What is a resort fee and can you avoid it?
A resort fee — also called a destination fee, facility fee or amenity fee — is a mandatory daily charge added by some hotels on top of the advertised room rate, ostensibly covering amenities such as Wi-Fi, pool access, gym use, local calls or a newspaper.
Why they exist. The charge is mandatory and unavoidable, but excluded from the headline rate — which makes the hotel appear cheaper in search results and comparison sites where ranking is by price. It also reduces commission paid to booking platforms, which is typically calculated on the room rate, and in some jurisdictions the fee has been treated differently for tax purposes.
The amenities cited are frequently things the guest neither uses nor could decline.
Where they are common. Overwhelmingly the United States, particularly Las Vegas, Hawaii, Florida and major cities, where fees of $30–$50 per night are routine. They are rare in most of Europe, though creeping into some markets.
The regulatory position has changed. The practice is widely regarded as deceptive pricing, and enforcement has increased:
Several US state attorneys general have brought actions against hotel groups over undisclosed fees.
The US Federal Trade Commission finalised a rule on unfair and deceptive fees requiring the total price including mandatory fees to be displayed up front in live-event ticketing and short-term lodging.
EU and UK consumer law generally requires unavoidable charges to be included in the advertised price, which is why they are uncommon there.
Can you avoid them?
Rarely by asking, though it is sometimes waived for loyalty programme members at certain tiers, for points bookings, or as a gesture if amenities were unavailable.
Check before booking. Comparison sites increasingly display fees; the hotel's own booking page must usually disclose them somewhere.
Compare total cost, not nightly rate.
Dispute genuinely undisclosed fees at checkout and, if necessary, through your card provider.