I’m the first one to nail hotels that charge mandatory fees without disclosing them.
You know the story: $30-a-day resort fees for the privilege of using the gym, mandatory bellman tips that don’t necessarily go to the bellman, etc.
For a while, it seemed like the government agreed with me. A few years ago, the Federal Trade Commission warned hotel operators that it was a deceptive practice not to disclose those fees upfront in online reservations.
But that didn’t convince the hotels to be more transparent. Fees usually appear deep in the booking process, often in fine print. So the hotels can advertise lower rates than what you end up paying.
But there is hope. The Department of Transportation now requires airlines to fully disclose all additional fees, so if the FTC follows suit, the hotel industry would have to follow stricter rules.
Until then, it’s your job to vote with your wallet and pass over the hotels that charge these fees.
For more information about hotels and hidden fees, check out:
- The Fine Print of Free Wi-Fi at Hotels
- Booking Online? Watch Out for These Airline & Hotel Scams
- Hotel Rates Are (Probably) Going Up
Keep reading for more travel tips.
