the valet fee is mandatory for all guests. It’s definitely not disclosed in the booking flow (I just checked).
That would make it a hidden fee. I think you might have misunderstood the complaint about this property.
Interesting logic, @McGee. The Bill states “Parking Day Rate”, and the customer did not park at the hotel. My guess is that any Prosecutor would look at that and call it fraud. Yes, there are “hidden fees”, but most have at least a thread of plausibility. This one does not.
This is also a result of the built environment in the USA being so car dependent that the default presumption is that every guest uses parking. #CarBrain
What’s egregious is there is no opportunity for the guest to add a tip for the valets.
It doesn’t seem “very clear” on their website, but I did find the parking fee disclosure. It says this:
—
NOTICE: Hotel Parking Fee – $25 (+ Tax) per night, limit 1 vehicle per room.
—
I would assume that if I don’t have a vehicle, I won’t be charged. To me that’s straight-up fraud.
It’s all good. The hotel will just rename it to a ‘Transportation Arrival/Departure Fee’ much like ‘Fuel Surcharge’ became ‘Carrier Surcharge’. If the travel industry could levy a ‘Breathing Surcharge’ for the air they provide and get away with it, you know they would. :rolleyes:
All the haters here can say what they will, but Gary is pretty much the only one with a significant following that calls out these egregious fees and at least tries to hold the bad actors accountable. I for one appreciate that.
Pure fraud. If Hyatt had any concern about their guests (they don’t) they would make an example of this property in some highly visible way.
Hyatt veering dangerously close to becoming Hertz!! thats about as low as a company can go.
You watched $50 worth of movies – that’s the real crime here.
This is a franchise off the reservation. If someone at corporate saw this they would reign it in quickly, as I suspect they will. The reality however is the franchisee will change the mandatory surcharge from parking to a ‘resort’ fee which is allowed in all the major chains.
The FTC must ensure all hotel reservation prices are a ‘total price’ and not just a room rate. They did this in the airline industry, surprised hotels still get away with it.
For the record, the government started all of this nonsense. If you fly out of O’hare, there are 14 different governmental bodies that tack charge onto your airline ticket – a whole other set gets tacked on at arrival. FAA, Homeland Security, DOT, Cook county, city of Chicago, State of Illinois, federal government, etc… – it all just gets boiled down to “taxes and fees” and isn’t fully disclosed
@ McGee – yes it is hidden, as nowhere said even you don’t have a car or don’t use their parking space you still MUST pay that fee.
Every hotel list how much is parking, but does every hotel made you to pay for parking even you don’t park there ???
“Resort fees” are out of control. These are suppose to cover things like towels at the pool, bar at the poor. etc. More and more they are for items that used to be included in the room rate, total bs like free water or services you haven’t used.
The real answer is to charge all taxes that key off the room rate to key off of room rate plus mandatory fees.
In the meanwhile, keep on calling it out Gary!
You can’t get out of the fee even by not staying there after you get the slip at checking because then you are within the cancellation penalty window.
What a great idea! I hear Hyatt is working hard on yet another amenity fee
Hyatt Place mandatory buffett access charge for their no longer free breakfast
You will be forced to eat their inedible vial slop or still pay for it
This is outright fraud whether its mentioned or not.
We need laws to protect consumers from such shady tactics.
Has no one who was charged the parking fee and who paid the bill with a credit card disputed the charge with the credit card issuer? Is it unreasonable to suppose that the credit card issuer will pursue the matter and deny the Hyatt property the $25/day? I believe AmEx will honor my request and void the charge should I stay at that Hyatt.
Thanks for highlighting this. Hyatt won’t be on my stay list now.
Daniel: Thank you for your principled but futile effort to prevent such misuse. Shifts in word use, grammar, and pronunciation are inevitable, and I think that pushing back on this one (which I do, too) is a lost cause.
There is no way this is legit. Either it’s a big misunderstanding and the front desk agent is confused by who this applies to OR it’s outright fraud. You can charge an automobile valet fee to someone who shows up without an automobile. Get the CA attorney general on the phone….
Not a big government regulation guy, but here we are talking fraud (if accurately relayed here). Some reasonable legislation is appropriate before we find our rooms include toilets, but we must pay to use them.
@Daniel @Richard. I do believe we are witnessing the transition. Just like, once, unbelievable and incredible meant not believable and not credible, we are seeing literally lose it meaning as without metaphor or allegory.
I’m extremely surprised that Hyatt is going along with this. Forgetting for a moment the terrible optics, this is fraudulent. I wonder if they charge Globalists as well. If so, they could be committing more fraud.
@Vazir Mukhta – If disclosed the property will say it is a legit charge and fight the chargeback. Also, understand if you initiate a chargeback against any hotel chain or airline you run the risk of being put on the “do not stay/fly” list and also having your frequent flyer/stayer account closed and points/miles confiscated (since they belong to the company and not you). Trust me it has happened numerous times. Initiating a charge back should be the last resort and never for an add on fee you dispute.
Yet another hotel engaging in outright fraud.
The hotel should just change this to a mandatory resort fee of $25 with a benefit of “free” valet parking for those who choose to drive in as a way to collect the fee from everyone without looking like thieves. That will make it fair for everyone
@Manny
Fraud is already illegal, we don’t need new laws. We just need the laws we already have to be enforced.
In the meantime, this hotel should be boycotted, publicly shamed, bad reviews, flood Hyatt corporate with complaints, etc.