Like Airlines, Hotels Are Getting Fee-Happy

Above, the Hotel Asia Center of Japan in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's a trend among hotels these days that mimic the airlines: fees.

I haven't noticed this trend very much in Japanese hotels, except for the more upscale ones, but it is something that is on the rise in U.S. hotels. Hotels in Las Vegas are notorious for this.

According to an article in Japan Today:

NEW YORK —Forget bad weather, traffic jams and kids asking, “Are we there yet?” The real headache for many travelers is a quickly-growing list of hotel surcharges, even for items they never use. 

Guaranteeing two queen beds or one king bed will cost you, as will checking in early or checking out late. Don’t need the in-room safe? You’re likely still paying. And the overpriced can of soda may be the least of your issues with the hotel minibar. 

Vacationers are finding it harder to anticipate the true cost of their stay, especially because many of these charges vary from hotel to hotel, even within the same chain.

You many want to read the full article (if you dare) to see how hotels are socking it to their guests. Some of the fees are just plain outrageous.

One example:

Even moving an item in the minibar can generate a fee. 

The Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, like many other hotels, bills items to guests’ rooms if sensors in the minibar note they have been removed for more than 60 seconds — enough time, hotels say, to read the nutritional information and make a decision.

To read the article, go here.