Resort Fee Add-on Scam

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

DandyDon

Colonoscopy Advocate
ScubaBoard Supporter
Messages
53,628
Reaction score
7,816
Location
One kilometer high on the Texas Central Plains
# of dives
500 - 999
I've seen these before. It seems all of the hotel booking sites will quote about the same rates, then vary on that add-on fee - which I view as nothing more than padding the price quoted. It makes me mad that they pull the stunt, but then how does one shop for the lower fees?

My daughter insists that we stop in Vegas for a couple of nights on the way back from Yosemite - ugh, and she said she liked the Flamingo. Great prices starting at $45/night plus tax, but then they add the resort fee - like why the hell couldn't they just be honest and include that in the quote?! :mad: I see that one site adds $20 night, several add $22.50 night, Travelocity quoted some insane amount - I can't get back to get the exact rate now as their site is down, but then Easyclicktravel quoted $43 and no resort fee?!

I opened that chat box, which can be irritating when one is trying to shop as slow as that goes. She kept having to put me on hold, but then did come up with an even better nightly rate - yet still no mention of a resort fee? I asked again, hold, ok - $18 add-on. So when was she going to tell me, and what else is she not telling?

So many games...!!
 
You've been out of the game too long Don, resort fees have been around a long time now. Any nice place that doesn't have them is now the exception.

The travel sites are the scam bro, they cater to price shoppers and if price is the game they are going to play every game in the book to put the lowest price out front.

Just go to the hotel's website. 9 times out of 10, hotels all have gone to guaranteeing the lowest price available will be through them and not a reseller.

Motel 6. No resort fees. Nice clean room and they leave the light on for you.
 
I agree with Mike.....book through the hotel's website, once you've decided where you want to stay. I do the same thing for flights too....book through the airline's website.
 
I just came back from Vegas last night. I stayed at three different hotel. All three hotel charged "that" fee. I did not use the hotels any different than the rest of the visitor who were passing through to browse or gamble, not their wired internet service. One of the hotels I stayed at had the nerve to ask for more money just to use their wifi. This is def padding the price.
 
You've been out of the game too long Don, resort fees have been around a long time now. Any nice place that doesn't have them is now the exception.

The travel sites are the scam bro, they cater to price shoppers and if price is the game they are going to play every game in the book to put the lowest price out front.

Just go to the hotel's website. 9 times out of 10, hotels all have gone to guaranteeing the lowest price available will be through them and not a reseller.

Motel 6. No resort fees. Nice clean room and they leave the light on for you.
I travel now and then, but just have not hit this hidden add-on fee often. I'll pass on the Motel 6, but I do tend to settle for cheaper hotels - and I guess it'd be difficult to claim a resort fee for a hotel that simply could not call itself a resort. I just booked hotels in Amargosa NV overlooking Death Valley, Bishop CA on the way to Devils Postpile, Lee Vining CA overlooking Mono Lake, Big Pine CA near the oldest tree in the world - and I suspect there will be some hotel adventures, but no resort fees. And then there are the wood framed tents in Yosemite. :shocked2:

I'm heading over to New Mexico this weekend, staying at Pat Garrett's old hotel across the street from where Billy the Kid gunned down two deputies on one of his escapes. I did book most of these direct, but that is not always the best - I know! Airlines will track more than just cookies and jerk you around on the fares as you continue to search and more.

Back to her request for the Flamingo, and I guess they all have resort fees there: Travelocity was having some serious problems this afternoon. I swear they quoted me over $100 in resort fees per room this afternoon, then when I went back to check again - their site was so ill that it froze my browsers repeatedly, then sent my computer to black screen. After rebooting, the site was just down, but it's working slowly tonight...

Booking at Flamingo direct for 2 nights: $89 + $15 taxes + $40 resort fees

Travelocity: $89 + $11 taxes :confused: + $45 resort fees

I'll probably end up back at Easyclicktravel on chat: $89 including taxes + $36 resort fees. Not a lot of difference, but I was impressed she could offer it.

