10 ways to avoid or reduce hotel and resort fees

Do you know how much you will ultimately pay when you book a hotel or resort? Find out if it will end up costing you more than you think before making a reservation.

1. Don’t book that great deal until you know the actual costs. If it sounds too good to be true, it just might be!
2. When comparing rates, calculate your total cost for your stay. Some websites might quote lower prices, but add on a booking fee before check out.
3. Be sure the rate is refundable, unless you are going to take that trip no matter what or if you have travel insurance. Sometimes you can get a great rate, but if something comes up, you will lose all of your deposit and maybe more.
4. Review the cancellation policy. Note the date and time of the change/cancel deadlines. You may end up paying for one night’s stay (or more) if you wait too long to cancel.
5. Check to see if there is a parking, resort, extra person, roll away and/or safe fee. You may be required to pay more for your stay than you realize.
6. Do not eat or move the food or drink they have in the room. There can be sensors on items stocked in the room. If not, the cleaning people will note any missing items. Unless they specifically say something is included, be prepared to pay inflated prices.
7. If it is a condo or vacation rental property, see if there is a cleaning fee. This could be an additional charge that you were not expecting.
8. Beware. You may be getting a special rate because you are required to go to a timeshare presentation. If you do not attend, you may end up paying a higher rate or a fee at check out.
9. Sign up for the hotel or hotel chain’s reward program. If you are an elite or preferred club member, you may be able to avoid paying fees if you cancel or change dates after the deadline. Oftentimes you will receive additional benefits such as a free newspaper, coupons, gifts or special promotional rates.
10. Read the reviews of the property. If there are hidden fees, you will likely find comments by upset customers. A great website that has this type of information is TripAdvisor.com.

Note: It is recommended that you book directly through the hotel’s website or with a travel agency. It is possible that you will lose your reservation if the hotel is sold out and you had made your reservations through another supplier. A benefit of booking through a travel agent is that if you are bumped or have a discrepancy with a rate, you will have a contact person who can help you resolve the problem. And if you need to find another hotel, they will be able to assist you in searching for other options.