Pet Friendly Hotels vs “Accepts Pets” – What Are the Differences?

If you’re thinking about traveling to a hotel with your pet then chances are you have already started looking for hotels where pets are allowed. Something you may not realize is that there are different levels to these type of properties.

Some of these hotels could be classified as truly pet friendly (or pet positive) while others merely accept or tolerate pets.

It may not seem like a significant difference but whenever you dive into the differences between these type of properties, you realize that your experience with your pet could be dramatically different based on the type of hotel you choose.

Below, I will highlight the differences between a pet friendly hotel and a hotel that only tolerates pets. You’ll see what you might be missing out on and hopefully will have a better idea of what to look for when shopping around for your next hotel stay with your pet.

What’s the difference between a pet friendly hotel and a hotel that just accepts pets?

The major difference between a hotel that is pet friendly and a hotel that just accepts pets is the approach they take to catering to pets such as dogs.

A pet friendly hotel will be more welcoming and provide more amenities for your pet while an “accepts pets” property may take a more minimal approach to catering to your furry friend.

I’ll provide examples that I’ve encountered below as we have traveled with our pup to dozens of hotels over the past few years.

Pet friendly Hotels

A pet friendly hotel chooses to go out of their way to make you and your pet more welcomed and comfortable. They do this in several ways.

For one, the staff may be trained to be more welcoming to you and your pet whenever you arrive, to the point of even welcoming your pet by name.

You won’t feel like you are “bothering” people when you walk in the lobby with your dog.

Instead, you may be greeted with a smile and showered with compliments on how adorable your dog is.

And it may not just be the front desk who shows interest in your animal — you’ll also find other personnel like the valet or housekeeping who also appreciate your doggo.

Pet friendly hotels are known to offer special amenities. For example, they may have a special dog bowl, dog bed, toys, and bandanna that they provide you with. Doggy treats usually abound.

Related: Bringing a Dog to a Hotel: Essential Tips for a Good Stay

To make things clear for housekeeping they may give you a hanging door handle placard to place on your door so that housekeeping knows there is a pet hanging out inside. Dog friendly hotels may take it a step further and put your dog’s name on the placard, just to add a little special touch.

Sometimes they have a special designated (well-kept) area for your pet to relieve themselves. And nearby you can also find dispensers with poop bags to clean up after your dog’s bathroom sessions.

Another way that dog friendly hotels stand out is that they may not limit you to the most basic rooms or stick you to a room separated from the main hotel.

For example, you might still be able to get a good upgrade or get put in a high level room even with your pet. Pet friendly hotels also may keep up with the pet rooms better so that they don’t become run down and have strong odors.

If you are really lucky a pet friendly hotel might even have a service where they will help take care of your dog.

That could be keeping an eye on them while you are away or even getting professionals to help take your dog for a walk. This is not common but it is offered by some hotels.

These type of properties may even have a “dog concierge” that will help you find pet friendly restaurants, groomers, local vets, etc.

Hotels like the Fairmont even have something called Canine Ambassadors. These are dogs that greet guests and other pets when they arrive at the hotel. Sometimes guests can even hang out with the dogs on trails and around the hotel!

All of these amenities make your stay a little bit easier and don’t make you feel like you are a nuisance or intruding when you bring your animal around.

Pet friendly hotels will usually charge a pet fee which is also used to cover some of the amenities they offer. But it is possible to find a pet friendly hotel that does not charge a fee! That is the ultimate type of pet friendly hotel!

There are some brands that are known for being more pet friendly overall and these include brands like:

While some Westin properties may not accept pets, we’ve had good experiences bringing our pup with us on a handful of different Westin stays. I’d consider them to be a pretty pet friendly brand.

Related: Rental Car Company Pet Policies: How to Avoid Getting Charged Hundreds of Dollars!

Hotels that just accept pets

Hotels that merely accept pets sometimes don’t offer you any type of amenity or special welcome bag. The only pet related exchange you have is whenever you check in and fill out your form for your pet and pay the pet fee.

At these properties, you also might get put into select rooms that don’t have great views, don’t smell the greatest, etc. And if you were hoping for an upgrade, you can forget about it.

I’ve stayed at some hotels that do offer doggy treats or some type of simple doggy bag with a treat or two inside so they at least provide you with something. But outside of that they really don’t do anything to cater to your pet and so they still don’t feel very pet friendly.

Sometimes at these properties you get the feeling that the staff doesn’t really care to have pets around. You get minimal interactions and acknowledgment and you don’t generally feel like your pet is as welcomed as you would like.

It’s also possible that if your dog acts up a little bit, the hotel may have less tolerance towards your pet and be quicker to apply some type of nuisance fee.

These hotels also may apply pet fees that make it extra hard on pet owners.

For example, their rates may be double or triple what you would normally expect to pay or they charge you a per night fee that adds up very quickly. With the pricing, you get the feeling that it’s more of a deterrent to keep pets away than to help accommodate them.

These type of hotels may also have low weight limits which can make it hard for you to bring your dog along if you have a medium or large sized dog. For example, they may limit dogs to under 25 pounds. Another limitation could be on the number of pets you have which usually is one or two.

Compare that to the most pet friendly hotels who may have no limits on the number of pets and also no weight limits.

How to know if your hotel is pet friendly or not

It’s easy to filter for a hotel that allows pets such as dogs when utilizing a search feature.

But unless you book a brand such as Kimpton that is well-known for catering to pets, you may not always know if your hotel is going to be pet friendly.

That’s because some brands don’t have universal (corporate) policies on pets.

One of the best ways to find out is to simply search through reviews of that hotel for the words “pet” and “pet friendly” or “dog” and “dog friendly” and you can see what other people are saying about the treatment of their pets.

If you’re not able to find anything useful in the reviews then you can call up the property and ask them what type of amenities they offer for pets.

If they don’t have anything then chances are they are not a pet friendly hotel.

But if they offer things like beds, treats, toys, and especially if they have designated pet areas or extra services, there is a high chance that that property is pet friendly and your pet will be welcomed with open arms.

The other thing you can look at is the restrictions. If you’re facing a lot of weight and size restrictions along with higher pet fees that hotel may not be very pet friendly.

Final word

It’s nice bringing your pet to a pet friendly hotel because you don’t feel like your pet is a nuisance and it feels good to have the staff welcome your pet along with yourself.

It’s also great to have extra treats and dog bowls or poop bags for your dog just in case you don’t have them or find yourself in a bind.

So anytime you plan on bringing your dog to a hotel it’s worth spending a little bit of extra time to verify if the hotel is pet friendly.

The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park Review: Historic, Unique & Wonderful

When I review hotels, even hotels I really love, it’s extremely rare that I have an experience where I can’t find at least a couple of things that could be improved or that fell just a little short.

But that’s what recently blew me away when I stayed at The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park in El Paso, Texas. It was only a one night stay but everything about the hotel was on point and I left this property really wanting to spend more time there.

In this review article, I will walk you through this memorable stay and give you some insight into this historic gem of a hotel. As with the vast majority of hotel stays we review here, this was not a sponsored stay.

Hotel overview

The history of The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park dates back to 1899 when the Sheldon Hotel was opened here.

It served as an unofficial headquarters during the Mexican Revolution and it’s where President William Howard Taft stayed during his historic meeting with Mexico’s President Porfirio Díaz.

Unfortunately, the hotel burned down in 1929 but entrepreneur Conrad Hilton had plans to build an even bigger hotel.

Things got off to a rocky start as the stock market crashed just days after construction but Conrad pushed on and opened the new high-rise hotel in 1930 with its famous art deco design.

It was actually the first high-rise Hilton hotel and you can still find signs of that like the original Hilton logos found on the elevator doors.

High profile guests were drawn to this El Paso beacon over the decades including Elizabeth Taylor, who lived in the hotel during the filming of the 1956 blockbuster, Giant. 

After some ownership changes, El Paso businessman Paul Foster purchased the property in 2008 as part of a greater effort to revitalize Downtown El Paso.

A lot of work was done to restore the hotel to its original art deco glory and it was re-opened in 2020 after major renovations.

The independent hotel now houses 130 rooms and suites and you’ll find traces of its past along with inspiring local artwork as you explore its wonderfully restored corridors.

Location

The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park is located right in the heart of Downtown El Paso. It’s just across the street from another historic hotel, Hotel Paso Del Norte (full review).

You’ll find San Jacinto Plaza adjacent to the hotel which during the holidays is beautifully lit and a good spot for grabbing some hot cocoa.

Other nearby sites include: the El Paso Museum of Art, the Plaza Theatre, the Judson F. Williams Convention Center, the Abraham Chavez Theatre and Southwest University Park.

And Mexico? It’s only eight blocks away.

Parking and Check-in

The hotel offers valet parking for a modest $25 + tax and comes with unlimited in and out access. If you want to use self parking, that’s available at 100 East San Antonio Avenue for $20 + tax with unlimited in and out access.

Our check-in experience was top notch.

We arrived around 2:30 PM and were greeted by the friendly valet staff and then taken care of by the front desk. Without any hiccups, we were given a room key and then on our way to the 16th floor!

I was first struck by the beautiful historic elevators and hanging art installation meant to mimic the night stars.

You’ll notice there’s an old post office mailbox between the elevators. During renovations, they opened the chute and found old letters from the 1930s. You can find those letters on display in the lobby and see what some travelers were writing about almost 100 years ago!

The hotel uses a modern touchscreen app to operate the elevators which is an interesting juxtaposition to such historic elevator doors. But this trend of seamlessly merging the historic with the modern is something that they do very well at this hotel.

The Landmark Suite

This stay capped off a long road trip from Arizona to Southeast Texas and back so we were really looking forward to being able to enjoy one night at a nice luxury property.

So we decided to book The Landmark Suite.

The hotel has six of these and they are very well done and spacious with 755 square ft.

Your first enter the entryway where you will find an impressive half bath with plenty of space and even a nice view.

Just by the decor, lighting, and countertops of the half bath, I really could tell the room was going to live up to expectations.

Next, in the entryway you’ll have your selection of snacks and alcohol from the minibar if that is your thing. From Grey Goose to Don Julio, you have a pretty good selection of liquor and tequila.

They also offer a Nespresso machine when many hotels simply go for a basic coffee maker.

Below that, you can find juices and soda in a mini fridge along with wine and champagne.

You’ll then enter the corner-room living area of the suite which offers a luxurious feel with burgundy and champagne and cream furnishings. A large 55 inch TV hangs on the wall surrounded by comfortable seating for a handful of guests.

Although it was just Brad and I and Elroy (our corgi) on this stay, I really got the sense that the suites would be great for larger groups congregating for things like weddings and other special events. It’s just a really nice place to hang out.

Speaking of our pup, the hotel went out of their way to provide accommodations for him including a dog bed and food and water bowl. We got the sense that the hotel was truly “pet friendly” and not just an “accepts pets” hotel.

You’ll then make your way into the work area, which sort of forms a junior suite with the bedroom.

There’s a workstation with a comfortable chair and a couple of nice touches.

Connect your phone to the Bluetooth speaker (easy to do) and you’ll be surprised how loud and quality this sound will be from this small Tivoli speaker box.

I liked the custom stationary found on the workstation as you rarely see both pens and pencils furnished and I’m always a fan of a well-branded property.

Across from the desk is another couch with some interesting wall decor placed above it.

You’ll find that the suite combines a West Texas feel with historic 1930s patterns and local artwork in a very complementary way. You’ll also have no shortage of outlets wherever you go.

Then there is the king bedroom.

Once again, well done with an elegant color scheme of champagne, cream, and burgundy accents.

It’s home to an ultra comfy mattress with high quality sheets and bedding.

I usually struggle to get good sleep on a one night stay because it takes me a couple of nights to get acclimated to a new bed and surroundings. But this was one of those rare occasions where I got some great rest.

