Hotel Resort Fees in 2026: What They Are, How to Avoid Them, and the New FTC Rules
Hotel Resort Fees in 2026: What They Are, How to Avoid Them, and the New FTC Rules
Hotel Resort Fees in 2026: What They Are, How to Avoid Them, and the New FTC Rules
You found a great hotel deal. $149 a night at a nice Strip property in Las Vegas. You go to check out and suddenly the total is $60 higher per night than you expected.
Welcome to the world of resort fees — the hotel industry's most hated pricing trick.
The good news? The federal government finally stepped in. The bad news? Hotels are still charging these fees. They just have to tell you about them upfront now.
Here's everything you need to know about hotel resort fees in 2026 — what they are, how much the major chains charge, what the new FTC rules actually changed, and the real strategies that can help you avoid paying them entirely.
A resort fee (also called a "destination fee" or "amenity fee") is a mandatory daily charge that hotels add on top of the advertised room rate. It's not optional. You can't decline it. And it's charged whether you use the included amenities or not.
Hotels claim these fees cover things like WiFi, pool access, fitness center use, local phone calls, and sometimes parking or a daily newspaper. In reality, these are basic amenities that most travelers expect to be included in the room rate.
Resort fees are almost always charged per room, per night — not per person. So whether you're traveling solo or sharing a room with three friends, you'll pay the same resort fee. The average resort fee in the U.S. is about $42 per night, though luxury properties in Las Vegas, Miami, and New York regularly charge $50 to $55 or more.
The practice started in the early 2000s at a handful of resort properties in Hawaii and Las Vegas. It has since spread to urban hotels, airport hotels, and properties that are decidedly not "resorts" in any traditional sense.
Not all hotel chains handle resort fees the same way. Some waive them for loyalty members. Others charge them even on points stays. Here's how the major chains compare.
| Hotel Chain | Typical Fee Range | What's Usually Included | Waiver Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | $25–$55/night | WiFi, fitness center, pool, local calls | Fees charged even on award stays; no elite waiver |
| Hilton Honors | $20–$50/night | WiFi, fitness center, pool, bottled water | Waived on award stays (points bookings) |
| World of Hyatt | $25–$50/night | WiFi, fitness center, pool, local calls | Waived on award stays; waived for Globalist members on all stays |
| IHG One Rewards | $15–$35/night | WiFi, fitness center, pool | Varies by property; some waive on award stays |
| Wyndham Rewards | $10–$30/night | WiFi, parking, fitness center | Officially waived on award stays; enforcement is inconsistent |
| MGM Rewards (Las Vegas) | $45–$55/night | WiFi, fitness center, pool, boarding pass printing | Waived for Gold, Platinum, and Noir tier members |
| Caesars Rewards (Las Vegas) | $50–$55/night | WiFi, fitness center, pool, local calls | Waived for Diamond and Seven Stars members |
The standout here is Marriott. It's the only major chain that charges resort fees even when you book with points. That's a real pain point for loyal Marriott travelers, and it's one reason many points enthusiasts have shifted their loyalty to Hyatt or Hilton for resort stays.
No city in America is more associated with resort fees than Las Vegas. Nearly every hotel on the Strip charges one, and the fees have been climbing steadily for years.
As of 2026, most major Strip hotels charge between $45 and $55 per night in resort fees — before tax. On a 4-night stay at a property charging $55, that's an extra $220 plus tax just in fees.
$55/night: ARIA, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan, Encore, Fontainebleau, Four Seasons, Nobu Hotel, Palazzo, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Resorts World, The Cromwell, Vdara, Venetian, Waldorf Astoria, Wynn
$50/night: Circa, Flamingo, Harrah's, Horseshoe, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Park MGM, Rio, The LINQ, The Signature at MGM Grand, Virgin Hotels, W Las Vegas
$45/night: Circus Circus, Excalibur, Luxor, New York-New York
Downtown and off-Strip properties are cheaper but still not free. Golden Nugget charges $46/night, while places like El Cortez ($30) and Downtown Grand ($39) are more reasonable.
They exist, and some of them are in excellent locations.
Casino Royale Best Western Plus — right on the Strip between Venetian and Harrah's. No resort fee, no parking fee. It's the best-kept secret on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Four Queens — a Fremont Street classic. No resort fee and a solid downtown location.
Marriott Grand Chateau — just off the Strip, no resort fee, and popular with families.
Hyatt Place Las Vegas — a reliable no-fee option with the Hyatt loyalty program benefits.
Between resort fees and fluctuating room rates, a Vegas trip can cost way more than you planned. Autopilot monitors your hotel rates after you book and catches price drops automatically — so you can at least claw back some of that money on the room rate itself.
On May 12, 2025, the FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees officially took effect. It was the federal government's most significant move against hidden hotel fees to date.
Here's what the rule requires: any hotel that advertises a room price must now show the total price including all mandatory fees upfront. No more burying the resort fee on page three of the checkout process.
Here's what the rule does not do: it doesn't ban resort fees. It doesn't cap them. It doesn't tell hotels what they can or can't charge. It's a transparency rule, not a price regulation.
In practical terms, this means the $149/night room that actually costs $204/night with the resort fee now has to be advertised at something closer to $204. Hotels can still charge whatever they want — they just can't hide it anymore.
