Hotels have a way of hitting you with unexpected fees

These days, you’ve got to watch out for fees. Beyond airline and car rental fees, hidden expenses can add up at hotels.

Mandatory resort fees are growing more common in such places as Las Vegas, Florida, Hawaii and the Caribbean. The resort fee isn’t included in advertised rates, but if you look at the small print, you’ll see it.

Hiding the resort fee makes it hard to compare hotel prices because they vary and not all hotels have them.

Resort fees are charged per room, per day and often range from $10 to $30, though we’ve seen them reach to more than $100.

A few years ago, we stayed in the Caribbean at a resort where the mandatory resort fee was $50 and included two bottles of water, beach towels, lounge chairs and parking.

Travelers often complain the resort fees should be included in the room rate, and I agree. These fees are usually collected at the end of your hotel stay, so you will pay for them at the hotel even if you have prepaid for your room.

You also need to watch out for cancellation fees, especially when you pay in advance.

Sometimes the rates are not refundable. With non-prepaid rates we’ve seen different policies. Sometimes you have to cancel before 6 p.m. the day of arrival, sometimes you have to cancel at least 24 hours in advance and sometimes you need to cancel further in advance to avoid being charged. Again, study the fine print before booking to know what you’re getting yourself into.

Another area where you can rack up charges is the hotel minibar because the prices for snacks and drinks are notoriously high. Many minibars have sensors so if you only move items, you could be charged.

You also need to watch out if you order room service. Not only are prices high, but you also can get hit with a delivery charge and a mandatory tip, which is often 20 percent. On top of that, there is usually a blank tip line, so hotel guests who don’t check the bill carefully may pay a second tip.

Hotel parking fees can be expensive in big cities like San Francisco, New York and Chicago.

For example, the W in San Francisco charges $56 plus tax per day, and the Loews Regency New York charges $68 per day for valet parking and does not include in and out privileges. When you are flying to your destination, consider whether you need a rental car. Many cities with high parking rates have good public transportation and you could take a number of cabs and still come out ahead of those parking prices.

Even if you are an infrequent traveler, it is worth signing up for hotel frequent-stay programs.

We are seeing more hotels offer extra perks for members of these free programs. Many hotel chains are offering free wireless Internet service to members of their rewards programs.

These benefits may be available only by booking directly with the hotel by phone or online. You should compare rates and consider what perks you have to pay out of pocket for if you book through another website. You may come out ahead when booking through a third party if the price is right.

(Tom Parsons is CEO of www.bestfares.com. Email him at media@bestfares.com.)

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