One side of the bed has the Arne Jacobsen-designed alarm clock and on the other side you’ll find the phone along with two interesting water bottles.

If you’re looking for the outlets, they are inside of the end tables. Just pull out the top drawer and you’ll see them.

It was nice having the 55 inch TV with Chromecast.

The bedroom also has a spacious powder room with good lighting, mirrors, and plenty of counter space.

This is also where you will find the slippers and Matouk robes for those headed to pamper town.

One thing I haven’t even mentioned yet are the smart features in the room.

Motion sensors will turn on the lights as you make your way through the room, which made us feel right at home since that is how we have set up our living space.

Powered blinds and shades, operated from controls on the wall, easily reveal sweeping views from your room or quickly shut off the light if you need to.

Then there is the bathroom. Like everything in the suite, it’s spacious.

You’ll find a double sink counter with beautiful mirrors, light fixtures, and marble-clad counters.

I loved the Brizo fixtures found in the bathroom and the H20Kinetic massage and handheld shower heads. And of course, quality (and plush) Matouk towels could be found along with Le Labo bath products.

Dining at Ámbar Restaurante

In order to make the most of our one night stay, we opted to have dinner at Ámbar Restaurante and I’m very glad that we did for a couple of reasons.

First, if you are into the history of the hotel it’s a great place to check out because you’ll once again get a great sense of that history as you get seated at a table located on the original flooring of the property.

Second, the service and dining were top-notch at this unique wood-fired Mexican restaurant.

We kicked off the dining experience with a virgin Mojito and Brad went with the Divorcee, the signature cocktail with cilantro.

And then we were faced with a major culinary decision. Our server insisted that we should try out the bone marrow the hotel is known for.

I’d seen the bone marrow pop-up before in my research on the property but I didn’t necessarily think I’d be trying it when we stayed because it just seemed a little bit “primitive” for my liking.

But we are always trying to not back down from new experiences so it didn’t take much for us to agree to give it a shot.

Scooping out goopy marrow from the core of a large bone may make you feel like a caveman and have you second guessing your life choices.

But when you pair it with the grilled bolillo and spice it up with some salsa macha, it’s not hard to down the marrow at all — you might be surprised about the flavor it packs. (Bone marrow is also a super food in case you were wondering.)

As for the main dishes, I went with what was essentially a beef fajita dish and Brad went with a tenderloin steak. We left extremely satisfied with our meals and just enjoyed the overall dining experience. In fact, we returned for breakfast the next morning and had another satisfying meal.

If you are a drinker then you will obviously want to check out the beautiful bar area.

It’s home to one of the largest tequila selections on the continent where bartenders have to harness in to retrieve some of the bottles. Housed in a large historic atrium, you almost feel like you’re visiting some sort of agave cathedral and perhaps you are.

The hotel also puts on special tequila tastings where you can learn how to sip tequila and pair it with food items.

The rooftop terrace

While the hotel does not have a pool, they have a beautiful rooftop terrace area where you can grab drinks and select food items. It’s located on the 17th floor and it is where you will find the bar, La Perla.

Beautiful archways showcase the hotel’s renown Pueblo Revival Art Deco architectural style and it’s a great vantage point being the highest outdoor viewpoint in El Paso.

One of the cool facts about the rooftop terrace is that it is the former area that made up the hotel’s old penthouse. It’s where Elizabeth Taylor stayed during the filming of one of her movies that took place in Marfa, Texas.

We ventured up there around sunset and enjoyed a beautiful desert sunset with memorable views of the Franklin Mountains, surrounding El Paso area, and even out to Mexico. The plaza lit up beautifully below us.

The fitness center

The hotel has a state of the art fitness center. (You may need to ask around to find the stairs down to it because it was a little bit difficult for us to find but you’ll be pointed in the right direction.)

Inside you’ll find free weights, treadmills, machines, elliptical, and some floor space to get things done.

One thing that stood out is they had one of those mirror work out apps that I don’t think I have seen in many hotels yet.

Final word

I may be a little bit biased because of how much I enjoy staying in historic properties but this hotel is truly a gem.

It’s hard not to compare it to the Paso Del Norte because they are so close to each other and are both iconic historic hotels that were recently renovated.

I don’t know if I can choose between the two because I loved both but I do think that the Plaza Hotel stood out to me in that I could really feel the history when staying here. I think this is a tremendous venue for groups who want a place to congregate and of course tequila fans could not do any better.

I would not hesitate to recommend the hotel.

Why Hotels Don’t Have A 13th Floor [2023]

You may have been on a hotel elevator before and noticed that there was no button for the 13th floor.

Or, maybe you are like a lot of hotel guests and you’ve never paid attention to the numbers on the elevator panel.

Either way, believe it or not a lot of hotels try to avoid having a (named) 13th floor and sometimes even avoid having rooms with the number 13.

In this article, I’ll break down why some hotels have a missing 13th floor and what some properties are doing as an alternative.

Why do hotels not have a 13th floor?

Many hotels do not have a 13th floor because a sizable segment of the US population does not want to stay in a room on the 13th floor due to phobias or superstitious beliefs.

By not having a named 13th floor, hotels can avoid issues with these guests and attract more potential customers.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

How many hotels don’t have a 13th floor?

There may not be exact data on how many hotels don’t have a 13th floor but the Otis Elevators company estimates that “85% of the buildings with their elevators do not have a named 13th floor.

That’s a very significant number and so I would expect that many, if not most hotels in the US, may not have a named 13th floor.

In fact, this number is backed up by the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, which states that over 80% of high-rise buildings in the US do not have a 13th floor.

When it comes to missing 13th floors it’s not just hotels either.

You can commonly find missing 13th floors in hospitals and missing gate 13s in airports.

How bothered are hotel guests by the 13th floor?

According to a 2007 Gallup poll, 13% of Americans reported that they would be bothered if given a hotel room on the 13th floor.

Also, close to 10% indicated that they would be so bothered that they would actually request a room on a different floor.

(Women were more than twice as likely as men to say they would be bothered.)

It almost seems too coincidental that 13% happened to be the number of Americans that would be bothered but there could be a pretty legitimate and somewhat serious reason for why so many people would be troubled.

It’s called triskaidekaphobia: which is essentially a phobia of the number 13.

Triskaidekaphobia is a legit phobia and can cause symptoms like persistent feelings of fear or anxiety.

It seems to affect about 10% of the population. That number appears to be in line with the 2007 Gallup poll which would explain why about a 10th of the population would request to be moved to a room not on the 13th floor.

Having about 10% of your guests affected by something probably does not seem like a large enough segment to cause such a “drastic” action as removing a floor.

But from the eyes of a hotel owner, you could see it as optimizing sales for ~10% of potential customers with the simple and cheap solution of replacing a hotel button.

So from that perspective it makes a lot of sense that you would not see a named 13th floor in a lot of hotels or residential buildings.

Related: Why Hotel Rooms Have Bibles & Why That’s Changing

Why the number 13 is closely linked to superstition

So why exactly would the number 13 be so problematic for so many people?

The answer is probably that there are just a lot of “unfortunate” historical or mythological events involving the number 13.

These have been passed down for centuries with each iteration only strengthening the connection between 13 and negative outcomes.

Let’s take a look at some of the most well-known events linked to the number 13 being unlucky or a sign of bad things to come.

Ancient Babylon’s Code of Hammurabi

The Ancient Babylon’s Code of Hammurabi (which is the best-preserved legal text from the ancient Near East and dates back to 1700 BC) may have played a big role in shaping how we view the number 13.

The code left out the number 13 from its laws, which may have caused people to worry about why that was the case.

It was later reported that this was due to a clerical error but the foundation for being suspicious about all things 13-related may have already been created.

Loki

Norse mythology may also be one of the earliest sources to trace back a fear of the number 13 and it all starts with Loki.

According to Nowegian American:

Apparently twelve deities sat down for a meal at a gods’ feast only to have Loki, the god of mischief and disorder, come along and crash the party. He rose the number to thirteen, causing one of the gods to die during the meal.”

Judas Iscariot

At the Last Supper Judas Iscariot came along as the 13th guest and ended up betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, ultimately leading to Jesus’ crucifixion.

The story mirrors the Loki story and likely drilled home the superstition between the connection of imminent death and having 13 guests for a meal.

12 is a perfect number

Some societies have thought as 12 as a type of “perfect” number.

There are 12 months in the year, 12 days of Christmas, 12 zodiac signs, 12 tribes of Israel, etc.

So naturally (to many people), when 13 rolls around it offsets the perfect established balance of 12 and is therefore problematic.

Friday the 13th

There’s some speculation on how exactly Friday the 13th came about.

Some link it to roots in Christianity with Friday being the day Jesus was crucified or even the day Adam gave Eve the forbidden fruit.

But it seems that the unlucky association between Friday and the 13th became more of an issue in the early 1900s in connection to Wall Street and the stock market.

The superstition likely steadily grew over time through the decades and then really took off with the movie Friday the 13th in 1980.

The emergence of superstition around Friday the 13th probably only bolstered the superstitious beliefs related to all things 13, including the bad luck involved in staying on the 13th floor.

Modern tragedies

People looking to modern tragedies can point to a number of coincidences involving the number of 13.

For example, princess Diana died at the 13th pillar of the Pont de l’Alma tunnel.

The space shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on the 113th flight of the shuttle (which seems like an awful lot of flights).

More than likely, it’s just a fact that tragedies always have happened and will continue to happen and some of them will occur in such away that somehow relates to the number 13.

Nevertheless, for some people these coincidences will only strengthen the superstition that 13 should be avoided and add more fuel to the fire for hotel owners to avoid having a 13th floor.

Related: Hidden Cameras In Hotel Rooms!? Tools To Find Them & Where To Look

Beginnings of skyscrapers

It’s clear that there are a lot of different ways superstition is tethered to the number 13.

But when was the connection made to high-rises and then to hotels?

It doesn’t seem like history offers us a clear answer but we do have an idea of how it came about.

The world’s first skyscraper (the Home Insurance Building in Chicago) did not come on the scene until 1885.

This building was 138 feet tall and had a total of 10 stories which was crazy tall at the time (it was later raised to 12 stories in 1891).

The idea of building taller buildings, and buildings that would reach to the 13th story and beyond made some people weary (but for practical reasons).

They thought that the tall buildings would cast huge shadows across the city that would be unsightly and deprive city dwellers of much-needed sunshine.

The high-rises could also contribute to more congestion and cause property values to plummet.

Then there was probably the issue of fires.

The great Chicago fire in 1871 was probably still on the minds of many people with respect to city building.

Those reasons may have slowed down the pursuit of a 13th+ floor but it was clear that at the time (the late 1800s) there was already considerable superstition swirling around the number 13.

For example, this was same time that the Thirteen Club came into existence (1881) in an effort to get rid of the superstition around the number 13.

You could imagine people thinking: If a fire were to randomly break out in a high-rise building, what floor would be the most likely candidate?

So testing the building limits while sprinkling in a little bit of 13th floor voodoo that could scare off customers was probably not high on the priority list for high-rise developers.

When developers finally decided to exceed 13 floors it was probably the deep rooted fear of the number 13 — that had been passed down for centuries — that laid the groundwork for avoiding the 13th floor in the future altogether.

Alternatives to the 13th floor

So if a hotel does not want to have a 13th floor, what exactly do they do?

They have a few different options and I’ll describe each one below.

Skipping the 13th floor

The most common method for dealing with the number 13 problem is to simply skip it on the elevator panel.

This means that if you looked at an elevator you would simply see:

11, 12, 14, 15…

If you were to get off on the 14th floor, that would actually be the 13th story of the building, so there is still a 13th floor but it is just not “named.” For many people that is good enough.

However, altering labels for floor levels could make things difficult for first responders which is one reason why some areas have banned the practice.