Small hotels and independent properties got a grace period and had until January 2026 to comply. Major chains were expected to comply from day one.
Multiple state attorneys general had already been pushing for this. Before the federal rule, states like Pennsylvania, Texas, and Nebraska forced Marriott and other chains to show all-in pricing through legal settlements. The FTC rule essentially made that the national standard.
You have more options than you think. Not every strategy works every time, but collectively they can save you hundreds of dollars a year.
Hilton and Hyatt both waive resort fees on points bookings. This alone can save $150-$200 on a multi-night resort stay. Marriott does not waive resort fees on award stays — keep that in mind when deciding where to park your loyalty.
Hyatt Globalist members get resort fees waived on all stays, not just award nights. MGM Rewards Gold tier and above waives fees at all MGM properties in Las Vegas. Some credit cards grant automatic elite status that triggers these waivers.
Many mid-tier and business-focused hotel brands rarely charge resort fees. Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites, and most Courtyard by Marriott properties don't have them. If you're picking between two similar hotels and one charges a $45 resort fee, the math might favor the one that doesn't.
This doesn't always work, but it works more often than people think. Call the front desk (not the central reservation line) and politely ask if the resort fee can be waived or reduced. Mention that you're deciding between properties. Hotels have discretion here, and they'd rather have your business at a lower margin than lose you entirely.
Hotels periodically run "resort fee waived" promotions, especially during off-peak seasons. Check the hotel's official offers page and sign up for their email list. Resorts World in Las Vegas, for example, has run "All Resort, No Fees" promotions multiple times.
If the resort fee wasn't clearly disclosed before you booked — which is now a violation of FTC rules — you may have grounds to dispute the charge. Contact the hotel first, then escalate to your credit card company if needed. Document everything.
Even if you can't avoid the resort fee, you might be able to offset it by saving on the room rate itself. Autopilot tracks hotel prices after you book and automatically alerts you when rates drop — so you can rebook at the lower price and pocket the difference.
If you want to avoid the whole issue entirely, plenty of reputable hotel brands typically don't charge resort fees at most of their properties.
Chains generally free of resort fees: Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, most Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express locations, Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, most Courtyard by Marriott locations, La Quinta, and most extended-stay brands like Residence Inn and Homewood Suites.
The pattern is pretty clear: resort fees are concentrated at properties that position themselves as resorts, casinos, or upscale urban hotels. Business-travel-focused and select-service brands almost never charge them.
That said, always verify before you book. The FTC transparency rule means the total price should now be visible upfront, but double-checking the fee breakdown never hurts.
Hotels haven't gotten away with this unchallenged. Both Marriott and Hilton have faced class action lawsuits over their resort fee practices. Multiple state attorneys general have pursued enforcement actions, and a separate class action has accused several major chains — including Marriott, Hilton, and Ritz-Carlton — of conspiring to fix room prices by exchanging competitive information.
As of 2026, no nationwide class action settlement for resort fees has been finalized, but the legal pressure continues to build. The FTC rule gives consumers and regulators a much stronger enforcement tool going forward.
A resort fee is a mandatory daily charge added on top of your room rate. Hotels say it covers amenities like WiFi, pool access, and the fitness center. You can't opt out of it, and you're charged whether you use those amenities or not. The average resort fee in the U.S. is about $42 per night.
Almost always per room, per night. It doesn't matter how many people are in the room — you pay one resort fee per night of your stay. A small number of properties charge per person, but that's rare.
Most major Strip hotels charge between $45 and $55 per night before tax. Premium properties like Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian, and Caesars Palace are at the $55 end. A few off-Strip and downtown hotels charge $30-$40, and a handful charge no resort fee at all.
No. The FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, effective May 12, 2025, requires hotels to show the total price including all mandatory fees upfront. It's a transparency rule — hotels can still charge resort fees, they just can't hide them in the fine print anymore.
Book award stays with Hilton or Hyatt (both waive resort fees on points bookings). Earn elite status — Hyatt Globalist gets fees waived on all stays. Choose hotels that don't charge them. Call the hotel directly and ask. Look for promotional "fee waived" offers. If the fee wasn't disclosed properly, dispute it with your credit card company.
Yes. Marriott is the only major hotel chain that charges resort fees even when you book with Bonvoy points. Hilton and Hyatt both waive resort fees on award stays. This is a common frustration for Marriott loyalists.
Resort fees are generally treated the same as hotel room charges for tax purposes. If your hotel stay qualifies as a deductible business expense, the resort fee should be deductible too. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Mostly, yes. Resort fees are overwhelmingly a North American phenomenon, concentrated in the United States. While you might encounter similar fees at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico or the Caribbean, the practice of adding mandatory "resort" or "destination" fees to standard hotel rooms is largely unique to the U.S. market. European and Asian hotels generally include all standard amenities in the room rate.
Between resort fees, rate fluctuations, and the general chaos of travel pricing, it pays to have something watching your back. Autopilot monitors your hotel and flight prices after you book and catches savings you'd otherwise miss.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Resort fees, hotel policies, and regulations change frequently. Always verify current fees and policies directly with the hotel before booking. Information is accurate as of May 2026.
