If you’re planning a visit to Las Vegas, you may be wondering why resort fees are so common. This is something that’s become confusing to many visitors and even people who live in the city. The confusion lies in the fact that there are both mandatory and posted rates. It can also get confusing to understand why some fees are more expensive than others.
Hotel amenities included
When you book a room in Las Vegas, you might be surprised at the resort fees you’ll have to pay. Resort fees are an additional charge added to your room rate that cover a wide range of hotel amenities. These fees may include local phone calls, internet access, and access to a gym, pool, or spa.
The amount of fees can vary from $5 to $40 per night. However, you should always ask before booking a room. If you don’t use any of these services, you can ask to have the fee waived.
Some of the most popular amenities that hotels offer are free in-room Wi-Fi, coffee, and free parking. You’ll also find a free newspaper, and airport shuttles. Other perks can cost more, such as daybeds and cabanas.
Hotels will advertise free amenities and services, but they can be overpriced and oversold. Most of these services are limited and not worth the price.
Resort fees are a good way to cover some of the costs associated with staying at a hotel. It’s important to read the fine print and to understand what you’re paying for before you commit to a stay.
You can find information on a hotel’s resort fees by checking their website or looking for third-party sites that specialize in hotels. A common amenity at a hotel that charges a resort fee is free bottled water. There is no federal law that prohibits resort fees, but some states have begun to ban them.
In fact, a number of cities have already banned resort fees. Hawaii and California, for example, have banned the practice. Florida has also recently passed a bill that bars resort fees.
Unless you can get a free resort fee waiver, the most important thing is to stay within your budget. Although resort fees are not included in the total cost of your reservation, it’s still a good idea to consider them. This can help you avoid a nasty surprise at check-out.
If you’re considering a trip to Las Vegas, you’ll need to take the time to research your options before making a decision. Getting a room at a hotel in the heart of the action will likely be more expensive than a room at a resort outside the city, so be sure to shop around.
Confusion over mandatory fees vs posted rates
If you’re planning a trip to Las Vegas, you may be a little confused about resort fees and the posted room rates that you’ll find. Resort fees aren’t exactly something you can choose – you’re expected to pay them whether or not you take advantage of their amenities.
While some people think that the best way to avoid resort fees is to stay at hotels that don’t charge them, that’s not always the case. There are some notable exceptions to this rule.
For example, the Venetian Hotel charges more than $50 a night for its “Resort Fee.” This fee covers such things as free wifi, local and toll-free calling, a boarding pass printing service, and access to the hotel’s pool. But that’s not all – you’ll also have to pay for valet parking.
Several online travel agents also don’t make it clear when they’re charging resort fees. A search for a hotel in Las Vegas will show a price of $220 per night. However, if you don’t check the fine print, you might get a price of $164!
Another way to avoid resort fees is to check the rate you’re quoted. Some hotel rates don’t include taxes, so a $100 booking might actually cost you $150!
You can also avoid resort fees by booking through preferred travel agents. Those can sometimes offer discounts or waive resort fees, so ask before you commit to a deal.
One last option is to ask for a resort fee waiver if you’re a Diamond member of a loyalty program. Some casinos can also give you one.
However, if you’re not sure which is the best option, you might want to check out the House of Representatives’ proposed bill. It would require hotels to clearly show resort fees, in addition to their posted room rates.
The hotel industry has come under fire for misleading consumers. Many consumers don’t realize that resort fees are even included in the advertised price of a hotel. These charges are a good deal for hotels, as they pad their profits.
Legality of resort fees in Las Vegas
Resort fees are surcharges charged by hotels to cover their services. Hotels charge these fees to cover the cost of amenities such as free Internet, access to a pool, and use of a gym.
They are not illegal in and of themselves, but the practice of charging them has become controversial. As a result, many travelers are trying to find ways to avoid paying resort fees. The National Consumers League has stated that these fees are not a trade of service. If you want to avoid paying them, you can use the DoNotPay feature on some websites to cancel them.
Resort fees aren’t just bad for your wallet. They’re also bad for the tourism industry. Las Vegas has suffered a significant drop in tourism over the years because of resort fees. Many of the hotels and casinos have cut down on their offerings in order to make room for the increase in resort fees.
Some people think that the only way to stop resort fees is to lobby Congress or the government. However, there are other options. Depending on the hotel’s charging practices, the resort fee could be considered illegal under state consumer protection laws.
If you are worried that your hotel is charging you illegal resort fees, you should complain. You should start by notifying the front desk or general manager of the hotel. This will put them on notice that you have a problem and may lead to a complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau.
You can also visit a website such as Vegas Advisor. These websites will allow you to monitor the fees that hotels and resorts charge. It’s important to keep accurate records so that you can prove you are entitled to a waiver.
There are some notable Las Vegas hotels that don’t charge resort fees. They include the Marriott’s Grand Chateau and Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas. A few others, such as Caesar’s Palace, can be avoided if you have diamond status in their loyalty program.
Although resort fees have become a controversial issue, they are not the only thing that can be a hassle when traveling. You can also be surprised by unexpected fees.
Getting a fee waived
A resort fee is an extra charge that you can have charged to your room bill. It can range from $20 to $45 per night. Normally, it will cover the use of the hotel’s pool and fitness center, as well as unlimited local calls, a fax machine, and high-speed internet.
You may not be able to avoid these fees completely, but you can try to get them waived. Many hotel loyalty programs do offer a waiver of these charges for people who are enrolled in their program. For example, if you are a Diamond or Gold member in a hotel’s loyalty program, you can have these charges waived.
Other hotels may not be as diligent as others when it comes to dealing with resort fee disputes. The best way to deal with this is to keep good records. If you are in Las Vegas, make sure you have accurate records of your stay and how much you are spending on resort fees.
Often, you can find out if your resort fee is waived by checking with the front desk. However, this is not always possible. Sometimes the hotel is not willing to waive the fee unless you have a card on file. In these cases, it may be necessary to contact your credit card provider to dispute the charges.
There are other ways to avoid resort fees. One of the easiest is to simply avoid the hotel entirely. Another option is to book your stay using a credit card or debit card that does not have the fees.
You may also be able to get a resort fee waived if you are a casino player. Casinos often have a loyalty program that allows guests to earn points, which they can then redeem for free rooms. To get points, you can gamble, eat in the restaurant, or visit attractions in the area.
Getting a resort fee waived is not as simple as it seems. You will have to prove that the fee was not disclosed during the booking process. And, it is unlikely that the hotel will fight you. But, if the hotel is unwilling to waive the fee, you should consider filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