Renumbered 13th floor

Some properties will simply re-number or rename the 13th floor.

At these properties, you might see something like:

11, 12, 12A, 14, 15…

Or you could see:

11, 12, 14A, 14, 15.

They could also use the letter “M” which happens to be the 13th letter of the Latin alphabet and also could stand for something like “mechanical floor” or “maintenance floor.”

Empty 13th floor

A hotel that is very serious about the 13th floor superstition might leave the entire floor empty.

Or more likely, it could be used for things like storage or mechanical use and perhaps accessed from a special maintenance elevator or staircase.

Unlucky numbers in other cultures

If you visit other destinations around the world, they don’t treat 13 the same way.

In fact, 13 could actually be a lucky number in some cultures, such as with the ancient Egyptians or perhaps even in Italy.

Other numbers could be problematic, though.

For example, in Asia, certain countries like China treat the number four similar to how the West treats 13.

The number four sounds very similar to death and hotels will actually try to avoid the number for as much as possible in certain locations (a tough gig for Four Seasons hotels).

Final word

For centuries, there has been superstition around the number 13.

There are multiple reasons why that might be the case but at the end of the day it seems like there is just something about that number that rubs people the wrong way.

When it comes to hotels, many properties want to accommodate as many guests as they can and because a sizable percentage of the population has an issue with staying in a room on the 13th floor, many hotels have taken measures to avoid having a named 13th floor.

How Do Hotels Keep Their Sheets So White?

Hotels are famous for providing exquisitely clean and white sheets.

You’ve probably never seen cleaner white sheets than in a hotel room (or at least that’s how we hope your experience has been — there are definitely some less desirable experiences out there).

But at a quality property, hotel sheets are almost always clean, white, and soft — like they just came out of the packaging.

And there’s a good reason for that.

Hotels invest heavily in cleaning technology. They use the best soaps and the latest washing machines and employ the best cleaning practices.

They do this because clean white sheets give a luxurious feel and prove the room is clean. While you can’t do everything that hotels do, you can replicate hotels’ cleaning methods at home. 

How do hotels keep their sheets so white?

Walk into a hotel room, and you’ll be greeted with a pristine white hotel sheet. Not only will it not have any visible stains or creases, but it’ll also be soft to the touch. You might even think the sheet’s brand new just for you. It most likely isn’t. 

Hotels do purchase new sheets when needed. But they don’t give every guest a new sheet. Instead, hotels keep their sheets white and clean by constantly cleaning them with some powerful tools. 

They do this because large numbers of hotel guests will use and dirty up the sheets over time. And it’s more economical to clean existing sheets than to buy new ones for every guest. As for how they clean the sheets? Hint: They don’t use regular bleach and hot water. 

Naturally, since hotels have to deal with a mountain of laundry every day, they can’t hand wash every sheet with a stain. Instead, hotels have a few unique cleaning methods: 

  1. Stain removers and soaps

They use large quantities of stain removers and the latest soaps to wipe away stains. 

  1. Batch cleaning 

Hotels commonly place a large amount of laundry in a big “pot” containing a mixture of cold water, laundry detergent, and baking soda. They’ll boil the sheets in this for up to half an hour before wiring the laundry. 

  1. Fabric softener and bleach 

The final step involves using fabric softener and bleach to bring out the sheet’s white color. They’ll use cold water since hot water breaks down linen faster. 

Getting those bed sheets clean and white is an expensive and time-consuming process. Hotels use a lot of water and energy. But they do it because it saves them from buying new sheets for every guest. 

In fact, hotels invest heavily in the latest cleaning technology. For example, they’ll use cleaning solutions and tech that even breaks down microscopic dirt with modulated ultrasonic waves.

Related: Do Hotels Wash Bedding Between Stays?

Why do hotels use white sheets?

White sheets are expensive to maintain. They’re also notoriously easy to stain. So why use them? It’s because they’re luxurious. Also, since they’re easy to stain, an unstained white sheet proves the sheets are clean

Imagine if hotels used darker-colored sheets. It’d be much harder to tell if they’re clean. In contrast, an unstained white sheet is an instant proof that it’s clean. So hotels use the fact that white sheets are easy to stain to their advantage. 

An unstained white sheet just looks clean. It’s more likely to please guests, giving a hotel room a more luxurious feel. Even a dated room looks much better with clean white sheets, giving it a fresh and clean appearance. 

Hotels know this, and they want to give you a good impression. They know giving you cleaner and nicer-looking rooms means you’re more likely to stay again. So it’s worth it for them to invest in cleaning white sheets if it means more people stay. 

The final reason why hotels use white sheets is that they’re easier to clean. If all your sheets are white, you can wash them all together instead of sorting them separately. 

5 rules for keeping hotel sheets white

Hotels use these five rules to keep their sheets clean and white. 

1. Spot cleaning prevents permanent staining.

Spot cleaning is the best way to remove permanent stains, especially on white sheets. Spot cleaning will always be more effective than dumping large amounts of detergent in the laundry. 

So hotel personnel are required to separate deep stained sheets for cleaning. The deep stained sheets are then brought to a separate laundry area. The deep stained sheets are treated separately. 

Hotels use Heavy Duty Detergent (HTD) to spot clean deep stains. HTD contains phosphates that remove even the worst stains–far more effectively than indiscriminate cleaning. 

In fact, spot cleaning is the only effective way for anyone to remove deep stains–hotel or not. You just can’t remove deep stains by repeated cleaning. In fact, doing so will likely just damage the rest of the sheet. 

Related: Should You Tip Hotel Housekeeping?

2. Use of different washing techniques

Hotel sheets receive different types of stains, i.e., juice stains, tomato stains from makeup and greasy food, etc. Different stains have to be treated differently. Else, they won’t get washed properly. 

So hotels have different stains identified and treated accordingly. 

  • Sheets with makeup stains are soaked in chlorine bleach, water, and detergent before being rinsed. 
  • Tomato stains are pre-treated, then bleached. 
  • Greasy food stains are broken down with sweeteners to break down the oil and baking powder before being washed. 

Hotels usually clean stained sheets first because it’s generally better to clean a stain as early as possible. Their laundry departments are trained to identify and treat the different stains appropriately. 

3. Use of peroxide detergent

Most people assume the only way to clean a white sheet is with bleach. In reality, while bleach is a good cleaning agent, it’s not always ideal. Bleach is caustic, meaning it can burn and corrode the sheet’s fibers. So hotels don’t use it all the time. 

Instead, they use peroxide-based laundry detergents for most of their cleaning. These types of detergents are highly effective but less caustic than bleach. Peroxide-based detergents even help prevent white sheets from graying or yellowing

So hotels use peroxide detergent regularly to clean their sheets. It’s an effective agent for removing most stains. 

4. Use of Cold Water & Drying

Contrary to popular opinion, hot water isn’t the best for cleaning sheets. That’s because hot water breaks the linen fibers more easily than cold water. For that reason, hotels use cold water. 

They can’t afford white sheets regularly breaking down after cleaning. They’ll only use hot water for deep stains. All other sheets are regularly cleaned with cold water. 

Hotels are also careful about laundry soap use. They calculate the amount needed to distribute evenly in a laundry pile. Using too little or too much won’t properly clean the sheets. 

After cleaning, they reduce dry time by using a lower setting since drying quickly wears fibers faster. 

5. Using a Professional linen service provider

Smaller hotels can’t afford a professional in-house laundry facility. Those are expensive. Luckily for them, they can outsource their laundry needs to hotel linen service providers. 

Professional linen service providers are already experts in how to make linen. So they’re the best choice to outsource linen cleaning needs. They generally use the same equipment as the setup described above. 

The advantage of outsourcing to a professional linen service provider is that it saves the hotel from investing in operating an in-house laundry facility. 

The hotels will transport their laundry to the service providers, who will have their own professional laundry facilities. The service providers will clean the sheets for the hotel and send them back. 

Most small hotels outsource to professional linen service providers since they can’t afford an in-house alternative. But most larger hotels prefer to clean their own laundry if they can afford it. 

How do I make my sheets white like the hotels? 

You might not be able to build your own in-house laundry facility. But here are a few steps you can follow to get crisp white linen sheets at home:

  1. Purchase high-quality white sheets. This can be a bit of an investment, but it’s worth it. High-quality sheets last longer.
  1. Use a good quality laundry detergent and either vinegar or baking soda with a 1:1 ratio. Vinegar and baking soda are both excellent cleaning agents readily available in most homes.

    Ensure you don’t overuse either of the two. That could damage the sheets. Measure the amount of detergent, baking soda, and vinegar you use to prevent excess use.
  2. Use a good quality fabric softener to make your sheets soft and smell good. This step is optional, but it’s great for replicating the feel of hotel sheets.

Use moderately hot water and bleach to clean out stains. Emphasis on moderate usage. Remember that too much hot water and bleach could damage the linen fibers. 

  1. Ring out excess water and laundry soap. Doing so keeps the sheets soft. Too much detergent and soap suds make sheets become tougher. Keeping them soft lets them last longer.

Use a dryer sheet to wash your sheets for 50 minutes. Dryer sheets also help keep sheets fresh and soft. 

  1. Also, dry your sheets carefully. The threads are more likely to come off looser after being cleaned. 
  1. While washing, ensure that you spot clean deep stained sheets, especially if you have a smaller washing machine. Spot cleaning is the only way to effectively remove deep stains. 
  1. It may also take you a few tries before your own sheets compare to hotel ones. But as long as you wash carefully with the right agents, you’ll have clean white sheets just like those in a hotel! 

Final word

In conclusion, hotel sheets are so white and clean because hotels invest in effective cleaning methods.

Hotels have professional laundry facilities with the latest cleaning tech and methods, ranging from heavy-duty detergents for deep stains to modulated ultrasonic waves for microscopic dirt. Hotels invest this much in cleaning their white sheets to give a good impression and avoid constantly buying new sheets.

You can even replicate how hotels clean their sheets at home by buying high-quality sheets and cleaning them with good-quality laundry detergent.

Can You Bring Alcohol Into a Hotel?

For a lot of travelers, traveling and drinking alcohol go hand-in-hand. There’s nothing like relaxing on a vacation and having a cold one while escaping reality for a few days.

But is it actually allowed for you to bring alcohol into a hotel or do you have to purchase all of your alcohol at the bar or from the minibar?

In this article, we will take a look and see what type of policies hotels usually have when it comes to alcohol.

Can you bring alcohol into a hotel?

Most hotels will allow you to bring alcohol into the hotel and with you to your hotel room. However, they may place restrictions on where you can consume alcohol. For example, you may not be able to consume your own alcohol in the lobby area or in the bar area.

Let’s take a closer look at how hotels handle guests bringing in alcohol!

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“Prohibition” hotels

Believe it or not, there are some hotels that do NOT allow guests to bring alcohol into the hotel.

They do this for a few reasons but it’s mostly just to prevent people from getting out of control or causing noise disturbances. It’s essentially a way to try to prevent people from throwing parties in their hotel rooms.

It also could presumably help increase revenue for the hotel since more guests would be inclined to purchase alcohol from the bar or the mini bar in the room.

The obvious issue with this type of policy is the difficulty with enforcing it.

You could imagine a guest walking into a hotel after hitting up the local liquor store and taking several cases of beer to their room. Or better yet, bringing an entire cooler of brewskis with them.

In that situation, the guest could stick out enough so that someone at the front desk could stop them and inform them that alcohol is not allowed in the property.

If they were truly enforcing the policy they would probably just ask you to leave the alcohol at the front desk or perhaps take it back to your vehicle in the parking lot. It’s highly unlikely that a hotel would kick you out on the spot.

However, if anyone was aware of the rule they could easily hide their alcohol in their luggage making it very easy to get around the rule.

The other way this could be enforced is when housekeeping gets into the room and they see evidence that someone has been drinking.

