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What should be included in hotel room servicing?
Over the past decade, many hotels have automatically charged guests a “resort” fee to cover amenities such as daily newspaper, bottled water, and use of exercise facilities. Hotels believed that these charges, often added after the initial price quote, were fair. Customers beg to differ. Some people argued that he did not use all the features. Others said the resort fee should have been disclosed sooner rather than at the end of the transaction, making the room seem cheaper than it was. Eventually, the government stepped in and ordered hotels to disclose the fees sooner. And, as per law, disclosure had to be made during the procurement process.
Result: These charges must now be included in the room rate initially quoted by the hotel. Experts believe hotels will shift to a la carte pricing models to compensate for the loss of revenue from quoting higher rates. Which brings us to the debate about what should be included in a hotel room. And this is a big question mark.
I stayed in a vacation rental in Hawaii a few years ago where the air conditioner was off. For an additional fee, the owner said she would enable it. (I declined.) As I’m writing this, I’m in an apartment in Sydney with no air conditioning, and it’s sweltering! Visit Europe this summer and you’ll find plenty of hotel rooms without A/C.
Here’s what each hotel should give you – no questions asked
Far from being a peripheral discussion, the question of what is included in a room – and what is not – may prove to be the defining debate of 2025, at least in the travel industry.
When you book a hotel room, there are some things you should never pay extra for. I’m not including electricity, heat and running water (and also, hot water) as most hotels already include these.
Here are the basics – the non-negotiable things that make your stay comfortable and functional.
Reliable Wi-Fi
In 2025, Wi-Fi is no longer a luxury; This is a necessity. Whether you’re traveling for work or streaming a movie to relax, a strong internet connection is a must. “Charging for Wi-Fi seems like a money grab,” says travel consultant Steve Torres. “It’s especially frustrating when budget hotels include it for free, but higher-end properties don’t.” ,Connected: Should I get help getting a refund for a “disastrous” hotel stay?)
daily housekeeping
After the pandemic, many hotels limited housekeeping to “on-demand” services. But let’s be real: Most guests expect their rooms to be cleaned daily. It’s okay to encourage guests to decline daily housekeeping by offering points or amenity, but charging them extra for room cleaning is wrong. “Daily housekeeping is a must,” says Sylvia Lebovich, travel advisor at OvationNetwork. “For most of my clients, it’s not about the actual dollar cost, but about the feeling of being nickel and dimed.”
drinking water
You know, I thought this matter was resolved, but apparently not. Make sure your guests have potable water. It doesn’t have to be filigree water, it just needs to be clean water that you can drink. This is especially important when tap water is not potable. Ellen Flowers recently stayed at a Las Vegas resort with “extreme” amenities. But bottled water costs extra. “I couldn’t help but be disappointed when I found out that water was not included in the room rate,” says Flowers, a travel editor for a fashion website.
Basic Toiletries and Towelettes
The cost of soap, shampoo and towels should never be high. “Some things in a hotel room should just be a given,” says Darragh McGillicuddy, managing director of McGillicuddy Hospitality, a consulting firm. “These are what I would call hygiene factors.”
what about the rest?
As you can probably imagine, this leaves out a lot of things that hotels might charge you for. And some may bother you.
Like parking charges. Edward Winrow, a retired city employee from Calabasas, California, has seen them in all kinds of places, including some mid-range chain hotels. He thinks they are wrong, especially when you are disabled. But repeated emails to hotels received the same response: We charge for parking, whether you’re disabled or not.
“There should be no charge for disabled spaces, or at least a discounted cost,” he says. “There’s no extra charge for accessible rooms, so why accessible parking spaces?”
Then there is tea and coffee, which is always included in the room. But when Andy Ellis recently checked into a luxury hotel in Glasgow, that wasn’t it.
“When I checked out, they gave me a bill for tea, coffee, milk and sugar,” recalls Ellis, managing director of a shower manufacturer in Morecambe, England. “I was absolutely shocked.”
Hotels are getting creative with their surcharges.
Parking and hot beverages are just two examples of things hotels might start charging for. And some already are, which is why your hotel stay this summer may actually feel like a cheat.
Solution? Let’s say the hotel rate you pay doesn’t include anything other than basic amenities like electricity or running water. Always ask before ordering tea, coffee or the contents of the minibar. Check the “complimentary” sticker on the water bottle to make sure it doesn’t cost any extra.
During the summer, hotels try to recoup the revenue they lost when they quoted their real prices. And if you’re not careful, you may have to pay a big price for it.
Also read:
5 Things You Should Never Do When You’re Filing a Travel Insurance Claim
Why is there no “best hotel” in town for me?
