Help! How Do I Get Out of Resort Fees?

Tripped Up In this week’s column, Sarah Firshein investigates those pesky resort fees — and ways to perhaps get out of them. I love The New York Edition — I’ve stayed there three times in the past year. What I hate is the destination fee — $35 per room per night — that includes credit toward the bar, spa and laundry. We traveled with our 16 and 18 year olds in April; their room was charged the fee even though they couldn’t possibly use the bar.

I have got the fee refunded twice, but hate having to fight with them every time we check out. Thanks, Kate Resort fees — sometimes called destination or facilities fees — are per-diem fees, on top of the room rate, that hotels and resorts levy on guests for things like Wi-Fi, on-site activities, parking and dining credits. At Edition, like any hotel, resort fees apply whether or not you use the services and amenities. Hotel executives regularly downplay the issue of resort fees, which allow hotels and resorts to keep nightly rates (relatively) low while simultaneously driving revenue.

But it’s one of the complaints I hear about most — both in my email inbox and on social media, where experienced travelers regularly shame some of the most egregious offenders. Frommer’s has openly called them a scam. One woman sent me an email about a Virginia hotel where she paid a $39-a-night resort fee for Wi-Fi, nightly films and use of the pools. One of the pools was closed.

“How do we get rid of resort fees, which are an abomination! ” implored another reader, lamenting, “I’ve NEVER gotten out of paying resort fees. ” As your experience suggests, it’s tricky to argue your way out of resort fees at checkout — and, let’s face it, that’s never a fun way to end a trip. A more surefire way to avoid resort fees altogether is by booking hotel rooms with points.

Although Marriott (which operates Edition) doesn’t waive resort fees for points rooms, Hyatt and Hilton both do — a perk I’ve certainly enjoyed in the past. Elite status also helps; Hyatt Globalists get waived resort fees even when they’re paying cash. Lauren Wolfe, an attorney and founder of the website Kill Resort Fees, also encourages consumers to take two minutes and file online complaints with their state attorney general. She said this tactic has helped recoup previously paid resort fees on several occasions — not least because all 50 state attorneys general have been investigating resort fees for a few years now.