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People have had resort fees set aside by showing that they haven’t used any of the benefits supposed to be conferred (I think Rob has done this?!) But I was using it in the context that @Savage Squirrel describes. Maybe Rob or Rhys could change the title so the thread can stick to naming and shaming the relevant hotels!
In the USA I have for several years always questioned or disputed the resort fee at check in, usually with limited or no success. Had a surprise win in NYC recently when insisted on speaking to the duty manager to explain that the 2 ‘benefits’ offered with the resort fee (free incoming faxes and local calls) I would not use. He gave up defending when I said that I last received an incoming fax circa year 2000 and since using mobiles who uses hotel room phones for external calls.
Always worth questioning at check in, if only so front desk staff feedback the dissatisfaction.
It is bemusing that the likes of Claridges and Cliveden are asking guests to help cover their wage bill. I feel like a £70 per night Hampton or Holiday Inn would be more likely to genuinely need their staff pay topping up!
It’s a fairer way of giving all staff members a tip rather than just the front of house staff member that was a small part of the experience.
Agree provided can be confident that 100% of such charges actually reaches the staff.
If it doesn’t they are committing tax fraud as VAT must be charged and passed on and from what I have seen and heard it is not subject to VAT on invoices etc.
Problem is you’re all viewing it the way the USA treat it and NOT how U.K. and European tax or employment laws treat it.
People have had resort fees set aside by showing that they haven’t used any of the benefits supposed to be conferred (I think Rob has done this?!) But I was using it in the context that @Savage Squirrel describes. Maybe Rob or Rhys could change the title so the thread can stick to naming and shaming the relevant hotels!
In the USA I have for several years always questioned or disputed the resort fee at check in, usually with limited or no success. Had a surprise win in NYC recently when insisted on speaking to the duty manager to explain that the 2 ‘benefits’ offered with the resort fee (free incoming faxes and local calls) I would not use. He gave up defending when I said that I last received an incoming fax circa year 2000 and since using mobiles who uses hotel room phones for external calls.
Always worth questioning at check in, if only so front desk staff feedback the dissatisfaction.
In the days prior to arrival, I had agreement from a Kimpton in NYC to remove the resort fee.
They honoured it.
Mind you, this was at the very start of 2022, so probably still a bit desperate for business due to Covid.@TGLoyalty You’d think that hotel owners would know about UK taxation, but many don’t care. Many are owned by foreign companies often registered outside UK. HMRC probably also does not care or it will be long before they actually do.
As long as the service charge is discretionary, no VAT is due. It doesn’t matter whether or not the charge collected is then passed on to employees.
Hi all, Mandarin Oriental was 5% if I recall, but please don’t quote me. I can 100% say there was definitely a service charge because the receptionist told me that it was there to help pay for the concierge/cleaners etc etc.
Mallory Court, Leamington Spa. It’s a Relais & Chateaux property.
“Other hotels do it, so we do as well.” Removed on request. Declined to comment on how they treated such payments for VAT purposes (to be fair, likely not within the front desk staff’s knowledge).
Also a pool access charge unless a treatment is booked.Bulgari Hotel London – 5% charge removed without quibble, alongside a £40 alleged spend for the ‘welcome drinks’ which should have been free (wouldn’t be welcoming otherwise..)
Mr & Mrs Smith Chiltern Firehouse. They tried to charge a £60 service charge for a one night stay using my IHG free night voucher. Got it promptly removed, as the promised welcome drink didn’t arrive to the room.
Bulgari Hotel London – 5% charge removed without quibble, alongside a £40 alleged spend for the ‘welcome drinks’ which should have been free (wouldn’t be welcoming otherwise..)
Well this is what will happen if you insist on spending your children’s inheritance at the Bulgari! Was the Sheraton down the street full?!?
Otherwise thanks for the info. I live for this thread.
Ha! I’ve been to the Sheraton a few times (last time as the beneficiary of the the grand suite intern rate), so wanted to see what the big deal was with Bulgari. Spoiler alert: not much.
Another villain to add to the list: Marriot Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. Except they lied and told me the additional 5% charge had been applied in error for breakfast and would be refunded. When we queried it later, the truth emerged and the small print was found on Marriott’s website.
No future corporate stays are allowed at that hotel for anyone in the company. Based on my most recent stays, the Hilton and Intercontinental around the corner haven’t yet lost their moral compasses and provide excellent alternatives.
I don’t get mad. I get even.
What small print ? If I go to search for the hotel on the Marriott site it clearly gives the price including the service charge even on the from £xxx per night that shows the properties in the area. It’s completely transparent.
What exactly are you mad at? The website telling you how much it is per night? In any case it looks like they’ve agreed it wasn’t on your booking confirmation and removed it … I’m assuming you checked the total shown on your booking confirmation?
The Ned, City of London. 5%.
See now that’s a sneaky one not clearly mentioning it at all when booking a room. The rate only says includes 20% VAT on the price breakdown page.
