Disputing Resort Fees

Well I’ve found when using Marriott points they won’t charge me the resort fee. But they do include WiFi which doesn’t require a logon to use sometimes and anybody can be using it. It included newspapers and access to spas. It’s stupid.

Resort fees are a very hot topic in Vegas right now. There are still a handful of the major casinos who have not fully opened up the resort, other than the casino which they need for revenue. However, they are still charging that expensive resort fee when much of the resort itself isn’t even open.

You gotta figure out a way to divorce from Marriott.

They are just shitting on your chest without remorse from what I can tell.

It’s technically illegal to force you to pay for services you may not use. You can dispute the charges with your credit card company if you can provide an itemized receipt proving you were charged above and beyond the base rate and taxes. Some state attorney generals will also fight it for you via a form you can fill out online. Or you can demand to not pay at check in or check out. At the Cosmopolitan in Vegas which is a Marriott resort I’ve used points every time and never had to pay it. Then one time I didn’t use points there and refused to pay but that was 5 years ago. I’m told all the casinos colluded to raise the rates last year and therefore a lot of people are fighting it. I just haven’t heard from someone first hand how that went.

I’ve never had issues with Marriott properties myself and I’ve been Platinum or now Titanium for years.

Resort fees are just a way to advertise a lower daily rate. And hotels are very reluctant to waive them.

If you complain enough you will be compensated.

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Yeah I’m going to Vegas in 2 weeks and I plan to refuse to pay the resort fee. That’s why I’m curious who all has used their credit card company to fight it.

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Please report back to us and let us know how it goes. I'm guessing not very well.

You sound like a customer that businesses don’t want. “I want to stay somewhere. I’m aware of their policies upfront yet I’m still going to cause problems before, during and after the transaction.” If you don’t want to pay the fees stay somewhere that doesn’t charge them or ask about it upfront. If you’re going to accept the fees upfront and do a chargeback that is fraud in my opinion. This isn’t a situation where you have only one vendor to choose from. Why someone would spend so much energy on this amazes me.

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That’s another reason hotels are moving to the fees, is to get something from points users. I can see being mad about internet fees or parking or pool fees, if you don’t use any of that. But Resort fees are usually all encompassing Bullshite fees to for hotels to add to their top line. They suck but they are the cost of staying there.

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The reason the hotels started adding these fees to points stays is because the parent company (in this case, Marriott) started paying individual hotels less per points stay. The parent company also increased benefits for elite members during stays (free breakfasts, etc.) but excluded resorts because the resorts complained...so that's also why you see hotels that aren't really resorts switch to being a "resort" to avoid comping these things to elite members.

In short, elite members who coup a lot of points hoard them for family/high-end vacations at top properties in the chain. The chain cut back on their redemption, so the hotels fought back.

Now everyone loses.

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I hate them because of what a hotel brand like Marriott has done with them.

For example, my status gives me free WiFi and breakfast. But not a resort properties. Then the resort will tack on $50/night for these "amenities"...specifically when using a points redemption. Flies in the face of a rewards program, IMO.

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Hyatt is the way to go.

ETA you're already making the move, good choice