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Resort fees have steadily been creeping into urban destinations from Boston to Seattle under the guise of "destination" or "amenity" fees. (Click here for a more in-depth look at the issue and how planners are responding.) As shown below, these mandatory charges, marketed as value-added services designed specifically to benefit the guest, vary from hotel to hotel. They encompass a wide spectrum from mundane complimentary WiFi access and in-room bottled water to the more unconventional, such as notary services, package handling and even dog treats.
Fee includes: High-speed Internet access throughout the hotel, unlimited local and toll-free calls from guest rooms, fitness center access, airline boarding-pass printing and notary services.
Fee includes: Daily $25 F&B credit, two bottles of water per day in guest rooms, complimentary WiFi, local and long-distance calls from guest rooms.
Fee includes: High-speed Internet access, $15 F&B credit, complimentary long-distance and international calls from guest rooms, a tour of the hotel's Skyline Rooftop (valued at $20) and shopping/dining discounts at Macy's
- Resort fee per day: $23.12 (includes tax)
Fee includes: Extended water service and a nightly craft cocktail hour in the lobby; complimentary Bible, Koran, Torah, etc., delivered to rooms; pillow menu, unlimited local and long-distance calls; 24-hour access to the gym; bike rentals; priority access to the restaurant and a complimentary Well + Fit kit
- Resort fee per day: $12.55 (includes tax)
Fee includes: Daily bottled water in guest rooms, 24-hour access to the fitness center and indoor pool, free WiFi and free calls from guest rooms.
Fee includes: One fitness class at the Exhale Mind Body Spa; daily Cuban coffee break at 3 p.m. in the hotel's living room; turndown service; access on guests' smart devices to PressReader, which features more than 7,000 periodicals; printing services for up to 10 pages; WiFi; complimentary local and toll-free calls from guest rooms.
- Resort fee per day: $27.50 (includes tax)
Fee includes: Exclusive access to rooftop pool, priority dining reservations and a contribution toward preserving the historic status of the hotel.
Fee includes: Morning coffee at the hotel café, twice-daily maid service, shoeshine, dog treats (if you bring a dog), amenities for kids (if you have any with you) and complimentary WiFi.