Is that hotel deal really a bargain? Check the resort fee before you book

Look closer if you think you found a good hotel deal.

Resort fees, those charges in addition to the room rate that cover the use of various hotel amenities, are widespread cross the country.

Depending on where you stay, they can add $20 to $65 per night to your bill.

Many consumers dislike resort fees, and efforts to increase transparency about them — and even get rid of them altogether — are ongoing.

Marriott now displays resort fees as part of the average room rate, the result of a recent settlement with Texas. The state is also suing Hyatt Hotels over "deceptive trade practices" regarding resort fees.

“In recent years, travelers have been caught by surprise with costs much higher than the room rates they believed they had booked," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement. "Because of this settlement, Marriott will take additional steps to guarantee that the advertised cost of rooms is representative of what consumers will be charged."

The case against resort fees

Some want resort fees gone entirely. In February, President Joe Biden called for an end to "junk fees" in the hotel and airline industries, including resort fees.

And a website called Kill Resort Fees lists hotels nationwide that charge resort fees and provides answers to commonly asked questions. The first question on the website's FAQ page reads, "Why are resort fees bad?"

Part of the answer to that question is the reason why Paxton went after Marriott and Hyatt: Resort fees allow hotels to tout deceptively low rates by breaking the full nightly charge into one part that's advertised and another part that's hidden until well into the booking process.

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The case for resort fees

The American Hotel and Lodging Association, a hotel industry lobbying group, defends resort fees by saying they were created to provide hotel guests with the best value by grouping fees for amenities into one cost, and that hotels are transparent about the fees they disclose.

Resort fees are not a widespread practice, according to the AHLA. About 7% of all hotels currently charge resort fees, and these hotels tend to be full-service properties.

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Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.