Hotel Alert: Have You Heard of “Guest Gouging?”

I’ve stayed in many a hotel room while traveling on business, and I’m here to witness to the growing trend of “guest gouging” — charging you for every little thing in order to make a few extra dollars.

I mean, is it really necessary to charge $3.95 per day for high-speed internet access? Can that $3.95 truly have that much effect on your bottom line, as compared to keeping your customers happy — and loyal?

And the weird thing is, it’s the high-end hotels charging for these items. Budget hotels are not. For instance, charging for internet connection: 60% of high-end hotels do, while only 10% of budget hotels do.

And it’s not just internet connections. They’re also charging fees to use the pool or fitness center, for your “free” newspaper, etc., even if you don’t use them. Why not just charge me extra to take the elevator instead of the stairs and be done with it?

Next time you travel on business, pay attention to the extra costs before making your decision where to stay. These might be listed as “resort fees,” so read carefully before saying Yes.