They could see a lot of empty beer bottles lying around the room, for example.

The issue with that scenario is that any “punishment” is going to result in some very unhappy guests, especially because the evidence is still somewhat indirect.

Also, if the guests were not causing any kind of loud commotion, the hotel does not really have a good reason for coming down on them. So I really wouldn’t worry too much about this scenario.

Related: Can You Bring Alcohol & Mini-Liquor Bottles on Planes: A Sobering TSA Guide

Hilton Aspire bonus free night
Hilton Americas-Houston Lobby Bar

Restrictions on pool and gym areas

Hopefully your idea of a workout is hitting the treadmill hard and not shotgunning a beer or guzzling down a bottle of wine.

But, you can probably expect alcohol to not be allowed inside of hotel gyms because it’s a bad idea and it just doesn’t vibe with other people who are in there trying to work on their fitness.

It’s also extremely common for alcohol to not be allowed in pool areas.

Lots of hotel pools do not have lifeguards on duty and so the potential of someone getting drunk, slipping, and then drowning is a real possibility.

There’s also the threat of someone breaking glass bottles somewhere by the pool and creating a hazard for others.

Restaurant and bar areas

Restaurants and bars — whether located inside of a hotel or outside of a hotel — usually have strict policies that do not allow you to bring alcohol in. “No Outside Food Allowed” signs are very common to see.

So it’s no surprise that you’ll find these policies applied to restaurants and bars located in hotels.

Lobby and other common areas

Whether or not you can drink in the lobby area of a hotel (or any other public area) is going to depend on the hotel’s policy and also on the local laws.

It’s not uncommon for there to be rules against drinking and smoking in common areas and the hotel lobby is the quintessential common area of a hotel.

For example, here is what the Hampton Inn Portage states:

Our Hotel does not possess a State Liquor License nor a special event permit. We prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the common areas to include the lobby, pool, fitness center, and/or hallway corridors. 

The Holiday Inn Express and Suites Collingwood states the following:

Drinking Alcohol is prohibited in all Public Areas including; in the hotel’s Lobby, Hallways, Pool areas, and parking areas

With that said, some hotels will allow you to do it.

Contrary to what some believe, most hotel staff members don’t want to interfere with a guest unless they feel like they have to. Even if a hotel does have “no alcohol in the lobby” policy it’s possible that the hotel staff may look the other way if you are drinking but not causing a problem.

However, if you are getting belligerent or running around causing a scene, that could be a different story and they may decide it’s time to enforce their policy.

So don’t expect hotels to allow you to drink your own alcohol in common areas but if you do and are discreet, you may not run into trouble.

What if you get caught with alcohol?

In most cases, unless you are causing some other type of issue, if you get caught drinking alcohol somewhere you are not supposed to you will probably just be asked to leave or discard your alcohol.

If a hotel does not allow you to bring in alcohol, there is also a chance they may have some type of penalty for getting caught. For example, they could slap you with some type of $100 fee.

Any property that develops a reputation for charging this type of fee would probably be quickly ridiculed and suffer in the realm of public opinion so I would not expect this to happen.

There’s always the possibility of a hotel kicking you out for violating its policies but again I would imagine getting kicked out for simply possessing alcohol would be an extremely rare occurrence. The backlash to the hotel would just be too great.

Related: Can You Get Kicked Out of a Hotel?

Final word

Most hotels will allow you to bring alcohol into the hotel and into your room. You probably will not run into any issues consuming alcohol in your room unless you are causing some type of disturbance.

But if you want to consume alcohol in common areas of the hotel, you need to be mindful that this could be against the policy of the hotel or even local laws.

In addition, some areas of the hotel will virtually always be off-limits to alcohol such as the hotel pool.

What Are Hotel Quiet Hours? And What Happens if You Violate Them?

If you’ve ever been trying to get some rest at a hotel only for your hotel neighbors to keep you up at night, you’ve probably wondered about hotel quiet hours.

But do hotels actually set certain hours where noise limits need to be contained or do they just handle everything on a case-by-case basis?

In this article, we will take a look at hotel quiet hours and also give some insight into how hotels will handle noise complaints.

What are hotel quiet hours?

Hotel quiet hours are hours during the night and morning when hotels require guests to keep noise at a minimum.

They typically begin around 9 PM to 10 PM and last until about 6 AM. Some hotels may not begin quiet hours until 11 PM and some properties also have different quiet hours for the week versus the weekend.

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How do you know what the quiet hours are at your hotel?

Hotel quiet hours are often not advertised on the hotel’s website. Instead, you will need to contact the hotel and speak to someone to get clarification on when they apply.

Getting a hotel to tell you their quiet hours is not always so straightforward.

For one, a lot of workers simply may not even know what the quiet hours are.

I’ve spoken with some front desk agents who gave me a puzzled look whenever I brought up “quiet hours.”

Some agents may be uncomfortable telling you what the quiet hours are because they think that if you are inquiring about such a thing, you must be up to no good.

For example, perhaps you are throwing a party and you want to know when you need to start shutting things down. Even if you are going to comply with the quiet hours, you could be a liability to the hotel.

But, you will find some hotel agents who are quite willing to divulge this information to you and in those cases all you have to do is ask.

What happens if you violate hotel quiet hours?

Every hotel is going to treat noise complaints according to their own internal policy so outcomes for noise violations may not always be the same.

With that said, this is typically how it works.

If you were causing a noise disturbance during quiet hours and someone reports you, you usually get a warning.

That warning may come in the form of a phone call or you could even have a member from the hotel knock on your door to see what’s going on.

They will probably inform you that a guest submitted a noise complaint although I’m sure most hotels keep that complaint anonymous.

If a hotel believes that there is some kind of emergency situation in the room, such as someone getting assaulted, they could just come right into your room even if you have a do not disturb sign on.

On the other hand, the police will have to get a warrant to get in your room unless an exception applies (which could be the case if they believe that someone was getting harmed inside).

Anyway, after you receive that warning you are going to be on a short leash.

If you have yet another noise complaint, some hotels have a two strike policy and they will kick you out of the hotel at that point.

Usually there is at least one security guard working at a hotel and if the hotel is smart they will send a security guard to escort you off the premises.

In some cases an actual police officer could be called, though.

If you get kicked out of your property, you will almost certainly not get a refund. (Hotels usually state that they are allowed to kick you out with no refund for certain reasons in the terms and conditions that you agree to.)

If you are on a multiple night stay and you get kicked out towards the beginning, you might be able to get away with a cancellation fee but I doubt the hotel is going to be very lenient with you considering the circumstances.

Finally, some hotels will not kick you out until you have a third noise complaint.

What kind of noises should you minimize?

The most common type of noise disturbance is just people being rambunctious such as when they are partying.

This would usually include loud laughter, shouts, music, and potentially people knocking things over, stomping, etc. There are also those people who run through the hallways….

It’s pretty much the worst for anyone staying in a hotel room near you so I would highly recommend that you avoid trying to throw (loud) parties in hotel rooms.

It’s one thing to pregame for a little bit but quite another to bring a large after party back to your room.

Loud TVs can also be a problem.

Sometimes the culprit simply does not realize how loud the TV is but I’ve definitely had neighboring rooms blasting the TV throughout the evening.

Another problem can be if someone has a loud alarm but they simply do not hear it.

And of course, the most awkward of situations, when people are engaged in loud love making.

Real examples of hotel quiet hours

During our research, we contacted a lot of different properties to see if they would divulge the quiet hours to us.

A lot of hotels chose not to do so but others were gracious enough to share them and we have listed them below. As you can tell, they usually begin from 9 PM to 11 PM. As for when the quiet hours end, most hotels did not state when the ended but you could assume that it is somewhere between 5 AM and 7 AM.

HotelHours
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New York Times Square WestAfter 10pm
Hampton Inn & Suites Los Angeles/HollywoodAfter 11pm
Palmer House a Hilton HotelAfter 10pm
Hyatt Centric Midtown 5th Avenue New YorkAfter 10pm
Park Hyatt New YorkAfter 10pm
Andaz West HollywoodAfter 10pm
Hyatt Place Chicago/Downtown-The LoopAfter 10pm
Hyatt Regency ChicagoAfter 9pm M-F; After 12am Sa-Su
Park Hyatt ChicagoAfter 10pm
Hyatt House Houston/GalleriaAfter 11pm
Hyatt Centric The WoodlandsAfter 11pm
Kimpton Hotel EventiAfter 11pm
voco Times Square South New YorkAfter 11pm
Kimpton Hotel Monaco ChicagoAfter 10pm
Crowne Plaza Chicago West LoopAfter 10pm
Kimpton Hotel Palomar PhoenixAfter 10pm
Staybridge Suites Phoenix – Biltmore AreaAfter 10pm
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Phoenix Dwtn – State CapitolAfter 10pm
The Ritz-Carlton, Los AngelesAfter 10pm
W HollywoodAfter 9pm
Renaissance Phoenix Downtown HotelAfter 10pm
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & SpaAfter 10pm
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Chicago O’Hare South, ILAfter 10pm
Wyndham Garden ChinatownAfter 10pm
TRYP by Wyndham New York City Times Square / MidtownAfter 9pm
Hotel Versey Days Inn by Wyndham ChicagoAfter 9pm

Final word

Some hotels have official quiet hours and they will share them with you while others either don’t have them or are not willing to share them.

Either way, whenever you are staying at a hotel you should be prepared to start shutting it down around 9 PM or 10 PM.

This is a good practice not just because hotels have rules in place but because it’s good to be considerate of other people sharing your walls or ceiling/floor.

Hotels vs Motels, Inns, & Other Lodging: The Definitive Guide

If you’re like me you may have wondered what the difference is between a hotel and other types of lodging like motels, inns, lodges, resorts, hostels, and BnBs. Are there real differences between places like inns and motels or is it all just about marketing? 

In this article, I’m going to highlight many of the key differences between these different types of lodging options by contrasting each type of lodging to a hotel and diving a little bit into the history of some of these establishments. By the end of the article, you should have a pretty good idea of the key differences between these places.

Hotels vs Motels

Motel Definition:

a hotel providing travelers with lodging and free parking facilities, typically a roadside hotel having rooms adjacent to an outside parking area or an urban hotel offering parking within the building.

When it comes to hotels vs motels, there’s a lot of differences between the two. Motels (also known as “motor hotels”) are known for catering to motorists and may be located along the side of roadways versus hotels that cater to all sorts of travelers and are often found within cities (though they can justify existing in a location off-the-beaten-path).

Motels began in the 1920s as campgrounds for automobile tourists who couldn’t afford to stay in a hotel. These “auto camps” provided provided running water, picnic grounds, and restroom facilities and eventually evolved into more permanent structures.

The term “motel” originated with the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo, originally called the Milestone Mo-Tel, which was constructed in 1925 by Arthur Heineman. Heineman abbreviated motor hotel to mo-tel since he could not fit the words “Milestone Motor Hotel” on his rooftop. As the auto industry took off in the mid-20th century, more and more motels popped up around the country and motels were in their heyday.

Generally speaking, motels will be no higher than two to three stories tall and usually won’t have elevators. The rooms are usually accessible via walkways and balconies that are adjacent to the parking lot, so when you exit your room, you’re outside in the elements and mere steps away from your car.

Speaking of the rooms, you probably won’t have very many different types of rooms to choose from at a motel (even if the motel does advertise “suites”). Compare that to a hotel that might have over a dozen of different type of rooms to choose from (deluxe rooms, junior suites, suites, deluxe suites, presidential suites, etc.).

The rooms in a hotel will usually be much more equipped with things like better TVs, higher quality linens, and perhaps more aesthetic design.

Hotels can range dramatically in size but they will usually be larger than motels and sometimes can be significantly bigger. When is the last time you came across a 30 story motel? Probably never. Themed architectural and design elements are usually more commonly found in hotels while many motels have a let’s just say… “less inspired” design and look.

