Photo by Robert Landau
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The Contrarian Traveler
You Charged Me for What?
By Peter Greenberg, May & June 2008
How to eliminate hidden fees from your next hotel bill
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If you're like me, you frequently find “mystery fees” in hotel bills. I’ve been hit with a “hospitality fee” of $10 and a “resort fee” of $43…a day! At a hotel in Phoenix my bill included a $10 “mandatory tip to bellman” charge, and I’d never used a bellman during my stay. Check your room-service bill: it often includes an 18 percent gratuity, a space marked “subtotal,” and, below that…the tip! But wait—wasn’t there an 18 percent gratuity? That could be one very expensive cheeseburger. Here’s how to fight back:
Challenge the charges If a charge (other than taxes) was not disclosed before you checked in, dispute it. If the hotel won’t remove it, call your credit card company. Under federal credit laws, if you’re charged for goods and services and don’t receive them, the card company will issue a temporary credit and investigate.
Don’t wait till morning Most travelers settle their bill the morning they check out. The problem: You’re often rushing to leave, so you don’t scrutinize the charges. The solution: Settle the bill at the front desk the night before. This gives you time to inspect it carefully and spot any unknown fees. Once you leave the hotel, disputing charges on your bill becomes much more difficult.
More Insider Tips...
A Grand Alternative
Looking for summer lodging at jam-packed national parks? You’ll have better luck renting a cabin at a nearby state park or national forest. For the Grand Canyon, try Kaibab National Forest, about 60 miles south. At Yosemite, the Sierra National Forest is a few miles away.
Fare Warning
Frustrated by constantly changing airfares? A website called Yapta tracks prices and alerts you when a fare drops for a flight. Even better, it continues to track prices after you’ve bought your tickets and lets you know if you’re eligible for a refund of the fare difference.
Room Rewards
Some hotel reward programs offer more than free rooms. With Hilton’s HHonors rewards, 80,000 points gets you a hot-air-balloon ride in one of 40 cities. InterContinental Hotel Group’s Priority Club lets you go whale watching on Cape Cod for about 15,000 points.
AARP: Assistance and Information for People 50 and Over
AARP is the nation's leading organization for people 50 and over. Stay informed with AARP The Magazine and the monthly AARP Bulletin. Joining online is fast, easy and only $12.50/year.
The Gift of Flight
Let me guess: You have frequent-flier miles you can’t cash in. Why not donate them to a good cause? The Dream Foundation provides miles to terminally ill adults; Operation Hero Miles supplies tickets to injured military personnel and their families. If you’re not sure where to give your miles, check out Miledonor.com.
Panty Waste
If you want to make more room in your suitcase to bring back souvenirs and gifts, try packing— no joke—disposable underwear. Traveling Chic sells disposable women’s undies ($3.49 for two pairs), and Underworks offers throwaway boxers for men ($7.99 for six pairs).
Find Peter Greenberg Q&As and videos on AARP.org
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