"We wanted to be competitive and focus on ADR [average daily rate] rather than having the guest perception of hidden and/or unwanted extra fees," Surfjack's general manager, Lynette Eastman, told SFGATE."
"Clients loathe them and would rather pay all up front. They hear the words 'resort fee,' and their eyes roll," Jo Wattle, owner of the California travel agency Travel With Jo, told SFGATE."
"They seem like a way for hotels and resorts to make their rates appear lower than they actually are," Linda Tollefson, another travel adviser, who is the owner of LT Travel Design, told SFGATE. She said that if the resort fee offered an extra special amenity, then it might make sense,"
The Federal Trade Commission now prohibits hotels, resorts and vacation rentals from hiding mandatory fees and requires the total mandatory price to be posted up front. Hotels can still charge optional destination fees at arrival, such as Wi‑Fi and parking, and those charges have been rising. Resort fees originated in the mid‑1990s at luxury destinations and have spread widely. Some properties do not charge resort fees — for example, Aulani and Disney hotels, and Surfjack removed a $25 amenity fee and pet fees in 2020. Many travelers view resort fees as unwelcome surprises that make advertised rates appear lower than actual costs.
Read at SFGATE
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