Hotels normally have interior corridors so that when you exit your room you’re not immediately outside. Also, most hotels utilize lobbies with spacious indoor areas and have a check-in area with multiple check-in stations. Many motels by contrast simply have a small check-in area or room or a very small lobby (if any lobby at all). 

Hotels usually come with many more amenities. It’s not uncommon for a hotel to have a pool, gym, spa, business center, lounge, restaurants on-site, cafe, gift shop, and possibly shops like souvenir shops or jewelry stores.

Motels are going to be much more basic. Some may have pools but if they do, they are usually very small and basic or could resemble a science experiment gone wrong. It’s pretty rare to see other amenities like (nice) restaurants or shops at motels though I’ve seen some (especially in remote tourist areas).

For these reasons, motels usually cater to short-term stays of one or two nights, though it’s not uncommon for people relocating to make use of a hotel while they search for alternative housing.

At hotels, there’s usually a full staff to assist you including: receptionists, bellhops, concierge, housekeeping, valet drivers, managers, etc. That’s not the case at many motels where there will often be a small team and sometimes just one or two people running the entire building.

The service is another difference, too. You’re probably not going to get much in terms of service at motels and room service doesn’t exist at most.

Overall, hotels are just generally higher quality than motels.

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Hotels vs Inns

Inn definition:

 1.a commercial establishment that provides lodging, food, etc., for the public, especially travelers; small hotel.
2. a tavern.

Inns are interesting because they come in so many different forms and have history dating back to the Romans. During Medieval times, inns were essentially large taverns located near the city gates where tired travelers could also seek lodging, engage in trading, as well as food and drink (and could find a place for their horse as well).

This is why there are taverns and pubs out there that still offer lodging and why some Inns still retain a heavy tavern-esque vibe that you can find in places like the UK. This history makes a lot of inns unique from hotels and is why they can be fun to explore and stay in. 

But now many “Inns” are actually motels or even hotels in some cases. For example, Holiday Inns (like the one in New York below) can actually be quite nice and would definitely fall under the hotel category in many cases. Meanwhile, a Knight’s Inn or the hundreds of “Random X Inns” would be considered motels.

In my experience, modern “inns” are basically just disguised motels, and I would generally go in expecting a motel-like experience. (Let’s be real, many motels now refer to themselves as “inns” simply because people hear motel and often think “probably a s***hole.”)

So the key with inns is to look past the name because you could be staying at something that varies dramatically in what it offers.

Holiday Inn New York City – Times Square.

Hotels vs Lodges

Lodge definition

A small, makeshift or crude shelter or habitation, as of boughs, poles, skins, earth, or rough boards; cabin or hut.a house used as a temporary residence, as in the hunting season.

A lodge is usually a type of hotel with all the rustic appeal you could ask for. Lodges often have a rustic appearance and design so that they give off a warm, cozy vibe (think fireplaces, wood frame, stone facades) versus a modern or commercial vibe you might get a hotel (think glitzy lobbies, sterile hallways, etc.).

Lodges generally don’t have as many floors as hotels and if they are larger, they might have several different buildings on the premises. They may or may not have elevators.

It’s not uncommon to find lodges in absolutely stunning rural areas such as in national parks, state parks, or around lakes, rivers, forests, and especially in mountainous areas (ski areas, etc.). You might also find them at other locations like golf courses. 

Lodges don’t have to be basic — there is definitely such a thing as a luxury lodge. Some may offer some very nice amenities such as spas and or fantastic restaurants offering local cuisine. Luxury lodges can get very expensive, especially in peak season. 

But there are also lodges that are more like cabins with very basic amenities. You may not have air conditioning though you should have electricity and running water. Wifi at lodges can be spotty sometimes due to the their remote location, though things have probably gotten better in the past few years.

Typically, the location where the lodge is located is the big draw versus the lodge itself. You’ll likely be heading to that place for the outdoor activities and scenery. For that reason, lodges often have some type of connection with the local area/nature and are often found right in the heart of an attraction like the Chisos Mountains Lodge, located in Big Bend National Park.

Scenery at a lodge outside Yosemite National Park.

Hotels vs Resorts

Resort definition 

a place to which people frequently or generally go for relaxation or pleasure, especially one providingrest and recreation facilities for vacationers:

Resorts are basically mini hotel towns with an array of special vacation/get-a-way oriented amenities and features. Their footprint is usually much larger than your standard hotel and they sort of have their own ecosystem since there’s so much to do on the premises.

You won’t always find business-oriented facilities such as executive lounges at resorts since they cater so heavily to leisure travelers.

Location

Resorts are usually either resort-destinations or found in popular vacation hot-spots (or a combination of both). A ski resort located outside of a major city/town is a perfect example of a resort destination.

Other resorts will be found in tourist hot-spots like Cancun, Mexico. Even at hot spots like this, there is usually enough to do at these resorts to keep you from having to leave the resort if you didn’t want to (though you definitely should try to get out).

These prime locations can mean much higher prices and resorts see higher fluctuations in prices due to peak seasons. In some cases, the price could easily triple or even quadruple for peak season and you might have to book very far out like one year in advance.

Casinos

Many resorts also contain casinos. The casinos might be located with in the hotel but also could be outside and perhaps even shared with another property. These are often open to the public and many casino resorts can be quite striking with beautiful bars and unique amenities like the Marina Bay Sands. You can find casino resorts in places like Las Vegas, Reno, Monte Carlo, Macau, and Singapore.

Pools

Pools are the pulse of resorts in many locations. This is especially true at all-inclusive resorts that have huge pool areas surrounded by hundreds of chairs and day beds and that are equipped with swim-up bars. Compared to hotels, these pool areas are usually larger, nicer, and a place where daily scheduled activities take place.

Spas

Most nice resorts have a spa where you can relax and get massages. Some of these spas are the best in the area and might even open their doors to the public.

Service

Service at resorts can often be better than normal hotels but that’s not always the case. A luxury hotel that caters to business travelers could definitely offer service on-par or better than a resort. It’s just that many resorts seem to do a little bit extra when taking care of you versus a standard hotel. There also is a much larger and diverse staff at a resort versus a standard hotel and some resorts might even offer butler service.

Restaurants

Resorts often have a decent selection of different restaurants to choose from. You might find more upscale options at some resorts like the underwater restaurant at the Conrad Maldives. Prices at resort restaurants can be very high as well.

Shops

Resorts like to get there guests to shop so it’s not uncommon to see larger souvenir shops and jewelry shops and other interesting venues like cigar shops, chocolate stores, etc.. (I try my best to avoid these shops due to their high prices.)

There’s also a focus on tourist activities so you can usually find stations where you can purchase tours and activities. Resorts like to keep you entertained as well so you’ll find more shows and things to do on the premises at a resort than you would with an ordinary hotel.

Some luxury hotels fit the description of all the factors above but when a hotel markets itself as a resort, it’s usually loaded with more amenities suited for leisure/vacation.

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Hotels vs Hostels

Hostel definition

Also called youthhostel. an inexpensive, supervised lodging place for young people on bicycle trips, hikes, etc.

Hostels are low-budget lodging options ideal for social travelers such as backpackers. These are places where you can really stretch your cash when it comes to your lodging expenses and meet new people. Some make short stays at hostels but it’s not uncommon for people to stay at hostels for several weeks or even months.

Hostel lodging can also come in many different forms. Some hostels are glorified barracks where you’ll be sharing a room with a dozen other people in double or triple bunk beads. The rooms may even be co-ed.

Others are closer to a dorm style set up where you may only have a roommate or two or you can find a room to yourself. You may be sharing a bathroom and shower with others or you may have your own bathroom — it all just depends.

A lot of hostels have common areas for socializing (drinking) and even kitchens so you can do some cooking there if you’d like. You can also take care of your laundry at many hostels, too. They might be lacking other amenities like gyms, pools, etc., though.

Some hostels can be party central and a place where people are looking for hook-ups (the building might even be attached to a club or bar). For these reasons, hostels are usually ideal for younger travelers in their early to mid 20s and may not be ideal for families in some cases.

Related: Should You Tip Hotel Housekeeping?

Hotels vs Boutique Hotels

Boutique hotel definition

  1. a small stylish hotel, typically one situated in a fashionable urban location.

Boutique hotels are small hotels with a lot local character. What a good boutique hotel lacks in size, it makes up for with its charm, uniqueness, and personalized service. Many boutique hotels are housed in historic buildings and in historic areas like the Palazzo Manfredi found right next door to the Colosseum in Rome

You may only be able to choose from a couple of room types at some but you can often expect a warm and inviting atmosphere at a boutique hotel. At a good boutique hotel, you will feel appreciated and rewarded for taking a chance on it.

Some boutique hotels boast something memorable like a Michelin-starred restaurant or unbelievable views (or both). Much of the food and drink at a boutique hotel may be locally inspired.

The drawback to boutique hotels is that they don’t always have the facilities like gyms, pools, lounges, etc. Therefore, they are not always ideal for long stays. Boutique hotels don’t always have loyalty programs but some do belong to networks the like the Relais & Châteaux that comes with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. 

Hotels vs BnBs

Air BnB definition

Sleeping accommodations for a night and a morning meal, provided in guest houses and small hotels.a guest house or small hotel offering sleeping accommodations and a morning meal.

You also might be wondering about hotels vs B&Bs. Like inns, B&Bs have a very long history dating back several hundred/thousand years. In the US, it wasn’t uncommon for people to open up their dwellings to travelers such as pioneers to give them a place to rest.

Over time, B&Bs (or as they were called “tourist homes”) served a similar purpose as motels, providing lodging to those traveling along the roadways. They also allowed people to make a little extra on the side during the Great Depression but they sort of fell out of style as the economy got better and motels became more popular.

However, over the past couple of decades B&Bs have become more popular in the US and now many of them are quite luxurious.

A traditional bed and breakfast is going to be smaller than a typical hotel and might be located in a more quaint dwelling (a guest house or residence). These will usually only have a hand full of rooms but as you can tell from the name, they will supply you with breakfast.

BnBs offer a more intimate experience than a hotel since you can connect with a host do things like share your breakfast experience with other guests. And as mentioned, many BnBs can be very luxurious and they can be found in both cities and rural areas.

The drawback to BnBs is the same as boutique hotels expect it will be even less common for you to find certain facilities at your house.

Final word

There are a lot of different types of lodging available to choose from. Sometimes the difference between lodging types is only in the name but other times there are very real and noticeable differences between options like hotels and motels. Hopefully, this article helped you to better understand some of the differences between the lodging types.

16 Airport Hotels Located Inside or Adjacent to Airport Grounds

Airport hotels can be extremely convenient whether you are departing extra early or arriving extra late.

There are lots of airport hotels but some of them are special because they are located on the grounds of the airport or adjacent to the airport, making them basically attached to the terminals.

These type of properties offer unrivaled convenience for travelers and in this article we will take you through 16 different airport hotels located across the country.

Factors to look at when staying at an airport hotel

If you’re thinking about staying at an airport hotel located on the grounds of the airport, here are some of the different factors you want to look at.

Dedicated TSA security checkpoint

It’s not common to find but a small percentage of airport hotels will offer hotel guests a dedicated TSA security checkpoint.

You basically roll out of bed, take your luggage with you, and you’ll be able to get through what should be a much less hectic security checkpoint all thanks to your status as a hotel guest.

It’s a great VIP experience but as mentioned it’s not very common to find. It’s also not clear to me if you will be able to take advantage of things like TSA Pre-Check or CLEAR when these lines are available. My guess would be that the former would be available but maybe not the latter?

Runway views

Most hotels located on the grounds of an airport are designed to provide runway views and sometimes the views can be pretty stunning with things like panoramic windows from a presidential suite.