I just came back from Vegas last night. I stayed at three different hotel. All three hotel charged "that" fee. I did not use the hotels any different than the rest of the visitor who were passing through to browse or gamble, not their wired internet service. One of the hotels I stayed at had the nerve to ask for more money just to use their wifi. This is def padding the price.
Oh, I see Wifi at extra charges here & there - altho I think most include in the the silly resort fees. I just see the resort fees as a non-optional room rate add-on which simply should be part of the rates quotes. Congress made the airlines and booking sites quote fares including all taxes & fees while shopping. Need to see the same here.
 
If I were you I'd get on Trip Advisor and give them what for.

After you pay the Resort Fee, go see this before they build a Wallmart over it:

 
Identify possible resorts with the travel sites and then negotiate directly with the resort via email & their website.
 
I travel now and then, but just have not hit this hidden add-on fee often. I'll pass on the Motel 6, but I do tend to settle for cheaper hotels - and I guess it'd be difficult to claim a resort fee for a hotel that simply could not call itself a resort. I just booked hotels in Amargosa NV overlooking Death Valley, Bishop CA on the way to Devils Postpile, Lee Vining CA overlooking Mono Lake, Big Pine CA near the oldest tree in the world - and I suspect there will be some hotel adventures, but no resort fees. And then there are the wood framed tents in Yosemite. :shocked2:

I'm heading over to New Mexico this weekend, staying at Pat Garrett's old hotel across the street from where Billy the Kid gunned down two deputies on one of his escapes. I did book most of these direct, but that is not always the best - I know! Airlines will track more than just cookies and jerk you around on the fares as you continue to search and more.

Back to her request for the Flamingo, and I guess they all have resort fees there: Travelocity was having some serious problems this afternoon. I swear they quoted me over $100 in resort fees per room this afternoon, then when I went back to check again - their site was so ill that it froze my browsers repeatedly, then sent my computer to black screen. After rebooting, the site was just down, but it's working slowly tonight...

Booking at Flamingo direct for 2 nights: $89 + $15 taxes + $40 resort fees

Travelocity: $89 + $11 taxes :confused: + $45 resort fees

I'll probably end up back at Easyclicktravel on chat: $89 including taxes + $36 resort fees. Not a lot of difference, but I was impressed she could offer it.


Oh, I see Wifi at extra charges here & there - altho I think most include in the the silly resort fees. I just see the resort fees as a non-optional room rate add-on which simply should be part of the rates quotes. Congress made the airlines and booking sites quote fares including all taxes & fees while shopping. Need to see the same here.

That'a a lot of work Don for a difference of $19.00. I think you had at least $25 worth of aggravation for the process. Plus you blew up Travelocity.com in the process. :D

I'm heading over to New Mexico this weekend, staying at Pat Garrett's old hotel across the street from where Billy the Kid gunned down two deputies on one of his escapes.

That sounds like that will be a blast! Pretty cool. Have fun, don't drink too much rot gut
 
Booking direct can result in getting a better room/more perks. You are higher up on the food chain.
 
You guys have it all wrong. The resort fee is a way for the hotel to avoid paying hotel tax. The rack rate is $XX. The hotel sells the room for whatever % of $xx, and pays hotel tax on the room fee. The county of choice does not make the hotel pay hotel tax on the resort fee, although if the state has a sales tax, it is added. All of this keeps the price down. For instance, the hotel tax in Monroe County FL is 5%. if the room fee is $50, $2.50 goes to the county. If the hotel charges you $10 for the room and a $40 resort fee, then the county gets $0.50, saving you money in the long run. Who is it that pays that resort tax, anyway? That's right, you do. It may be hidden, or it may be printed on the back of your door in the room, but you still pay it.

So, next time you think the resort is bending you over, just say thank you. Thgey don't hear near enough of that.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom