resort fees

Tag Archives for resort fees.

MGM’s New Elite Benefits May Extend To Hyatt Members, But Resort Fees Still Apply On Awards

by Gary Leff on January 9, 2022

Jan 09 2022

One sweet spot is that MGM Rewards grants Gold elite status to Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members. This now includes a waiver of resort fees, upgrade at check-in if available (view, high floor); dedicated line at restaurants; and complimentary valet parking.

However if you’ve gained your Gold status via Hyatt you will not receive the Gold level’s $100 tier achievement celebration dinner. And if you redeem Hyatt points for your stay you will not have your resort fee waived.

I Read The Marriott Resort Fee Settlement, Here’s What It Actually Says

by Gary Leff on November 23, 2021

Nov 23 2021

When news came out that Marriott had settled with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over resort fees, I was skeptical that much of anything would change. Press releases were non-specific about what they’d have to do, even suggesting current practices could continue in large part without change. So I tracked down and read the settlement agreement itself. Here’s what it says.

Adding Insult To Injury, Marriott Cheats You On Points For Resort Fees

by Gary Leff on November 14, 2021

Nov 14 2021

There are numerous built-in reasons why a hotel wants to engage in deceptive practices like resort fees. Marriott creates another such incentive for its hotels. Hotels get to charge these fees to award guests (Hilton and Hyatt do not allow this) and hotels don’t have to pay for points for the resort fee portion of a room rate.

One Hyatt Charges Extra If You Want To Take A Picture Of The View

by Gary Leff on September 19, 2021

Sep 19 2021

At the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor the destination fee covers the view and your right to photograph it. Describing the $25 per night inclusion, one of the covered items is “Panoramic Views of Boston with photo opportunity.” For a $25 per night fee, they might at least offer to take your photo with a high quality camera?

This Hyatt Charges $20 Extra To Use The Bathroom Mirror

by Gary Leff on July 16, 2021

Jul 16 2021

At Hyatt’s Motif hotel your room rate does not include the coffeemaker, TV, alarm clock, iron, mirror, of bath products.

For $20 per night you get unlimited local calls if you’ve somehow forgotten your cell phone; access to an electric vehicle charging station (Hertz gives me those all the time!); and an in-room Alexa that will let Jeff Bezos listen in while you’re doing you-know-what.

Times Are Tough For Hotels: They’re Now Charging Extra For Your Room’s Electricity

by Gary Leff on May 22, 2021

May 22 2021

Hotel chains advertise prices that don’t include mandatory fees. The headline rate is what consumers compare when they’re searching. It’s only when they go to book that they see the price is higher than what was presented to them. That makes comparing prices difficult. And it puts hotels that are transparent, advertising the full cost of a stay, at a disadvantage.

At some point we have to ask, though, what does the room rate even cover if it doesn’t come with electricity?

This Marriott Resort Imposes A $30 Loyalty Tax On Free Night Redemptions

by Gary Leff on March 21, 2021

Mar 21 2021

In a move that may be ‘the most Bonvoy thing ever,’ the J.W. Marriott Los Cabos Resort says they charge guests using points a $30 redemption fee. This fee, or loyalty tax, applies only to free night awards and is not billed to guests paying cash. It’s not even disclosed in the rate details when booking a points stay.

This $99 Per Night Resort Fee Is Marriott Bonvoy’s “Loyalty Tax”

by Gary Leff on March 9, 2021

Mar 09 2021

Marriott charges resort fees on supposedly free nights. When you use your points you still have a cash co-pay or ‘loyalty tax.’ Neither Hilton nor Hyatt does this. And these resort fees can be $99 per night, plus tax, or even more.

Most Bonvoy members don’t learn there’s a fee to redeem their points until they’ve stayed with the chain, spent time in the program, and accumulated enough points to be ready to redeem. That’s why it’s a loyalty tax.

Marriott Plans To Go To Trial To Defend Resort Fees, And D.C. Is Looking For Customers To Testify

by Gary Leff on March 7, 2021

Mar 07 2021

Several state attorneys general were investigating hotel resort fees as a deceptive practice. That process has gone nowhere. Two years ago Washington, D.C. broke ranks and sued Marriott.

Marriott intends to take the case to trial and D.C. is looking for consumers as witnesses.

A Way To Book Las Vegas Strip Hotels Without Resort Fees (And Lower Rates, Too)

by Gary Leff on December 15, 2020

Dec 15 2020

One of the most annoying features of hotels is the resort fee, a mandatory charge that’s not included in the room rate in order to deceive customers – to make a hotel look less expensive than it is. The practice spread beyond resorts to city hotels, and became known as a ‘destination charge.’ Even with many of the supposed-inclusions the resort fees pay for suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, the charges persist.

Las Vegas is a city where resort fees play a hugely distortionary role. Hotels cut prices to rock bottom levels to fill rooms. And there’s a way to get an even further discount – and skip the resort fees. Hotels that want to compete in the future need to pay attention.