There are a few airport hotels that may only offer airport views (which essentially is just a few of the “tarmac”) but either way, be prepared to pay a premium for the better views.

Direct access to airport terminals

Some airport hotels will have access to all of the terminals but in other situations you may have to take a tram or a shuttle bus to get to some of the terminals.

(Access could mean taking a covered walkway directly to a terminal or having to walk through a couple of additional terminals to get to where you need to be.)

Obviously, the convenience factor goes down if you have to hop on a shuttle so make sure you have clarity on exactly what terminals you can get direct access to.

Parking

Some airport hotels will offer your standard parking options such as valet and self parking.

Other times, you may need to utilize the garage parking for the airport, though. Sometimes you can get a discount on the airport parking so be sure to look into that.

Related: Are Airport Hotels Good Options? (Pros & Cons)

List of airport hotels

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Grand Hyatt DFW

Price:

  • 2 Queen Beds
    • $355
    • 23,000
  • Executive Suite
    • $480
    • 35,000
  • Presidential Suite
    • $1,420

Let’s start off our list in Dallas, Texas with the Grand Hyatt DFW Hotel located inside DFW International Airport Terminal D. Owned by the airport, it’s only steps away from TSA checkpoints (no dedicated TSA line) and it’s super convenient with direct access to all terminals.

It’s also a great airport hotel because you can get runway views and they even have a presidential suite, although that might cost you a pretty penny.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Denver International Airport (DEN)

The Westin Denver International Airport

Price:

  • 2 Queen Beds, Traditional Guest Room
    • $293
    • 52,000
  • 1 King Bed, Runway View, Corner, Junior Suite
    • $526
  • 2 King Beds, High Floor, Renewal Suite
    • $1,214

The Westin Denver International Airport is the only hotel connected to Denver International Airport’s Jeppesen Terminal. This is another hotel offering runway views from some rooms.

It should only take you a couple of minutes to get into the airport and there is no designated TSA line. You can take advantage of valet parking for $39 or go for self parking in the airport.

The Westin Denver International Airport

O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport

Price:

  • 2 Double Beds
    • $234
    • 50,000
  • Family Suite – One King Bed
    • $332
    • 84,000
  • One King Bed Room with Separate Parlor Room
    • $763
    • 191,000

You can get from your flight to your room in the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport in 10 minutes or less according to the hotel.

This property is located on the grounds of Chicago O’Hare International Airport and it has an underground tunnel that can take you to Terminals 1, 2, and 3. Need to get to terminal five? Just take the shuttle.

The hotel does not have a dedicated TSA line but some of the rooms should impress with runway views. Valet parking is available although it is expensive at $75 so you might want to just park in the airport garage.

Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport

Orlando International Airport (MCO)

Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport

Price:

  • 2 Queen Beds
    • $297
    • 18,000
  • 2 Queen Beds Studio Suite
    • $452
  • 1 Bedroom Suite
    • $702
    • 13,500 + $351

All you will need to do is take an escalator ride from the main terminal to get to the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport.

Located between terminal A and terminal B, this is one of the most convenient airport hotels you’ll find. That is, unless you need to get to terminal C which will require a tram ride.

Some rooms boast runway views as does the hotel restaurant, making this a great selection for plane spotters. Compared to other hotels, parking can be pretty affordable at $12 a night. There is no dedicated TSA line for this property.

Miami International Airport (MIA)

Miami International Airport Hotel

Price:

  • Twin Single Room
    • $129
  • Queen Room
    • $229
  • Jr. Suite
    • $369

From the Miami International Airport Hotel, you can get direct access to the airport as the hotel sits inside Miami International Airport Terminal E, 2nd Level.

There is no dedicated TSA line but you will be within walking distance to all of the terminals making this a convenient stay. Some of the rooms offer great runway views although the hotel does not have the best overall reviews.

There is also no dedicated parking, so you will have to utilize the airport parking garage and unfortunately they don’t offer a discount for hotel guests.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental

Price:

  • 1 King Bed, Guest Room
    • $215
    • 29,000
  • 1 King Bed, Airport View, Guest Room
    • $239
  • 1 King Bed, 1-Bedroom Suite
    • $371

If you have an early flight or late flight at George Bush Intercontinental, consider staying at the ultra convenient Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental.

It’s directly connected to the airport via an underground tram which you will have to take to get to all of the terminals. You can get airport views but you won’t have the greatest (or any) runway views. Still, some of the rooms like the Bi-Level Loft are unique and reasonably priced.

Expect parking to run you about $20 a day and there is no dedicated TSA line.

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

TWA Hotel

Price for Overnight:

  • Standard King
    • $225
  • Executive King Suite
    • $342
  • Howard Hughes Presidential Suite With Runway View
    • $750

Price for Daytripper:

  • Standard Room
    • $149 (4 Hours)
    • $209 (8 Hours)
    • $269 (12 Hours)
  • Deluxe Room
    • $149 (4 Hours)
    • $209 (8 Hours)
    • $269 (12 Hours)

The TWA Hotel has become one of the most popular airport hotels in the country. You can find it at Terminal 5, and you will need to take an air train to all other terminals. Like most airport hotels, there is no dedicated TSA line.

Some rooms boast runway views including the Howard Hughes Presidential Suite.

What’s interesting about this property is that you can book hourly rates so that you can rest up on long layovers. They also have facilities like a rooftop pool which you can access even on day rates. Keep in mind that reservations may be required for some of these facilities.

Parking is a bit pricey at $50 per day plus an extra $10 if your vehicle is larger than something like a Honda CRV (smaller crossover).

Here are details for parking.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Grand Hyatt at SFO

Price:

  • King Bed
    • $387
    • 23,000
  • Junior Suite | King Bed
    • $537
    • 17,500 + $269
  • Executive Suite | King Bed
    • $887

Directly connected to the AirTrain (which has access to all terminals), the Grand Hyatt at SFO is a great airport hotel when in the Bay Area.

You can get runway views as well as views of the Bay that you can take advantage of in beautiful corner rooms. Like other properties, it offers soundproof windows which should help you get some much-needed rest.

Expect to pay about $40 per day for valet parking or self parking.

Grand Hyatt at SFO

Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)

InterContinental Minneapolis – St. Paul Airport

Price:

  • Classic Room
    • $180
    • 30,000
  • 1 King Bed 1 Bedroom Suite Sofa Bed
    • $270
  • 1 King Bed Junior Suite Sofa Bed
    • $279

InterContinental Minneapolis – St. Paul Airport is one of the stand out airport hotels because it offers a dedicated TSA line for hotel guests.

Unfortunately, probably due to shortage of staff, this line has not been opened for a little while but hopefully it will return to service soon.

Some rooms post runway views and the property has direct access to terminal one via a skybridge-connection. If you’re headed to terminal two, you will need to hop on the shuttle. There is on site parking for about $30 per day.

InterContinental Minneapolis - St. Paul Airport

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)

The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport

Price:

  • 2 Double Beds, Traditional Guest Room
    • $278
    • 37,000
  • 1 King Bed, 1-Bedroom Junior Suite
    • $381
  • Bedroom 1: 2 Double Beds, Bedroom 2: 1 King/Murphy Bed, Runway View, 2 Bedroom Suite
    • $543

The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport is located within McNamara terminal of DTW Airport. If you want to enjoy runway views here you will need to book a premium room, which could include one of the different types of suites available.

This is also one of the airport hotels with a dedicated TSA line but it is only available in the mornings for Delta flights or for passengers with only carry-on items. Parking is available on site for guests at about $30 per day although the rates are much higher for non-guests.

The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

Hilton Boston Logan Airport

Price:

  • 1 King Bed Room
    • $193
    • 53,000
  • 1 King Junior Suite
    • $452
    • 173,000
  • Executive Suite-top Floor Panoramic View
    • $888
    • 339,000

The Hilton Boston Logan Airport is connected via a covered walkway to Boston Logan Airport terminals A and E.

If you need to get to another terminal then you can simply hop on the free 24 hour shuttle. Some of the rooms have runway views, including the executive suite with panoramic views, although there is no dedicated TSA security checkpoint.

Self parking is available for around $50 in valet for close to $60.

Hilton Boston Logan Airport

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

Philadelphia Airport Marriott

Price:

  • 2 Double Beds, Guest Room
    • $215
    • 38,000
  • 2 Double Beds, Runway View, Guest Room
    • $224
  • 1 King Bed, Runway View, Guest Room
    • $234

The Philadelphia Airport Marriott is connected via a skywalk to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) Terminal B & C. From there, you can get to the other terminals. At this property, you’ll find rooms with runway views including some that go for under $250 per night.

There is no dedicated TSA line and parking is just under $30 per day but if your car is over 6 feet it may have to be parked in another lot going for closer to $40 per night.

Philadelphia Airport Marriott

Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Tampa Airport Marriott

Price:

  • 1 King Bed, Guest Room
    • $283
    • 39,000
  • 1 King Murphy Bed, High Floor, Hospitality Suite
    • $538
  • 1 King Bed, High Floor, Presidential Suite
    • $680

Ultra convenient with access to all terminals, Tampa Airport Marriott is located inside Tampa International Airport (TPA).

There is no special security line for hotel guests but they do have cheaper parking at around $25 per day for self parking and $30 for valet. You can also find rooms with runway views, including the presidential suite on a high floor which you can get for under $700 per night.

Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport

Price:

  • 1 King Bed
    • $190
    • 9,500
  • Executive Suite
    • $240
    • 7,250 + $62
  • Junior Suite
    • $240
    • 7,250 + $62

The Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport has rooms with runway views and direct access to all terminals with no shuttle required. There is no dedicated security checkpoint and all parking is in the airport garage.

If choosing to park here, you may want to park in the long-term parking as it is the closest to the property and will only run you about $16 per day.

Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott

Price:

  • 2 Double Beds, Guest Room
    • $271
    • 37,000
  • 1 King Bed, Concierge Lounge Access, Suite
    • $507
  • 1 King Bed, Concierge Lounge Access, Corner, Suite
    • $516

Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott is located on the airport grounds at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). You can hop on the shuttle to all of the terminals and on site parking is $20-$30 depending on how long you will be there. You can get airport views from your room but they do not have runway views.

Portland International Airport (PDX)

Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel

Price:

  • 1 King Bed, Guest Room
    • $224
    • 23,000
  • 2 Queen Beds, Club Lounge Access, Guest Room
    • $254
  • 1 King Bed, 1-Bedroom Suite
    • $518

The Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel is located on the grounds of Portland International Airport.

In order to get two other terminals, you will need to take a shuttle which are available 24 hours a day and may be on demand.

The hotel has a lot of rooms with runway views although there is no dedicated TSA line. On site parking will run you about $15 per day.

Final word

It’s hard to beat the convenience of airport hotels and luckily they can offer you more than convenience. Some of them are actually quality properties with nice suites and great runway views that can be perfect for av-geeks.

12 Ways to Know if Your Hotel Room Is a Good Deal or Not

Sometimes it’s not very easy to tell if you’re actually going to get what you paid for when it comes to hotel bookings.

There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’ve been fleeced when staying at a property. And on the flipside, coming away with a great bargain always feels amazing.

But can you tell if your hotel room is going to be worth the money or a let down before you ever confirm your booking?

Below, are some helpful tips that could help you to better figure out if a hotel room is worth it.

Compare your nightly rate to other dates

Hotel prices can fluctuate a lot.

In fact, they can fluctuate multiple times in a single day!

Because hotel prices are so volatile, it could be very helpful to compare prices between different days, weeks, and months.

Sometimes there could be a major event going on during the time of your visit which could double or even triple the rates.

By searching for different dates both before and after your proposed stay dates, you can get a sense of if you have bad timing or good timing. If you start doing this, you might be surprised at how big the price disparities can be week to week or even day to day.

