Resort Fees

[dewey089]

There are reports that the fine print in downtown Boyd casinos mentions resort fees. None have been levied yet, but perhaps they are thinking in that direction.

Other rate rises at Hooters, Circus Circus, and Tuscany.

[RenoPlayer]

Re: Resort Fees

In the last day or so there was an article in the paper (threw it away so can't reference it) that says the major chains are starting to doubt the wisdom of "resort" fees.

RP

[scrappy]

Re: Resort Fees

In the last day or so there was an article in the paper (threw it away so can't reference it) that says the major chains are starting to doubt the wisdom of "resort" fees.

RP

So we have one report that says more hotels are considering or raising their resort fees, and another that's says they are doubting the wisdom of them. Its hard to think that they are going away now, but I have already posted what I think of them.

[keno60]

Re: Resort Fees

As I mentioned there was an article in USA today in VP free, that said the government was looking into these type of fees as being deceptive and might rule on them. I deleted it or I would be more accurate and specific.

[dewey089]

Re: Resort Fees

Try this link: Travelers want 'resort' fees to check out - permanently

Government action might help erase the hidden character of resort fees, but it might just make hotels more careful to be transparent while not changing the fee structure. Chris Elliot is a great consumer advocate, but at times he may be impractically over optimistic. Rread this piece over again and I think that you will see the difference between government intention and Elliot's wishful thinking.
We can add our own transparency in Vegas just by double and triple checking bookings to see we have it all right and to see fees have not been added or increased since we booked. New destinations are harder. Booking a new place with a discounter is a gamble. I got caught by added fees in Northern Florida even though I asked about resort fees when I booked. Fees charged at the desk were called something different. This could happen when booking the El Cortez thru a discounter. We could be told there are no "resort fees" and not told about the "amenity fee." For clarity call the EC desk directly a few days before you arrive. They will know by then from the discounter that you are coming.
Wherever I make the booking, Ill make the final confirmation at the desk of the hotel.
This is good advice anyway. I booked the El Cortez a few years ago, but we had a disagreement about my arrival date. I arrived a day after I was expected. I had confirmed the reservation with a call using my confirmation number but neither the El Cortez nor I had carefully checked the arrival date.
However, because I had made the call and it was on record, the EC did not charge me as a "no show." They assumed it had been their error in not clearly confirming the dates. The confirmation call showed I was acting in good faith and had not just forgotten.
The same clarity with confirmation calls can be done with added fees that sometimes change after a booking is made.

In additon to making at least two confrmation calls, I'll be double booking my next trip to Vegas in two hotels and planning to cancel one at the last minute. That will give me insurance against sudden changes in what a room costs. This is another reason to book directly, flexibilty.

[keno60]

Re: Resort Fees

I think your right. But maybe they will just add them to the room price, rather than switching to another deceptive practice.

[dewey089]

Re: Resort Fees

More likely they will keep them as fees and just make them perfectly visible. What the Gold Spike did after taking heat was add a resort fee line to the final booking figures that would appear when the tax charges appeared, so no one could book without seeing the total charge correctly labeled. That would probably satisfy the deceptive issues that gets the FTC sending out you've -been- naughty letters.
In some way the casino will want to keep the advantages of more profit from rooms booked by discounters and better positioning on low to high discounter searches as well as seemingly smaller advertised rates. They can't do that with one charge. Harrahs CET tried and decided it did not work.
As smart as we like to think we are as consumers, those cheap advertisement rates catch the attention of parts of our brains. That is why few sell anything in even dollar amounts, but always with 99 cents tacked on. Our brains don't process the 99 cents right away.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the FTC warnings Elliot and others are touting as hope for a new trend were given in 1212. Last I looked this is 2014. They are hardly news. All the news is of new fees or raised fees and that seems to be the real trend.

[keno60]

Re: Resort Fees

Sadly, you are probably correct. But I personally will be happy to get the word "resort" out of the picture. Have a great day.

[dewey089]

Re: Resort Fees

Hidden hotel fees gaining exposure - Chicago Tribune

Here is a pretty good newspaper analysis the effect of the FTC "scare" It was written back in March, but seems relevant now.

[keno60]

Re: Resort Fees

Thanks for the article,very informative.

[scrappy]

Re: Resort Fees

Hidden hotel fees gaining exposure - Chicago Tribune

Here is a pretty good newspaper analysis the effect of the FTC "scare" It was written back in March, but seems relevant now.

Great article, but being almost a year old, I wonder if it will expose any unfair consumer rules or practices that can be enforced. It seems the more consumers complain the faster the fees spread.

[keno60]

Re: Resort Fees

Great article, but being almost a year old, I wonder if it will expose any unfair consumer rules or practices that can be enforced. It seems the more consumers complain the faster the fees spread.

Lets hope thats not the case.