Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2021. Read More
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture and Design
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line hopes to resume sailing out of the U.S. on or around July 4.
    • Travel Deals
    • Attractions
    • BookTandL.com
    • Amusement Parks
    • Festivals and Events
    • Bus and Trains
    • Flight Deals
    • Budget Travel
    • Hotels and Resorts
    • Disney Vacations
    • Airlines and Airports
    • Ground Transportation
    • Travel Guides
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • See All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

LIVE
  1. Home
  2. Hotels and Resorts
  3. World's Most Outrageous Hotel Fees

World's Most Outrageous Hotel Fees

By Mark Orwoll
May 14, 2010
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: iStock
There's nothing new about outlandish hotel surcharges. The October 6, 1904, edition of The Daily Star in Fredericksburg, VA, published a list of unscrupulous lodging fees, mainly in Europe, that included fees for towels, nightshirts, heat, hot water, horse stabling (whether the guest brought a horse or not), and, in one hotel, a one-penny fee for each ascent and descent in the hotel elevator.

My own distaste for hotel surcharges began years ago on my first business trip, when I ate an entire jar of what appeared to be complimentary macadamia nuts. At checkout I discovered the snack had cost me $12 (not to mention an upset stomach). If anything, the add-ons since then have gotten worse for guests, but much more profitable for the hotels. The lodging industry stands to earn more than $1.75 billion this year in surcharges alone, which means extra fees are likely to be with us for years to come.

The inflated cost of some surcharges raises the ire of many guests: $5 to have a package delivered to your room, $20 for Internet connection, $30 or more for mandatory valet parking. But more important than the dollar amount is whether the fee was made clear to you at check-in. "The recent trend for hotel surcharges is disclosure," says Robert Mandelbaum, director of research information services for PKF Hospitality Research. "More and more often you will see tent cards telling you what costs extra in your room. And that's fair. But there are some horror stories of surcharges, like towel fees, mini-bar restocking fees, and housekeeping fees."

Other surcharge surprises include additional fees to pay with a credit card, a charge of $1–$3 for the in-room safe (whether you use it or not), and even a fee to use the in-room coffeemaker. "Resort fees" of $25 a day or more are commonplace. And some hotels, especially in the Caribbean, are still tacking on energy surcharges—despite the absence of an energy crisis. The list is as long as it is upsetting.

Don't expect relief any time soon, if ever. According to PKF Hospitality Research, 2010 will still be a very soft year for the lodging industry. Revenues probably won't return to pre-recession levels until at least 2012. For now, hotels need to keep their rates low to be competitive, but they also need to add on as many surcharges as possible to be profitable.

Remember the old newspaper article, above? Another hotel charge it listed was for "table decorations" at hotels in Corsica. "Anyone who wishes to avoid this exaction," said the writer, "should instruct the head waiter to put no flowers on his table." At least that's one surcharge modern-day hotel guests don't have to worry about. Yet.

In the meantime, here are some tips on sidestepping surcharge surprises: Be proactive. Ask when you book if there are any mandatory fees (and taxes) that will be added to your bill. Seasoned travelers know to look for these charges before they book and to complain about them in advance. Check your bill carefully before you sign it. It's easier to dispute a charge at checkout than afterward. Calmly object if you think a fee is unfair or was not disclosed in advance. Desk clerks often have the authority to remove them. If not, ask for the manager. Forget it—until the next time you book a hotel. Then go somewhere that charges guests fairly.
Start Slideshow

1 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit Cards

Credit Cards
Credit: iStock

It's unfair of hotels to require a credit card for booking but then to surcharge you for using it at checkout. It can happen anywhere (I've found examples in Switzerland, Vanuatu, Thailand, and elsewhere), but the practice is epidemic in Australia.

Your Cost: Up to 5 percent of your total bill.

1 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Early Check-In

Early Check-In
Credit: iStock

Hotels used to go out of their way to accommodate early-arriving guests. Now you just might have to pay for the privilege, including at some properties under the banners of Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Kempinski.

Your Cost: Fees average $20–$50.

2 of 19

3 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Fitness Center

Fitness Center
Credit: iStock

A good hotel should have a fitness center. And use of the fitness center should be included in the rate you pay. But at some hotels under banners like Hard Rock, Hilton, Crowne Plaza, and Intercontinental, along with many others, you'll have to cough up some extra cash if you want to work out.