A hotel that has wide fluctuations in price could feel like a steal if you catch it at its normal rate and a total rip off if you catch it at its peak.

Related: Is Booking Hotels After 4pm for Same-Day Stays a Good Idea?

Get clarity on your “view”

Sometimes, you might consider paying a premium for a better view.

Some hotels try to pull a fast one when it comes to offering you a room with a view.

Apply extra scrutiny to “partial views” and beach resorts that have five different ways to describe their ocean views. I’ve seen some pretty ridiculous (albeit creative) examples of what hotels consider a view.

I would suggest calling up to the hotel and trying to get clarity on what to expect. Often times, you can connect with an agent at the hotel who will be more forthcoming about room expectations.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Watch out for hotels with “satellite” rooms

If you’ve done a lot of traveling, you’ve probably come across “satellite” rooms before.

These are rooms located in an adjacent property and sometimes the word adjacent can mean something very different from what you would imagine.

Booking a room like this can result in you getting put in a property that is located down the street and that does not have the same essence of the main property. It’s basically like staying at a completely different property (because you are).

It can be extremely disappointing on your stay and make you feel like you’ve been scammed. So be on the lookout for these!

Avoid hotels under construction like the plague

I’ve stayed at hotels before that were less than forthcoming about the construction going on at the property.

It’s now something I always look for and I make sure that I stay far away from these because having construction going on next to your room can quickly devalue your experience by a large degree.

Look for other nice hotels in the area

One trend I have noticed in smaller cities is that a mediocre “higher end” property will sometimes charge a ridiculous rate when there are no other comparable hotels in town.

I experienced this when visiting Juneau, Alaska, with the Four Points Sheraton and also staying at the Omni in Corpus Christi, Texas.

To be frank, these cities don’t have much to choose from when it comes to higher-end properties. Because of that, it’s easier for the top properties to get away with jacking up prices that would otherwise not be very acceptable.

During both stays mentioned above, I did not feel like I got what I paid for….

So if you’re staying at one of the nicest properties in a smaller city be prepared because you may not necessarily be getting what you think you’re paying for.

Scout out recently remodeled hotels

If a hotel has been around for a while, chances are it has undergone at least one major renovation.

It’s often easy to find some type of press release or media coverage on the renovation if you do a quick Google search. If it’s been a decade or longer since the last renovation, the rooms and facilities may feel very dated when you arrive.

I’ll often choose to go with a recently renovated property over a higher rated property that has not had a renovation in quite a while.

That’s because the “freshness” just makes you feel like you’re getting better bang for your buck. Plus, they usually have new restaurants and bars that are fun to check out.

Be careful with newly opened hotels

Related to renovations is how long the hotel has been open. New hotels are always exciting to stay at, especially from a blogger’s perspective because they are fun to review.

The problem is that new hotels often are not in full operation and they are still working out the glitches.

So if you were paying top dollar for a brand new hotel, you may not be able to take advantage of everything it actually has to offer.

This could include top features like the amazing rooftop restaurant, spa treatments, etc.

Keep in mind that new hotels don’t always do the best job of mentioning that certain facilities are not available yet.

For that reason, it’s always a good idea to call the new hotel to verify that certain features will be available if they caught your eye on the website.

By the way, when I say “new” hotel I’m referring to basically any hotel that has opened in the last 12 months.

Don’t get surprised by fees

Lots of resorts are known for charging resort fees or amenity fees which can quietly add on $30 to $40 per night. Some can even be much higher than that!

These fees are supposed to be featured prominently but many times they could be easy to miss when doing comparative shopping and sometimes even when checking out.

Make sure you are factoring in the entire total with resort fees and anything else you may have to pay like parking to get the full picture of your “bargain.

Figure out your baseline level of square feet

I don’t always get very excited about a lot of square feet because the room layout can sometimes make a room feel much smaller than it actually is. For example, you could have an oversized entryway that eats up a lot of the real estate.

With that said, I do pay attention to square feet because sometimes I’ve booked rooms that were way too small to be comfortable in.

For example, when we stayed at the Holiday Inn Waikiki, it was a nice affordable property but the basic room had only 220 square feet!

Try to get a feel for your baseline level of square feet and that reference point can help you filter out rooms that would otherwise be a major disappointment.

Figure out your baseline stars on Google reviews

I always check Google reviews to see how many stars a hotel has received.

(I usually want a minimum of 150+ reviews to give the stars any weight.)

For the most part, I try to avoid major chain hotels if they have reviews under four stars. But I will sometimes go for something at 3.7 stars or above, especially if it feels like some of the poor ratings are not fully justified.

Going by number of stars in reviews is not perfect and everyone will have their own “star standard” but it helps to have some type of baseline so that you can avoid hotels that fall drastically under your expectations.

Searching reviews for some specific keywords like “poor service,” “broke,” “dirty,” “smell,” etc. can also help you identify a hotel that won’t deliver which relates to the next point.

Tip: Sort reviews by most recent if there are thousands of reviews

Examine the location

Most people probably don’t want to stay in a rough part of town which can often be the case if you’re staying at an airport hotel or a cheap motel.

You can often get a sense of the nearby location by checking out the public reviews of a hotel. Search for things like: “crime,” “sketchy,” “shady,” and other related words and see if they pop up a lot.

You also want to consider the convenience of the location. Hotels that can eliminate your need to rent a vehicle or take a long subway journey are often worth paying extra for.

And if the hotel gives you super close proximity to major attractions, that’s essentially early access which is something I’m usually down to pay extra for.

Finally, make sure you consider the price it will take to get to and from the airport if you’re flying in because sometimes that can turn a good hotel deal into an average or even bad deal.

Is breakfast offered?

A lot of hotels offer breakfast for free and other times you can get it for free if you have certain types of elite status.

Having breakfast covered can save you a nice chunk of change especially if you can get it for you and a travel partner.

Be sure to do a keyword search for breakfast in the reviews to see what people are saying about it. You can also usually find photos of it to give you a sense of what to expect.

Of course, blog reviews are also great for this type of thing. 🙂

Final word

At the end of the day, there’s not always a sure fire way to determine if a hotel booking will be a good deal or not. Instead, you’ll have to figure that out when you arrive and during your stay.

With that said, if you pay attention to some of the factors listed above those can help you sniff out properties that could be problematic for you and make you second-guess your purchase.

Resort Fees: What Are They and Why Are You Being Charged Them?

Resort fees are definitely one of the most controversial fees the travelers frequently face.

Because these are usually charged on a nightly basis they can add up quickly and result in a hotel stay that is not nearly as affordable as one initially thought.

In this article, we will explain exactly what resort fees are and give you details on what type of things can be included in your resort fee.

We will also break down how much you can expect for the average resort fee based on real-world hotel data. And finally, we will provide you with some proven methods for avoiding resort fees.

What are resort fees?

A resort fee is an additional fee hotels charge (usually at the property) that is reportedly meant to cover the cost of additional features beyond the basic features of your booked room. For example, the resort fee could be designed to cover things like pool chairs, umbrellas, Wi-Fi, and bicycle rentals.

Resort fees are controversial because many people view them as a way for hotels to deceive potential customers. That’s because customers will often focus on the published nightly rate without noticing the additional resort fee.

To many, resort fees are simply a way for hotels to charge customers for things that should be included in the room rate. For example, access to a gym has become such an essential part of a normal hotel stay that travelers don’t feel like they should have to pay extra for it.

In other situations, resort fees sting because it means that guests are paying for features that they are not using.

If you don’t plan on spending time sitting around the pool, why should you be paying a fee that covers a poolside chair?

What does the government have to say about resort fees?

Resort fees sound like they could be falling in deceptive trade practice territory so you might be wondering what the government has to say about them.

Several lawsuits have been brought based on consumer protection laws in different states and it appears that some of these have helped to move the needle with better resort fee disclosure such as in the case with Marriott.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) studied this issue in 2017 and concluded “that consumers are likely being harmed by the hotel industry practice of disclosing mandatory resort fees separate from posted room rates, without first disclosing the total price.”

But the FTC later seemed to go silent, as Congress introduced bills on the issue.

More recently, the Biden administration called resort fees and other “junk fees” into question and Congress has introduced more bills so it appears that the FTC might be reconsidering actions to take on resort fees.

Overall, it seems like not including resort fees in nightly rates is currently legal so long as the resort fees are properly disclosed. It is the disclosure aspect of these fees that is often the biggest issue.

Why do hotels charge resort fees?

Hotels claim that they offer guests better value by bundling services together in the form of a resort fee.

For example, by lumping parking, Wi-Fi, gym access, and pool access in one $30 fee they offer savings to guests who would otherwise have to pay more if they purchased these things individually.

Travelers can avoid getting “nickeled and dimed,” the argument goes.

Hotels also like resort fees because they can lower the commissions paid to online travel agencies OTA’s such as Expedia.

Typically the commission paid is based on the room rate so if the resort fee is separate they can avoid paying additional commission on that.

There is also the potential tax advantage. Resort fees can be taxed at a lower rate than room rates which allows some hotels to further maximize their profits.

Ultimately, if we’re just calling it like it is, hotels utilize resort fees to attract customers who would otherwise be turned off by a higher published nightly rate, especially when sorting through search results.

This is particularly egregious whenever the resort fee makes up a large chunk of the stated price per night.

For example, I found the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino going for $49/night but the resort fee was $45 (nearly 92% of the price). This allowed the Flamingo to show up ahead of many cheaper hotels whenever I sorted by price, as shown by the screenshot below.

Las Vegas resort fees

The “total” shown above (featured less prominently) does factor in the resort fee but that’s not where people focus their eyes when quickly doing comparison shopping.

So at the very least, leaving out the resort fees in the published price (which the sorting features use) causes unnecessary friction in the search process.

But it could also easily cause someone to wrongly jump on a booking thinking that they had a better deal compared to other properties and that could cost them some serious change.

The problem is that nobody — whether hotels or online travel agencies — is willing to add the resort fee to the nightly rate because that would make their prices appear to be higher than others and they would lose a competitive edge.

So until all of the hotels and OTA’s can agree on presenting these in a uniform way, we will probably be stuck with the status quo.

How can you find a hotel’s resort fee?

As mentioned, resort fees are typically not included in the published per night price which means that you’ll have to hunt them down somewhere on the hotel’s website.

When looking for these, it’s important to first not get confused about the terminology.

Terminology

It makes things a little bit confusing but many properties don’t use the word “resort fee” and instead use some type of code name.

Common alternative names that you might see include:

  • Amenity fee
  • Property fee
  • Facility fee
  • Destination fee
  • Urban facility fee

You can usually tell if they are referring to a resort fee by the type of amenities included in the fee.

For example, the Intercontinental San Diego charges an amenity fee of $40 per night .

This fee covers things like: WIFI, use of business lounge, local phone calls, access to pool and Health & Wellness center, 2 daily bottles of water per room, and discounts from local vendors.

As you will see below, those things definitely fit the description of a resort fee.

One more thing, don’t think that a hotel has to have the word “resort” in the name for it to charge a resort fee or something similar.

Anytime you book a hotel and a tourist hotspot like Hawaii, Cancun, or islands in the Caribbean, you should always be able to look out for resort fees.

And even in non-touristy areas you can get hit with a small amenity fee.

When traveling to places overseas, such as Europe, resort fees are much less common to find because a lot of times they are illegal. For the most part, you’ll only find them in North America.

Do most hotels charge resort fees?

A spokesperson for the American Hotel and Lodging Association told USA TODAY the organization’s “most recent data shows that 93% of hotels do not charge resort fees.

Of course, that makes sense because most hotels are not resorts or on the same level as resorts. I’d be more interested in hearing what percent of hotels that classify themselves as resorts don’t charge resort fees.

