Airlines are not the only ones getting creative with fees. One hotel now offers optional “deposit protection” that turns your nonrefundable room deposit into a fully refundable one.
But it comes at a steep price: five percent of the total cost of your booking.
The Marriott Park City isn’t calling it insurance, but it works a lot like an insurance policy. (If you’re wondering why they wouldn’t call it insurance, you probably missed yesterday’s post on Prime Travel Protection Services — but I digress.)
Here’s the notice one guest received by e-mail after he made a reservation for next spring at the property.
Our Deposit and Cancellation agreement during the winter season requires a first and last night’s deposit taken 7 days after the time of booking.
After 7 days of booking, this two night deposit is non-refundable and the reservation can no longer be modified.
Upon arrival, you will be billed for the full remainder of the original booking. Refunds for cancellations, changes, or early departure will NOT be permitted under any circumstances unless you have taken advantage of our Deposit Protection Program.
If you would like to take advantage of the optional Deposit Protection Program, which allows for cancellation, room night changes, or early departure, please initial below and return to us as directed.
You will be billed 5% of the total cost of your booking. Deposit Protection is Non-Refundable.
(Let’s ponder this for a moment. A fee that is supposed to protect you against a hotel’s no-refunds policy is itself nonrefundable. Wow.)
I asked Marriott to explain this optional deposit protection. Spokesman John Wolf said the program was limited to just one Marriott franchisee.
This is not a corporate policy. It was a program that was put in place in Park City for reservations made during ski season. People were asking the hotel, “What if there’s an emergency, and I have to cancel?” And that’s how they came up with this program.
You’re probably expecting me to say this is an awful idea. But no.
The way in which the Marriott Park City has implemented its deposit protection program leaves something to be desired. Rather than notifying guests after they’ve made a reservation, they should inform them beforehand.
Better yet, why not modify its room rates? Guests would pay a little more for a room if they knew it was completely refundable, in much the same way they buy fully refundable airline tickets. The problem, of course, is competition. The higher-priced rooms are less likely to sell when would-be guests are comparison shopping.
But that’s the hotel’s problem. Mine — and yours — is Marriott’s lack of disclosure.
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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