November 14, 2024 12:33 PM

Top 5 Hotel Fees You'll See More of in 2013

Travelers already have to deal with ridiculous airline fees, but they may be seeing more hotel fees in 2013 as well like baggage holding fees, minibar restocking fees and more. Hotels may also be increasing current fees and charging them for frequently, even for loyal guests.

According to Skift, Bjorn Hanson, divisional dean, at NYU's Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management noted that fees in U.S. hotels rose 5.4 percent in 2012 to $1.95 billion and he expects an even higher increase this year.

Hanson says that there are new fees and some old fees that you'll be seeing more frequently across hotels this year

Here are five hotel fees that Hanson says will pop up and increase in 2013:

Minibar Restocking Fee: As if minibar items weren't outrageously priced to begin with, hotels may start charging an additional fee just for removing one item. The restocking fee can range from $2.50 to $5.95, depending on the hotel.

Baggage Holding Charges: If you arrive before check-in at your hotel and you want to see the sights or if you want to kill time before heading back to the airport after checkout, without lugging around your luggage, the hotel will charge a fee to hold on to your bags for a while. Leaving behind a bag will start at $2 per bag and that doesn't include tip.

Fees for Different Level of Wi-Fi: Some hotels may offer basic Wi-Fi access for free, allowing you to to tasks like check your e-mail, but if you need a better bandwith, you can expect to have to pay extra for another tier so you can stream a movie on Netflix rather than pay for a pay-per-view movie on the hotel TV. You'll have to pay more for the Wi-Fi depending on what tier you use.

Early Departure Fees: You've heard of a late checkout fee, but an early departure fee? If you booked a room for a certain amount of days and you have a change of plans and need to check out a day early, the hotel may charge you the full rate for the extra day for the room anyway, even if you booked a refundable rate.

Cancellation Charges: Cancellations fees are already present at many large resorts and small hotels, but they're becoming stricter over these charges. Some hotels allow guests to cancel their stay the night before arrival up to 6p.m, which is convenient for business travelers whose plans may change at the last minute. However some hotels are changing that cancellation deadling to 48 or even up to 72 hours before the scheduled stay. Some hotels may charge the cost of one night's stay if a guest cancels too late.

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