Resort fees currently enable hotels to charge more than their advertised room rates. It simultaneously gets customers to pay more and reduces travel agency commissions, which are based on the lower advertised rate rather than the actual rate.
I'm rather puzzled as to why FTC doesn't mandate that advertised room rates include all mandatory fees including resort fees.
Failing that, I wonder whether the FTC can place any limits on undisclosed, mandatory fees that businesses love to add to your bill.
In my state, resort fees are a tax imposed by the city and state -- a bit like a sales tax. The business is collecting them on behalf of the city/state, and don't get to keep them for themselves. The business also doesn't determine how much the fee is -- that's set by law.
What they are not is a sneaky way for a business to charge more than their advertised rate as you describe. I don't know how this works in other parts of the US, but I suspect it's pretty much the same everywhere.
I'm with you that these sorts of taxes should just be rolled into the price tag, though.
Imagine going to a restaurant that lists a dish for $9.99 but the check comes, and there's a mandatory unadvertised "table fee" of $3. It's baffling that our crony politicians think it's acceptable yet spend their time with sham political theatre instead. They should all be voted off the island.
I avoid resort fees in NY by staying in Jersey City. Basically a Resort fee is how Hotels make extra money by giving you bullshit "perks" that, if you're like me, you'll never use.
I dont think you can refuse these, but I've never tried.
I believe they came about as a result of the Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). The hotel doesnt have to split any of the resort fee with the OTA, unlike the the room rate.
I'm rather puzzled as to why FTC doesn't mandate that advertised room rates include all mandatory fees including resort fees.
Failing that, I wonder whether the FTC can place any limits on undisclosed, mandatory fees that businesses love to add to your bill.