Airlines receive substantial criticism for their ever-increasing fees. While complaints about surprise fees associated with air travel are warranted and deserving of productive conversation, similarly unsuspected hotel fees are often overlooked. A recent New York Times piece highlighted the problem and stated that hotels in the United States are on track to earn $2.1 billion this year in fees and surcharges alone.
Some of the most outrageous hotel fees that are being reported:
- Charges for donations to local charities (without receiving consent) are being added to bills. This actually happened to me while in Grenada.
- Bellhop service charges, even when bellhop services aren’t used.
- Housekeeping charges.
- Charges for using the business center, fitness center or other areas of the hotel.
- Some hotels now charge extra for a new set of clean towels or sheets.
- Some hotels add fees for using the in-room coffeemaker.
- Sometimes guests are charged for the in-room safe, even if they don’t use it.
- Package delivery fees are applied for receiving mail and other items to your room in some hotels.
- Bills at some hotels now include an “energy surcharge.”
- Paying to use the internet often comes with a fee, and sometimes it’s ridiculously steep.