10 Hotel Fees That Guests Say Feel Like a Rip-Off

Staying at a hotel, whether for leisure or business, should be a pleasurable experience. Being given a list of fees you have to pay over and above your agreed room rate? That's not so great. Most guests expect services such as Wi-Fi or gym access to be included, and are frustrated when they need to pay extra.

Take a look at these 10 fees guests regularly complain about so you can check for them before you book your stay. Some of the top travel credit cards also offer perks that could help you avoid some of these charges entirely.

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Some hotels charge for Wi-Fi in your room, or may throttle the speed of the free Wi-Fi to encourage you to pay for a faster premium option.

Check if the hotel has a loyalty scheme that eliminates Wi-Fi charges. Hilton Honors, for example, is free to join and ensures you get free standard Wi-Fi at all Hilton hotels. However, the fine print states that free Wi-Fi may not be available in meeting spaces or at properties with a resort charge that includes Wi-Fi.

Drivers need to know that there will be adequate parking at the hotel. When hotels fail to tell guests about parking fees or limitations, travelers can become frustrated that they are forced to overstretch their budgets. Some travelers have even been charged for parking when they didn't have a car parked at the hotel due to mandatory fees for all guests.

Hotel parking fees cost, on average, $44 per night circa 2024, so add that into your budget or ask the hotel what the rate is before you arrive.

Your hotel may advertise free gym or spa access, and if that's the case, it should be included in your room rate. Historically, though, some hotels have hidden the cost for the gym in "destination fees" or "resort fees," leaving guests unclear what they have access to without paying extra.

So, before you head to your hotel's gym, check with the front desk what's included and what's not. One traveler was dismayed at a high-end New York hotel when the spa wasn't included in the room rate, and the promised sauna in the gym simply didn't exist, according to the guest.

Minibars can cause all sorts of unwanted charges. If you move an item accidentally, you can be charged, as many minibars use pressure sensors. Some may even charge a fee to use the minifridge for personal use.

One Mandalay resort allegedly charged a customer for removing someone else's spoiled food from the minibar, according to an online review. The best advice? Avoid.

Some hotels may allow you to check in early if your room is ready, while others will charge you for this privilege. Similarly, you may have to pay extra to check out a little later than planned.

Some high-end hotel chains include late check-out as part of their loyalty program, but others have recently removed it, which could leave loyal patrons disgruntled.

One of the most frustrating charges on your hotel bill is the "resort fee" or "destination fee." Known as "junk fees," these are fees that the hotel adds on, which can be for literally anything.

A guest at a Chicago hotel stated resort fees were one reason why they would "not be back again." They reported they'd been charged $25 as a destination fee, and the only benefit they saw was Wi-Fi.

When you check out but still want to enjoy your destination until your transport home arrives, it's normal to want to stow your luggage somewhere safe. What you might not realize is that some hotels charge you for this service.

Some Amtrak train stations will store travelers' luggage for $10 to $20, which may be cheaper than your hotel's rate for the same service.

Staying cool and comfortable should be a given at any hotel. However, you may find that this is not included in your stay. In Europe, for example, it's common practice to charge guests for access to the AC controls, even in hot countries like Greece and Spain.

Even in the United States, guests can end up paying to cool down. According to a review, one Florida hotel guest realized her AC was broken and reported the issue. Instead of fixing the AC, the hotel allegedly charged her to move to a different room.

When you head to the hotel bar or restaurant, you'll no doubt be ready to tip generously if the service is impressive. What's not so impressive is when your bill includes a mandatory service charge.

If you complain, some hotels may remove this charge, leaving you to decide what to tip. However, service charges for large dining parties or additional services will usually stand, as that money goes to the hotel or restaurant rather than the staff.

If you need a package or letter delivered to your hotel, that seems simple enough, right? Just give the sender the hotel address and pick up your mail from the front desk.

Unfortunately, it's not always that easy. Guests are finding that they're being charged for picking up their own mail, under the category of "mail handling fees." Even large hotel chains sometimes exploit this charge. For example, some Marriott hotels charge between $10 and $250, depending on the size of the package.

Not all hotels make you pay these fees, but it's certainly worth checking before you travel. Budgeting extra money for services you need means you won't have to pay out of pocket during your stay and helps you travel on a budget without surprises.

One thing you shouldn't have to watch out for is undisclosed fees. The Federal Trade Commission recently introduced a rule stating that all resort fees must be disclosed to guests. So, no matter where you stay, you shouldn't have any unexpected surprises on your bill.