Why Resort Fees Have Become Unavoidable
In 2010, the average hotel resort fee was charged at approximately two percent of properties and was largely confined to Las Vegas and beach resort destinations. By 2025, resort and destination fees were charged at an estimated twenty-eight percent of all U.S. hotels, according to data from hotel fee tracking site ResortFeeChecker. That’s a remarkable spread in just fifteen years.
The fee has migrated from destination resorts to urban business hotels, airport properties, and budget chains in ways the hospitality industry would not have predicted a decade and a half ago. What began as a niche resort practice has become a standard line item almost everywhere.
Resort fees are daily charges that hotels add to your bill for bundled amenities, often whether you use them or not. That last part is the core frustration for most travelers, and it’s precisely the leverage point you can use at check-in.
What the Average Resort Fee Actually Costs You
In 2025, NerdWallet analyzed more than 400 hotels spread across the world, checking both summer and winter check-in dates, and found that of the hotels that charge a resort fee, the average cost was $35 per night. That number climbs significantly in premium markets.
The average resort fee in the U.S. is about $42 per night, though luxury properties in Las Vegas, Miami, and New York regularly charge $50 to $55 or more. At that rate, a week-long stay adds nearly $400 before taxes to a bill that already looked expensive.
A $49.99 resort fee actually costs $56.68 after tax in Las Vegas, where Clark County applies a room tax. Always calculate the after-tax amount when budgeting. Most travelers don’t run that math until they’re already at the desk with their luggage.
The One Question That Changes Everything
When you ask at the front desk, hotels occasionally waive or reduce resort fees when listed amenities are unavailable during your stay. If the pool is closed, the Wi-Fi is unreliable, or the fitness center is under renovation, it is worth raising the issue at check-in.
Politely requesting a fee waiver works more often than travelers expect, especially if specific amenities are unavailable or under renovation. Hotels with empty pools or closed gyms have less justification for the full charge. The question frames the conversation around value and fairness rather than complaint.
A resort fee is supposedly payment for specific services – gym access, water, shuttle service, and so on. If those services aren’t working or available, you have grounds to dispute the charge. A closed pool or broken Wi-Fi means the hotel isn’t delivering what you’re paying for. Report missing amenities to the front desk immediately, as you’ll have a legitimate claim for a refund at checkout.
How to Ask Without Sounding Confrontational
Document what’s unavailable, ask to speak with a manager, and bring it up before checkout rather than after. The front desk agent didn’t set the fee, and a little friendliness can go a long way. The tone of the conversation matters far more than most guests realize.
Calling the front desk – not the central reservation line – and politely asking if the resort fee can be waived or reduced is the most direct approach. Mentioning that you’re deciding between properties can also help. That framing reminds staff that your business isn’t guaranteed.
Success depends heavily on the front desk manager. Frame it as a request from a frequent guest who only wants to pay for what they use. This approach works best during slow periods when the hotel is more willing to negotiate.
When the Timing of Your Request Matters Most
After years of steadily climbing, Las Vegas resort fees finally showed signs of softening in 2025. A handful of Strip and near-Strip properties quietly rolled back or selectively waived these charges, likely in response to softer demand and travelers pushing back against $40 to $60 nightly add-ons. Softer demand gives guests more bargaining room.
You cannot simply refuse to pay resort fees, but – just as some hotel employees are occasionally empowered to compensate you – the employee might have authority to remove your resort fee. It’s a genuine discretionary power, not a myth.
Early mornings during weekday check-ins, when the lobby is quieter and the desk agent isn’t fielding a queue of guests, tend to be the most favorable moment for this conversation. Patience and calm do a lot of work here.
The New FTC Transparency Rule and What It Means for You
The FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, which took effect on May 12, 2025, now requires hotels and booking platforms to display the total price, including mandatory fees such as resort and destination charges, prominently and upfront. This marks a significant shift in transparency, though it does not eliminate the fees themselves.
The rule doesn’t ban resort fees, doesn’t cap them, and doesn’t tell hotels what they can or can’t charge. It’s a transparency rule, not a price regulation. So while you’ll see the fee earlier in the booking process, you’re still expected to pay it.
The FTC rule effective May 12, 2025 requires hotels to include all mandatory fees in the total price at the first point of disclosure. Hotels can still charge resort fees, but they can no longer hide them until checkout. Knowing the fee in advance gives you more time to prepare your check-in conversation.
Elite Status and Loyalty Program Waivers
Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt waive resort fees on award stays booked entirely with points. Marriott Bonvoy does not, meaning the fee still applies even when you redeem points. That’s a meaningful distinction worth knowing before you choose where to book.
Hyatt Globalist members enjoy waived resort fees on all stays. This top-tier status comes with lots of other benefits, like room upgrades and free breakfast. You can earn Hyatt Globalist status by staying 60 nights at Hyatt hotels, by earning 100,000 base points, or by hosting 20 meetings or events.
MGM Rewards Gold tier and above waives fees at all MGM properties in Las Vegas. If you’re a regular in certain casino ecosystems, that perk alone can offset the cost of maintaining status.
Credit Cards That Can Offset the Fee
Some premium travel cards include annual resort credits or property credits that can offset resort fees at select hotel brands. Checking the current benefits for any card you hold to see whether a resort or hotel credit applies is a smart pre-trip step.
You can also use travel credits from eligible credit cards to offset hotel charges. Read the card terms first, because credits often apply only to certain booking channels or purchase types. Not every credit counts automatically, so it pays to verify before you arrive.
Simply using points to book an eligible room can mean the resort fee is waived. This is a great way to save money on a vacation because you’ll not only get a free room, but you’ll also save around $40 to $60 per night in fees.
What to Do If the Amenities Are Simply Not Worth It
Many resorts charge resort fees to access standard amenities such as swimming pools and fitness centers, which guests already expect to have included with their base room rate. For guests who don’t use all the hotel amenities, resort fees can feel like an unnecessary expense that adds to travel costs.
When a fee is unavoidable, treat it as a prepaid amenity package. Use the gym, take the bottled water, attend the fitness class, and request the beach towels. Getting full value from what you’ve already paid for is the most practical fallback position.
Front desk agents don’t always walk you through the perks at check-in, so it’s worth asking proactively for a full list. You might be entitled to things – food credits, activity access, bike rentals – that nobody bothered to mention.
Hotels That Don’t Charge Resort Fees at All
Some chains such as Best Western and Choice Hotels offer limited amenities without a resort fee. Others – such as Drury, Disney, and Ovolo – offer a high-end experience without any junk fees. If a resort fee is a dealbreaker for you, there are quality options that simply don’t charge one.
Many mid-tier and business-focused hotel brands rarely charge resort fees. Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites, and most Courtyard by Marriott properties don’t have them. These brands consistently deliver comfort without the extra line item.
Treasure Island stands out as one of the only major Strip hotels in Las Vegas with no resort fee. In a city where nearly every major property charges one, that’s a notable exception worth knowing about.
The Takeaway
The resort fee system is unlikely to disappear anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean every traveler has to accept it quietly at the front desk. Resort fees can sometimes be waived through elite loyalty program status, award bookings, or by politely asking the front desk, especially if advertised amenities are unavailable. Success is not guaranteed, but direct booking gives you the best chance of negotiating.
The single most effective move remains the simplest one: before you hand over your credit card at check-in, ask which amenities are actually available right now. It’s a calm, reasonable question. There is no guarantee, but some guests have had partial or full fees removed in these situations.
Travel rewards the prepared and the polite in roughly equal measure. A quiet, informed question at the right moment costs nothing and can save you more than you’d expect across a multi-night stay.
AI Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by a human editor.