Nowadays we’re used to hotels trying to add all kinds of junk fees to the cost of stays. These often come in the form of resort or destination fees, though we’ve also increasingly seen hotels add additional service fees, for everything ranging from electricity to credit card processing. Well, here’s a new one for me, as flagged by View from the Wing, which might just be a new low…
Staybridge Suite charges nightly security fee
The Staybridge Suites Tulsa-Woodland Hills, which is part of IHG, has $4.99 per night in additional charges, beyond the room rate and taxes.
So, what’s the fee for? As you’ll discover during the booking process, the hotel provides the following description:
“Service fee assists to invest in upgrades and initiatives for guest security”
That’s, ummm, quite something. I suppose the hotel has so few amenities that there’s nothing else they could reasonably attribute the fee too. But one certainly wonders how the hotel is spending hundreds of dollars per day on security.
Of course the answer is that it isn’t actually spending that money on security, and presumably it’s just being used to pad the pockets of the owners. Looking at pictures of the hotel, I’d feel better if they charged a $4.99 nightly fee to invest in microwave and refrigerator upgrades.
IHG is the king of little hotel junk fees
While annoying resort and destination fees are hardly exclusive to any hotel group, I’ve gotta say, IHG is the worst when it comes to its limited service properties adding little fees to the cost of rooms, seemingly for nothing. It’s so common to see IHG add $2-5 nightly fees to rates, I guess in hops that customers don’t notice or care.
There’s a certain irony to it, since hotels generally have to market all-in rates, including all mandatory fees, so it doesn’t actually accomplish much. But it lowers the commission that hotels have to pay online travel agencies, so there’s that little benefit. I also suspect hotels think that the psychology of showing a lower rate in addition to a fee makes guests more likely to book.
It sure would be nice if IHG got a little more control over its individual properties, and prevented them from charging these kinds of fees. Then again, nowadays hotel owners run the show and call the shots, and not the major hotel groups.
Bottom line
A Staybridge Suites in Oklahoma charges a $4.99 nightly fee for guest security. While we’re used to seeing hotels add little fees to the cost of hotel stays, being charged extra for “security initiatives” sure isn’t very reassuring. But IHG just lets hotels get away with whatever, so there’s no limit to what they can attribute fees to. Some hotels deserve credit for their creativity… or something.
What do you make of this IHG hotel fee?
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