HOTELMARKETING.COM

If you stay, you’re going to pay

April 02, 2009 |

If you thought the new fees airlines are charging are bad, check out your hotel bill. Hotel guests find bills are boosted by fees for minibars, housekeeping, and more.

Recently, airlines have received lots of attention for moving longtime standards - baggage, food, drinks, even pillows and blankets - from the "included" pile into the "for an additional fee" pile. But travel industry analysts say the other giant in the travel game - the hotel industry - has become even worse at adding on miscellaneous fees and surcharges.

Industry analysts say that 2007 was the peak year for the introduction of add-on hotel fees and surcharges. And last year, US hotels raked in record revenue, taking in $1.75 billion, up from $550 million in 2002, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The nickel-and-diming can be small (such as $5 for the hotel to accept a package for you) to rather large (think: mandatory valet parking for $50 a night, a notorious fee charged in San Francisco). Other charges include resort, business center, and groundskeeping fees, charges for having a safe in your room even if you don't use it, and charges from minibars with sensors that bill you if you just move something and then add a "restocking fee" for the hotel employee who must replace your $5 bag of M&Ms.

Get the full story at The Boston Globe

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