Services that were once provided for free as a matter of course, like luggage storage, now cost consumers.
Before booking that next amazing resort deal, be sure to check to fine print for fees or surcharges. A new study finds that hotels this year will take in a record $2.25 billion in revenue from fees and add-ons, up six percent from 2013 and almost double that of a decade ago.
The study, conducted by Bjorn Hanson of New York University’s hospitality school, estimates that nearly half of this increase can be attributed to new surcharges and hotels increasing the amounts of existing fees.
Services that were once provided for free as a matter of course, like luggage storage, in-room safes, or shipping something to the hotel in advance, will now cost consumers.
“The airlines have done a really nice job of making hotel fees and surcharges seem reasonable,” Hanson told the Associated Press.
Add-on charges are increasing at the high-end as well. So-called “resort fees” have been widespread since the late 90s, but they can now set consumers back as much as $60 per night, on top of the hundreds of dollars already being paid per night. The AP reports that the situation is especially out of control in Las Vegas, where some hotels are charging $30 to reserve one king-sized bed or two-queens in advance.
But perhaps most galling is the fad of charging $10 to 25$ per day for Internet access. After all, the cafe down the street is most likely providing it for free.
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