Greetings From Palm Springs
If you’ve never been to Palm Springs, CA, you’ve missed one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The desert is great, as long as you find a way to bring the water. It’s truly amazing to see the difference between the green golf courses here and the chapped landscape outside of the resort walls.
Speaking of resorts, there is a very troubling trend going on with the hotel industry. In, what I’m sure is an effort to improve the bottom line, hoteliers have introduced this really annoying thing called the “Resort Fee”. This is a non-discretionary daily charge that shows up on your hotel bill. It’s usually a $10 or $15 line item (daily) on your bill. When one questions this fee (as I always do) the hotel staff is quicker to remove it than to explain it. When you do get an explanation, it’s usually some jibberish about using the pool or maintaining the grounds or something. Mind you, the fee is not a function of your using the pool, or grounds, or whatever. It’s just there on your bill. You have no choice about it.
The sad thing is, most people don’t diligently inspect their bill (especially business travelers) and hotels probably get an extra 50 or 60 bucks out of each customer. If someone complains, they take it off immediately. I think it’s a dispicable practice. They are suckering people with a falsely low room rate, and counting on most people not checking their bill.
So next time you stay in a place with a pool, check out the bill. If you see a “Resort Fee”, do what I do and give ‘em hell. Then write a letter.
June 8th, 2004 at 11:33 pm
Update: Well, the fee showed up, and this time they refused to take the charge off. Looks like I’ve got a letter to write.
June 10th, 2005 at 9:21 pm
HI, I was reading your post about the “resort fee”, and I wasn’t aware of this until recently, when I overheard a conversation with our waiter at the table next to us at the Palm Springs Hilton Terrace Cafe recently! I know they charge a resort fee at the Hilton, however, I’m not certain if it’s an extra charge that entitles you to certain amenties at the hotel. Our waiter asked the family if they “paid the resort” fee and this would entitle them to some discounts on their restaurant tab, and he kindly checked with the front desk to see if they were in fact paying the “resort fee.” The couple didn’t know anything about it it appeared to us, and they didn’t pay the resort fee it seemed, and no discounts were given at the restaurant. Just thought that some of your blog readers might want to know that some of the fine Palm Springs hotels do offer this and the food and service is excellent at the Terrace in Palm Springs!
And if you happen to be coming to Palm Springs or the area to look for properties in the desert, please check out our web site for information on new homes in the valley or drop me an e-mail to let me know how I can assist you. I host a radio program here in the desert and know about valley real estate and would be pleased to answer any questions your blog readers have about Palm Springs real estate!
It’s a great day today in Palm Springs! Visit me at www.DesertHomesToday.com
June 22nd, 2005 at 11:07 pm
Business is slow, eh Carey?