Where to look on the website

The American Hotel and Lodging Association also told USA TODAY that “when resort fees are applied, they are clearly and prominently displayed by hotel websites prior to the end of the booking process, in accordance with guidance issued by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.”

Some hotel chains and brands make it easy to see that a resort fee applies.

For example, here’s a look at a Marriott resort that makes it clear from the first step of booking that there is a $30 resort fee. Of course, they still don’t list the fee included in the nightly rate.

Here’s another example from the Intercontinental San Diego.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that the resort fee is “prominently” displayed since it is in smaller and less bolded font below the price and below the award pricing. They do list it in several places though so that is helpful and makes it much harder to miss.

The threat of lawsuits has probably scared a lot of hotels into making these fees much easier to view, which is a good thing for consumers.

Online travel agencies seem to have gotten better about listing these fees as well.

If you’re booking through something like Expedia you can also find the resort fee when you click on the details for the hotel but it’s not always very apparent.

When I looked up the The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas I had to scroll over 75% of the way down to see the resort fee and it was not listed in a very prominent way.

The resort fee also appeared in the price details so to be fair if you were looking at the price details, you should be able to spot the resort fees without too much effort.

So based on all of the data points we looked at, which was several hundred, I would say that the resort fees were mostly displayed in a way that was intuitive to find but not exactly featured prominently.

For optimal clarity, hotels should just include the resort fee in the published nightly rate (which is always the largest and boldest text on the price screen) because that will leave no questions about how much that rate costs.

It will also make comparison shopping much easier.

What’s more, I think properties should itemize what the resort fee is intended to cover.

Hyatt resort

What is included in resort fees?

Hotels don’t always publish what is included in the resort fee so you won’t always know unless you contact a specific property and ask them.

And even then, you won’t always get a straight answer….

But here are some common things you will find that are covered and resort fees.

  • Internet such as high-speed Wi-Fi
  • Gym access or classes (yoga,
  • Tennis court access
  • Bicycle rentals
  • Beach chair rentals and towels
  • Admission to private beach areas
  • Pool access, use of pool toys and floats, lazy river access
  • In-room bottles of water
  • Transportation such as a shuttle to and from the airport or attractions like Disney
  • Self parking and/or valet parking
  • Resort credit such as $10
  • Discounts on spa services, gift shop, dining, and tours (usually around 10% to 20%)
  • Free meals for kids sometimes required with purchase
  • Local telephone calls
  • Golf bag storage, drive range access, putting green access, and maybe even a golf cart at golf resorts
  • Daily activities such as things like foam parties, s’more’s, miniature golf, lawn games, etc.
  • Gratuity for hotel staff
  • Ski valet storage and bootroom access
  • DVD movies or streaming
  • Continental breakfast
  • Souvenir water bottles/swag
  • Newspapers (including digital format)

I’ve seen some resort fees that apparently cover “complimentary” services which doesn’t make sense to me because if you’re paying for something then how exactly is it complimentary?

It’s kind of the same idea with “free” things in your hotel room but it’s even worse because you’re actually paying for the individual item.

The most valuable amenities included in resort fees are usually parking, transportation, Wi-Fi, and occasionally discounts or other niche freebies. Those could actually justify the fee.

Beyond that, I often find very questionable value in the amenities listed or just believe that those things are so essential that they should be included in the room rate.

examples of what your resort fee can get you.

How much is the average resort fee?

We analyzed over 300 hotels with resort fees or amenity fees for the major US hotel chains Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG and found that the average resort fee was $36.85 per night.

Sometimes at luxury resorts the resort fee can get crazy high like at the Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, where it is $150 per night!

On the other side of the spectrum some amenity fees for hotels can also be minimal like five dollars per night such as the case at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites: Savannah – Midtown.

How can you avoid resort fees?

The first way to avoid resort fees is to find properties that don’t charge them.

The best way to confirm this is to contact the property and ask about if they charge resort fees or not, since it is possible that you could just be missing the fee on the website.

Another way to avoid resort fees is to make an award booking. Some programs like Hilton and Hyatt allow you to avoid the resort fee if you book an award stay or if you have some type of elite status.

Another way to avoid the resort fee is to ask to get it waived.

Typically, in order for this to work you need one of two things to happen.

If you have not used anything listed in the resort fee amenity list then you could make a case that you should not have to pay it.

You definitely want to be honest about this because a hotel could easily track if you used something like the internet or possibly even the gym or pool.

Nothing worse than getting caught in a lie like that.

But some people do have success with getting the resort fee removed when they have not used any of the amenities included in it.

The other way to get it removed is if you have had some type of bad experience at the hotel. Essentially you are asking for compensation in the form of a waived resort fee.

Resort fee price examples

If you want to get a sense of how much resort fees are across the different major hotel chains in the US, check out some of the data points we found below.

Marriott

The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village$30
Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa$25
Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa$40
The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale$48
The Westin Dallas Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa$18
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center$26
The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee$57
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay$50
The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa$29
Marriott Hilton Head Resort & Spa$25
Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, Indian Wells$36
The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua$40
Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection$49
Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel$42
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center$38
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort$37
Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu, Autograph Collection$35
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve$40
JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa$39
Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Golf Resort & Spa$15
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain$60
Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes$25
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center$25
VEA Newport Beach, A Marriott Resort & Spa$45
Hotel Park City, Autograph Collection$30
The St. Regis Deer Valley$50
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa$45
La Posada de Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa$35
The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa$30
JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa$40
Viewline Resort Snowmass, Autograph Collection$50
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe$55

IHG

Kimpton Shorebreak Resort$39.97
Kimpton Alma – San Diego$28.17
InterContinental San Diego$40.00
InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown$34.86
Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown$23.14
Holiday Inn Express Waikiki$29.49
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Savannah – Midtown$5.00
Kimpton Hotel Born$25.03
Hotel Indigo Denver Downtown-Union Station$20.00
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver$23.00
Kimpton EPIC Hotel$33.90
InterContinental Miami$33.90
Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach$39.90
Kimpton Angler’s Hotel South Beach$32.00
Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel$44.46
Holiday Inn Miami Beach-Oceanfront$33.06
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Galveston Beach Resort$10.00
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Galveston Seaside Resort$10.00
Holiday Inn Houston Downtown$16.24
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Piney Shores Resort LK Conroe$10.00
Holiday Inn Club Vacations New Orleans Resort$10.00
Kimpton Shorebreak Resort$39.97
Kimpton Taconic Hotel$33.00
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Mount Ascutney Resort$10.00
Holiday Inn Club Vacations South Beach Resort$20.00
Holiday Inn Oceanfront @ Surfside Beach$16.80
Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant$15.00
Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix$27.95
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts Phoenix – Chandler Golf Resort$27.50
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Scottsdale Resort$20.00
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco$33.77
Holiday Inn Express & Suites San Francisco Fishermans Wharf$21.37
Kimpton Alton Hotel$34.94
Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle$25.45
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle$25.45
Kimpton Palladian Hotel$27.45
Holiday Inn Club Vacations At Desert Club Resort$29.00
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile$15.03
Hotel Indigo Naperville Riverwalk$20.00
Kimpton Hotel Vintage Portland$28.83
Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel$30.16
Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel$28.75
InterContinental Boston$30.00
Kimpton Marlowe Hotel$22.89
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta$30.00

Hyatt

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa$55.49
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa$49.50
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort$56.36
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows$44.13
Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas$53.90
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa$47.18
Grand Hyatt Vail$55.15
Carmel Valley Ranch$60.78
Royal Palms Resort and Spa$39.40
The Confidante Miami Beach$51.30
Wild Dunes Resort – Sweetgrass Inn and Boardwalk Inn$30.83
Hana-Maui Resort$52.83
Resort at Squaw Creek$56.10
Suncadia Resort$37.78
The Seabird Resort$47.33
Wild Dunes Resort – Residences at Sweetgrass$49.07
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort$45.00
Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina$39.38
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa$45.50
Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa$46.10
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa$39.90
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa$40.86
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa$34.00
Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa$32.77
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa$41.26
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina$26.50
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa$49.55
Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico$89.82
The Lodge at Kukui’ula$47.18
Stonebridge Inn$13.09
Wild Dunes Resort Vacation Rentals$37.86
Christiania Lodge$18.98
Vail Residences at Cascade Village$24.71
Austria Haus$55.15
The Lodge at Spruce Peak$47.70
Capitol Peak Lodge, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$27.40
Shadowbrook, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$26.63
Makena Surf, a Destination by Hyatt Residence$75.75
Montaneros in Vail, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$43.95
Top of the Village, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$18.31
Wailea Beach Villas, a Destination by Hyatt Residence$76.25
The Landmark, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$22.65
Lichenhearth, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$13.47
Terracehouse, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$24.98
Christiania Condominiums, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$35.11
Villas at Snowmass Club, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$37.05
Enzian, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$40.40
Tamarack Townhomes, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$22.27
Wailea Ekahi Village, a Destination by Hyatt Residence$44.81
Woodrun Place, a Destination by Hyatt Residence$28.13
Countryside at Snowmass, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$169.03
Aspenwood, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$27.01
Vantage Point, A Destination by Hyatt Residence$34.72
Wailea Elua Village, a Destination by Hyatt Residence$58.78

Hilton

Highline Vail – a DoubleTree by Hilton$45.00
Hilton Anatole$27.26
Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center$14.95
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Park City – The Yarrow$20.00
Waldorf Astoria Park City$40.00
The Woodlands Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton$35.00
Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock$35.00
Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale, Curio Collection by Hilton$35.00
The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch$30.00
Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas$30.00
DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Paradise Valley – Scottsdale$30.00
Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort$25.00
El Conquistador Tucson, A Hilton Resort$29.00
Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort$39.00
Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort$45.00
Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak$35.00
Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa$29.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Paradise Las Vegas$25.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the Las Vegas Strip$25.00
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Curio Collection by Hilton$45.00
Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World$45.00
Crockfords Las Vegas, LXR Hotels & Resorts$45.00
Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World$45.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Elara Center Strip Las Vegas$25.00
Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas$45.00
Tropicana Las Vegas – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel$37.00
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa$40.00
La Quinta Resort & Club, Curio Collection by Hilton$35.00
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Golf Resort Palm Springs$30.00
Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach, a Hilton Resort and Spa$25.00
Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines$32.00
Beach Village at The Del, Curio Collection by Hilton$50.00
Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton$50.00
Shore House at The Del, Curio Collection by Hilton$50.00
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach$55.00
The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel$33.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Oak Resort Hilton Head$20.00
Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton$30.00
DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront$25.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Enclave Myrtle Beach$15.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean 22 Myrtle Beach$15.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Anderson Ocean Myrtle Beach$15.00
Kingston Plantation Condos$30.00
Embassy Suites by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort$30.00
Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort$30.00
Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort$30.00
Embassy Suites by Hilton St Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort$22.00
Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa$25.00
Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort$25.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Las Palmeras Orlando$25.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club Parc Soleil Orlando$25.00
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace Disney Springs Area$35.00
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek$45.00
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort$24.95
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista – Disney Springs Area$35.00
Waldorf Astoria Orlando$45.00
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – Disney Springs™ Area$23.00
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld$15.00
Hilton Grand Vacations Club SeaWorld® Orlando$25.00
Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton$45.00
Baker’s Cay Resort Key Largo, Curio Collection by Hilton$45.00
Hilton Bentley Miami/South Beach$38.00
The Gabriel Miami South Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton$38.00

Final word

Hotel resort fees are seen as a deceptive practice by a lot of travelers because when searching for hotels they make the prices look lower than they actually are.

Many hotels have gotten better at disclosing these fees and making them easier to find on their websites so they should act as less of a surprise than they did in the past.

But still, many people don’t like paying for things that should already be included in the room rate and also don’t believe in paying for things that they never use.

For that reason, even with the best disclosure practices in place, resort fees will probably always remain a problem until they are handled differently.

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