“What?!?” That was all Anne could say at the resort’s check-in desk.
She and hubby were checking in for a quick “ let’s get alone, away from the kids and remember why we chose each other in the first place ” romantic Friday night stay.
She’d done her on-line surfing and found a great rate.
They’d dropped off the kids with grandma, packed a small bag and were back in “dating mode” for 24 hours.
She stood at the check-in desk, holding her Visa ready to pay the “great deal” $110.00 she’d found, and she heard the words that far too many are these days “that’s $205”.
Those dreaded hidden charges strike again! We’re used to them on cruise ships (but we still hate them). No one ever “sails for $399”, and now they’ve infiltrated the hotel world.
Taxes, parking and the vague “we don’t even know what it’s for” RESORT FEES are making travelers feel ripped off at hotels and resorts, no matter how many stars the property has.
An article in today’s Washington Post asked “The battle against resort fees is on. Who will win the war, hotels or guests?” and the Federal Trade Commission reported in 2017 that “consumers were likely being harmed when hotels separated resort fees from room rates.”
So finally, these damned hidden fees are getting the attention they deserve, but until legislation is passed requiring them to be disclosed, how can you go back to not feeling ripped off, even when checking in for a romantic tete-a-tete?
The answer is the same as the answer to “how you can travel with peace of mind?, “how do you feel like someone cares when you’re taking those once-in-a-lifetime, never-to-be-repeated, no-do-overs vacations with friends and family members who may or not be around for your vacation next year? “ and “how do you get something other than the “give me a person, dammit” automation, and customer “NO” service impersonal call centers to fall back on when you travel?”…book with your friendly neighborhood travel agent.