Your Cost: $10–$40.

3 of 19

Advertisement

4 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Charitable Donations

Charitable Donations
Credit: iStock

Increasingly, hotels are adding charitable donations to your bill. There's even a company that helps hotels do that. The intention may be noble, and the hotels pass along the donation directly to the charity, yet something still feels wrong about this. They'll remove the donation from your bill on request, Mr. Scrooge—but should you really have to ask?

Your Cost: $1–$2.

4 of 19

5 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

In-Room Coffee and Tea

In-Room Coffee and Tea
Credit: iStock

The hotel kindly placed an electric coffeepot on your dresser along with an assortment of tea bags and instant coffee. Watch out. That amenity, which used to be gratis, is becoming a new source of revenue for hotels. So next time you get that wake-up call and instinctively brew up a nice cup of Colombian, you just may find an extra item on your bill.

Your Cost: $2–$5 for a tea bag or a packet of coffee.

5 of 19

6 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Maid Service

Maid Service
Credit: iStock

Some hotels now charge guests for that most basic of expectations—cleanliness. It may show up in the form of a mandatory gratuity or simply be listed as a housekeeping fee. But whatever they call it, you're paying a separate fee for maid service.

Your Cost: $2–$10 per room per day.

6 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Internet Connection

Internet Connection
Credit: iStock

Why is it that so many budget hotel chains (including Best Western, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn) routinely offer free Internet connection while so many luxury brands don't? Don't expect that to change. According to iBAHN, which claims to be the world's largest Internet service provider for the lodging industry, "The 'free to guest' model of providing free access in all locations of the hotel at all times to all guests is economically unrealistic given guests' differing bandwidth needs."

Your Cost: $10–$20 (or more) a day.

7 of 19

8 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Mini-Bar Restocking

Mini-Bar Restocking
Credit: ACE STOCK LIMITED / Alamy

It's bad enough that you have to pay 10 times or more the normal price for mini-bar items. But what's worse is the growing practice among hotels to add an extra charge to replace items you took. And it gets worse: hotels are increasingly using mini-bars armed with sensors that detect—and charge your room bill—if you so much as move an item.

Your Cost: $3–$5.

8 of 19

9 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Package Delivery

Package Delivery
Credit: Jeff Greenberg / Alamy

Surcharges for packages or faxes delivered to your room are frequently added to guest bills, but you probably won't find that out until after you've tipped the bellhop who brought it to you in the first place. Some hotels also charge for accepting an express delivery package at their business center—even if you come down to the lobby to collect it yourself.

Your Cost: $3–$5.

9 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Holiday Surcharges

Holiday Surcharges
Credit: iStock

Additional fees added onto your bill for stays during holidays are cropping up, especially in Asia. At the Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Hon Tre Island in Vietnam, you'll pay extra if your booking extends over the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary and other major holidays. In Japan, the Kyoto Hotel Okura adds a surcharge on Saturdays and on the night before a public holiday.

Your Cost: $18–$45 a night.

10 of 19

11 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Energy Surcharge

Energy Surcharge
Credit: iStock

There have been times when fuel shortages have caused airlines, hotels, and other travel suppliers to add an extra fee to cover the temporarily high cost of energy. Yet despite the absence of an energy crisis today, this fee is still rife in the Caribbean.

Your Cost: You'll pay anywhere from $10 a night to as much as 10 percent of your bill.

11 of 19

12 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Conversion Fees

Conversion Fees
Credit: iStock

If your overseas hotel offers you the "convenience" of being billed in U.S. dollars, say no thanks. The bill will be converted anyway without their help. Plus, the hotel will charge you a fee for this unneeded service, more than most credit card companies charge for such conversions. You're likely to be offered this service at foreign properties run by Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, and Starwood Hotels.

Your Cost: A fee equal to 2–5 percent of your bill, which is more than most credit card companies charge for such conversions.

12 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Towel Deposits

Towel Deposits
Credit: iStock

Here's something you might think is more appropriate for a youth hostel than a four- or five-star beach resort: towel deposits. Forget to return your pool or beach towel, pay a fine. That's the rule at Sandals Negril Beach in Jamaica, the Grand Oasis Caribbean in Cancún, and many other beachside resorts, even the $500-a-night Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort in Hawaii.

