How to Avoid Hidden Hotel Fees

To keep guests coming through the door, hotels may lavish them with perks such as hand massages, custom-picked pillows and designer shampoos. But, unbeknownst to some guests, the costs of all those little "extras" — even that bottle of water on the nightstand you thought was gratis — will eventually hit your bill one way or another.

After all, adding fees and surcharges is a lucrative practice for hotels. According to a study published by PriceWaterhouseCooper's Hospitality Division last year, the U.S. lodging industry raked in $1.75 billion in fees in 2007, up from $1.6 billion in 2006.

Given an expected slowdown in the travel industry, hotels will likely rely even more heavily on such charges. "If [hotels] see they're losing money in room revenue, they'll do everything they can to increase revenue in other ways," says Robert Mandelbaum, director of research information services for PKF Hospitality Research.

Here's what to look out for when booking your next hotel stay.

That law has prompted hotel companies to be much more transparent, says Mandelbaum. But problems still exist. Travel booking web sites and travel agents may obscure or gloss over under-the-radar fees and policing all of these intermediaries can be quite difficult, he explains.

That makes doing your own research before you book your room even more critical. No matter which method you plan on using to book your room, be sure to call the hotel and ask the reservationist about any fees that may not be included in the advertised room rate. You can also check the hotel's web site where a room or package rate will sometimes feature an asterisk pointing to a vaguely-written caveat that says something like: "Rates do not include hotel charges typically paid by the customer directly to the hotel (e.g.; room service, telephone charges, etc.)." Ask the hotel what that "etc." might include. And if you're staying at a hotel that's part of a larger chain, call that specific hotel directly to ask about fees that may not be spelled out on the companywide site, says Anne Banas, executive editor of travel information web site SmarterTravel.com.

Many posh hotels have installed minibars that come with motion sensors and scales. Move a Snickers over to make room for your doggie bag from dinner and you've now bought yourself a $4 candy bar. David Lytle, editorial director at Frommers.com, calls the practice "dastardly."

"If you put it in your hand, hold it for about a minute, you're charged," he says. "There is a sign warning you about it, but I don't think you should be charged for looking or touching something."

Of course, if you do end up getting billed for the can of Diet Sprite you didn't drink, it's worth a shot to dispute it. "It's up to the discretion of whoever is working at the desk that day," says Banas. A helpful hint: Be as polite as possible when asking hotel staff to remove extra charges.

"There are things that the hotel will put out that makes it seem like you're getting it free, like snacks or water," says Banas. "You think 'Oh, that's nice, a gift from the hotel,' But they're not. You get charged if you use it."

So before you sip from that fresh spring water, call the front desk and ask them if there's a charge.

St. George's Club in Bermuda, for instance, charges $9 per person per day for housekeeping. Stay for a week and that's an extra $63 on your tab. So unless you want to leave an extra-generous tip for that daily dose of fresh towels, find out whether staff gratuities are added to the bill.

Unfortunately, there's probably nothing guests can do about the housekeeping fee, but "it's up to the consumer to get the whole picture before they hand over their credit card," says Banas.

Resort fees have become a standard charge at many hotels. Originally resorts would charge guests for towels at the pool or to use the gym, says Mandelbaum. Guests complained that they were being nickel and dimed so resorts began charging all their guests $15 or $20 a day, in turn allowing them to use the facilities as much as they wanted. Non-resort hotels then implemented similar additional fees, says Mandelbaum, and called them resort fees.

The boutique Viceroy Palm Springs in California, for example, charges a resort fee of $24 per night, which includes valet parking, local phone calls, Wi-Fi access, a daily newspaper, morning tea and coffee at the hotel's restaurant, access to a 24-hour fitness center, bottled water and wellness elixirs poolside, and use of bicycles. According to the hotel, the fee actually saves guests money. But that's only if they actually use all of these amenities.