In this post, we provide some actionable guidelines to save some money during your next hotel stay.
Stop paying more for your hotel room. It’s time you learn what the upfront hotel surcharges and hidden hotel fees are, so you’re not caught off guard by the high room price.
There has been a growing trend of hotels following the airline model in charging hidden fees and surcharges from customers.
So, save yourself from paying the hidden charges during hotel stays. Every little help.
Try these hacks to save money when you book your next hotel room.
Press releases, financial industry information, interviews with industry executives and information from hotel websites show that fees have been introduced to a host of things such as early check-in and parking.
What are some “new” and existing fees that travellers can expect?
- Guaranteed room type (King bed, no smoking)
- Early check-in fees
- Baggage holding fees
- Unattended parking in residential locations
- Resort fees
- Internet fees / Fees on more than 1 device / hi-speed internet fees
- Telephone call surcharges
- Reservation cancellation charges
- Early morning departure fees
- Mini-bar restocking fees
- In-room safe fees
- Room service delivery fees
And so on.
However, you can avoid all or most of the hotel surcharges by following the tips below.
1. Call or email Before You Set Up A Reservation
It is important to know the breakdown of charges and any applicable surcharges at the hotel so that you don’t spoil your experience on your vacation by going off-budget.
Having a clear idea might help you save good money for your next vacation.
Before you make a reservation, you need to find out if there are any extra fees for amenities or any hidden hotel room fees.
You must be aware of all the Hidden Fees at Hotels and resorts in order to save yourself from spending those extra bucks.
What is the cost going to be for every night you stay at the hotel?
If you notice a service that you are sure you won’t be using, and it’s listed as an extra for a surcharge, ask them to remove it.
Some hotels levy extra fees on items like fitness centre usage, business centre usage, WiFi usage and safety lockers.
Hotels may also place surcharges on you using the in-room coffee pots and water bottles. You might even be charged for using the Swimming pool.
Make sure you find out about all the hidden fees and breakdown of charges before you book your room.
2. Learn If Service charges are Already Included
How many times have you felt that your mental calculation failed you while having drinks or dinner during your hotel stay?
You then think that it might be the taxes doing the damage and you end up paying while cursing the government.
Then you need to shell out tips. 10% or even more as it feels good and is etiquette in good hotels.
Here’s a fact. You don’t always need to be too harsh on your pocket.
Tipping is a good thing but make sure you don’t overdo it.
You certainly don’t need to pay twice for the tip, unless you want to.
Some hotels put an additional 15 to 20 per cent for the tip, and may only mention it in the fine print.
So, if it was the tips or service charges and not government tax or service tax; you now know how to save some bucks for your next drink.
3. All-Inclusive Hotel Fees
All-inclusive fares are the biggest culprits of hotel surcharges as there is so much in the fine print.
Several all-inclusive hotels have fees on limited menu items.
Make sure you are aware of any asterisks on advertisements and promotions regarding the hidden hotel fees.
Go through the fine print of the “Terms and Conditions” agreement.
This is even more important as a lot of scams are running to lure visitors and it turns holidays into a nightmare.
The crazy deals might look appealing at outset but can eventually turn out to be a crazy idea as you end up paying for everything.
All-inclusive packages at times are misleading and you must clarify the below regarding hidden charges at the hotel:
- Are rooms the same as in the pictures or different for all-inclusive packages?
- As foods are included, is it a limited menu on offer? This is the case most of the time. What are these limits?
- If drinks are included, which are the drinks included? Most of the time all-inclusive packages don’t include cocktails or expensive cocktails and fresh juices.
- Check the activities that are included beforehand to avoid any last-minute surprises.
- Fitness centre and Swimming pool accessibility.
- Is there an extra resort charge payable on arrival?
There are various hotel chains that have all-inclusive resorts. So checking these beforehand will help you save some money for sure.
4. Stick With Websites That Divulge Information About Fees
There are several travel websites that let you know what a hotel’s extra fees or surcharges are.
So, trust only the most popular and reputed Travel websites only.
Make sure you stick to these websites, so you don’t get caught unaware.
You can also do a search of customer reviews about a hotel to find out if they were caught by surprise by hidden hotel fees or unexpected hotel surcharges.
There are a lot of reputed sites offering excellent packages which have the fine print magnified for you.
If you find a deal too good to be true, it must not be true. Back your instincts and move on.
You will be glad you did.
5. Make Use Of Your Elite Status
If you have a loyalty program benefit for a hotel, use that status to get free amenities such as breakfast, Wi-Fi, flexible check-out and check-in times, etc. Loyalty programmes also ensure that as a valued customer of the hotel, you are not the prime target of hidden hotel fees.
If you don’t have one get registered for the loyalty programme and ask for freebies that are on offer.
There is no harm in asking. It’s good to get in touch with your hotel before you travel. You would be pleased you did.
When calling the hotel, be sure you ask about packages, which can include fee waivers on certain items such as Wi-Fi or parking.
So, all you need to do is to get more organised and prepare well for your next vacation or business trip.
Don’t pay more in surcharges or hidden fees for your hotel room starting today!