Your Cost: $15–$35 if you forget to return your towel.

13 of 19

14 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

In-Room Safe

In-Room Safe
Credit: iStock

If you like the convenience and security of stowing your extra cash, passport, and other valuables in your guest room safe, be prepared to pay for it. Although most luxury hotels haven't lowered themselves—so far—to the level of charging you for an in-room safe, you are apt to find this annoying surcharge at budget properties around the United States. Even worse: some hotels are adding this fee whether you use the safe or not.

Your Cost: $1–$4 a day.

14 of 19

15 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Resort Fee

Resort Fee
Credit: iStock

Commonly found at mountain and beach resorts, this fee was originally meant to evenly spread the extra costs associated with recreational activities. At some resorts, that might include sports equipment, saunas, yoga classes, cross-country skiing, etc., along with the additional personnel required. But now many resorts, and even some hotels, are adding this fee and saying that it covers such expected services as "unlimited use" of poolside umbrellas, local phone calls, and use of the in-room safe.

Your Cost: $5–$25 a day.

15 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Luggage Storage

Luggage Storage
Credit: iStock

You arrive early at your hotel, or you have a few hours to kill between checkout and your flight home. Naturally you ask the hotel if they will store your luggage for a couple of hours. And naturally they are more likely than ever to say, "Sure...for a fee." Expect to find that charge at the Hilton New York, the Great Southern Hotel in Sydney, Australia, and the Tremont Chicago, among too many others.

Your Cost: $1–$5 per bag.

16 of 19

17 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Mandatory Valet Parking

Mandatory Valet Parking
Credit: iStock

Sometimes it's just as easy, even preferable, to self-park your car in the hotel's garage rather than to drop it off with a valet. But more and more hotels are requiring you to use a valet to park your car at the hotel—and are charging more money for it. There's nothing wrong with charging a reasonable fee to park, but in many cases the valet-only requirement results in an excessive charge for a service you didn't need, want, or ask for

Your Cost: Expect to pay $20–$30 or more for 24 hours. Plus tip.

17 of 19

18 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Newspaper

Newspaper
Credit: iStock

Newspapers used to be complimentary; now many hotels here and abroad see them as "revenue enhancers."

Your Cost: This almost defines nickel-and-dime surcharges, with fees ranging from 50 cents to $1 per day.

18 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 19

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Bellhops

Bellhops
Credit: iStock

Many travelers like the simplicity and ease of traveling light—including not having to tip a bellhop for demonstrating the light switches, pointing at the TV set, and asking, "Is there anything else I can do for you?" Sometimes you just grin and bear it, and give the man a few bucks for his trouble. But before you do, try to recall whether the desk clerk mentioned anything about "porter charges." Increasingly, hotels are tacking on this fee, which is meant to be pooled by the bellhops. Too often, guests don't realize this and tip the bellhops separately.

Your Cost: As much as $8 per person, even if you carried your own luggage to and from your room.

19 of 19

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Mark Orwoll

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 19 Credit Cards
    2 of 19 Early Check-In
    3 of 19 Fitness Center
    4 of 19 Charitable Donations
    5 of 19 In-Room Coffee and Tea
    6 of 19 Maid Service
    7 of 19 Internet Connection
    8 of 19 Mini-Bar Restocking
    9 of 19 Package Delivery
    10 of 19 Holiday Surcharges
    11 of 19 Energy Surcharge
    12 of 19 Conversion Fees
    13 of 19 Towel Deposits
    14 of 19 In-Room Safe
    15 of 19 Resort Fee
    16 of 19 Luggage Storage
    17 of 19 Mandatory Valet Parking
    18 of 19 Newspaper
    19 of 19 Bellhops

    Share options

    Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
    Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Sitemap
    • Travel Guide Sitemap

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    Travel + Leisure Group
    Other Meredith Sites

    Other Meredith Sites

    • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
    • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
    • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
    • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
    • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
    • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
    • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
    • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
    • Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
    • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
    • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
    • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
    • More this link opens in a new tab
    • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
    • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
    • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
    • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
    • Parents this link opens in a new tab
    • People this link opens in a new tab
    • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
    • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
    • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
    • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
    • Shape this link opens in a new tab
    • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
    • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
    • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
    MeredithTravel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

    View image

    World's Most Outrageous Hotel Fees
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.