Yes, you can fight a resort fee — and win

Photo of author

By Christopher Elliott

Mandatory resort fees have been annoying hotel guests for almost as long as I’ve been covering the hotel industry, which is to say, a long time. But how do you persuade a property to remove these unwanted extras from your bill?

In the past, simply asking to have the additional $10 or $20 a night stricken from your bill was enough. Not anymore. Now, your friendly hotel clerk is far likelier to take a hard line when you’re checking out.

Consider what happened to George Lilley when he checked into Treasure Island Las Vegas recently. Its non-negotiable $20 resort fee, which covers Internet access, phone calls and gym access, is among the worst-disclosed I’ve ever seen. Apparently, the same is true when booking by phone.

Prior to our trip to Las Vegas, we telephoned several casino/hotels for prices before we provided our credit card to complete the transaction.

Treasure Island’s quote was accepted based on Treasure Island nightly charges provided us. When my wife called to obtain the quote for prices, no mention was made of a “Resort Fee.”

When Lilley and his wife checked into Treasure Island, they again asked a hotel representative to verify their rate. He did, and they handed him their credit card.

He ran the charges against our card and then handed us a prepared sheet entitled, “*$20 + Tax ($22.40) total) Daily Resort Fee Includes”

I informed the representative that we were visiting with friends throughout our stay and would have no time for being involved with anything listed on this form. I was told that this is part of the charge.

This form notice provided after our credit card was charged, was our first notice of a “Resort Fee” charge.

Insured Nomads helps you get travel insurance for as low as $2.88 per day, and options to add trip cancellation, global legal assistance, car rental cover and adventure sports. Award-winning plans. Exceptional service. Digital policy card to store with to your boarding pass and loyalty programs in your Apple/Google Wallet, in-app emergency button, lounge access for registered delayed flights and so much more than just medical. It’s peace of mind to reduce the uncertainty and travel with confidence short term for leisure and even longer for remote work, or your cruise and safari excursions. TrustPilot reviewed ”Excellent.” Read more and get covered.

What now?

Well, had the Lilley known about the resort fee, they might be out of luck. But Treasure Island had quoted them one rate but then increased the price by $112. In situations like this, I recommend a credit card dispute.

Which is exactly what they did.

Yesterday, he sent me an update:

A letter from American Express stated, “OUTCOME – This dispute has been resolved in your favor. The merchant has not yet provided the information necessary to resolve your claim. Therefore, we have issued credit to your account and removed the previously suspended amount, which will reflect on an upcoming statement.”

Folks, remember this when you encounter a surprise surcharge. The hotel may not see things your way. But your charge card just might. You can also contact me and my advocacy team for further advice.

Photo of author

Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. He is based in Panamá City.

Related Posts