The thread title should also be updated @Rob @Rhys because these aren’t resort fees they are service charges. Completely different.
It is bemusing that the likes of Claridges and Cliveden are asking guests to help cover their wage bill. I feel like a £70 per night Hampton or Holiday Inn would be more likely to genuinely need their staff pay topping up!
It’s a fairer way of giving all staff members a tip rather than just the front of house staff member that was a small part of the experience.
when a 5% service charge is being applied to room rate, and I assume everything billed to the room, what’s the thinking on adding tips onto the bill at meals / bars etc? Does one zero tip, knowing a service charge is to be applied at the end? Tip 10-15% (20% etc) at the restaurant, which will then have a further 5% added to bill and tip, or do you pay on card for meals / drinks? To keep things separate?
Intercontinental Park Lane added 5% service charge to room rate. No mention of it on the website but explained it was optional and were happy to remove it. They explained it was for all staff.
Intercontinental Park Lane added 5% service charge to room rate. No mention of it on the website but explained it was optional and were happy to remove it. They explained it was for all staff.
If it’s all going to staff, as now required by law, why did you ask to have it removed? As someone sufficiently fortunate to be able to afford a (sort of) luxury hotel in London it doesn’t seem a big ask to leave a little something for those rather less fortunate than you, unless there was a problem with your stay.
5% is an incredibly modest number. A lot of customer facing staff and many unseen ones will have contributed to your stay working unsociable hours and suffering from some pretty rough clients. Do you remove optional service charges in restaurants as well?
Intercontinental Park Lane added 5% service charge to room rate. No mention of it on the website but explained it was optional and were happy to remove it. They explained it was for all staff.
If it’s all going to staff, as now required by law, why did you ask to have it removed? As someone sufficiently fortunate to be able to afford a (sort of) luxury hotel in London it doesn’t seem a big ask to leave a little something for those rather less fortunate than you, unless there was a problem with your stay.
5% is an incredibly modest number. A lot of customer facing staff and many unseen ones will have contributed to your stay working unsociable hours and suffering from some pretty rough clients. Do you remove optional service charges in restaurants as well?
There are loads of crappy jobs where staff earn the same rate as hotel/bar/restaurant staff (e.g. shop work, including late-night/24 hr). I bet you don’t give them tips. Why should some get it, and others not?
And if anyone should get a tip, that’s up to the hotel or restaurant to arrange out of the revenue they receive overall anyway. Not to sneak an extra 5% onto people’s bill hoping the customer will let it through as it’s ‘only’ 5% so not much (may be quite a lot actually, still and it all adds up).
If I think someone’s gone above and beyond I’ll give any thankyou personally. If others in the same establishment want to be in a position to have the opportunity to outperform far beyond and perhaps to receive an extra thank you then they’ll work out if they should try to change jobs.
I’ve been on both sides of this one and resort fees and such service charges, particularly if not disclosed very clearly to the customer at the time of booking, are just sleazy money grabs that are unworthy of a good establishment and should be thrown back. I note that the USA has just passed legislation to outlaw these junk fees.
Intercontinental Park Lane added 5% service charge to room rate. No mention of it on the website but explained it was optional and were happy to remove it. They explained it was for all staff.
If it’s all going to staff, as now required by law, why did you ask to have it removed? As someone sufficiently fortunate to be able to afford a (sort of) luxury hotel in London it doesn’t seem a big ask to leave a little something for those rather less fortunate than you, unless there was a problem with your stay.
5% is an incredibly modest number. A lot of customer facing staff and many unseen ones will have contributed to your stay working unsociable hours and suffering from some pretty rough clients. Do you remove optional service charges in restaurants as well?
They were happy to remove it but I didn’t have it all removed. I don’t generally like percentages being used as I don’t agree with paying a higher service charge on a more expensive flexible rate as opposed to a lower service charge on a pre-paid rate where the service would be the same. I prefer to leave a set amount. I also leave a set amount at a restaurant.
The 2 restaurants we ate at both made it clear on their menus an optional service charge would be added and they both presented the bill including the charge but they both checked everything was OK with the meal before running the card. The hotel however just put it on the bill without any forewarning or explanation on checkout and expected it to be paid. I don’t object to service charges but it’s how they are presented is where I have an issue.
@Lady London, sadly the junk fees haven’t been outlawed in the USA, they just now have to displayed as the most prominent pricing! And it’s definitely not going to stop them expecting tips.
@JDB, I’m not sure the ICPL would take kindly to its clientele being described as pretty rough, lol. Although I saw a fellow guest handing over a wad of cash to a member of staff in the lounge during our recent stay in return for agreeing to some request, so who knows!I note that the USA has just passed legislation to outlaw these junk fees.
I wish – They’ve not done that. They’ve just insisted that they’re included in the advertised rate so as not mislead people, not added later in the booking process. Resort fees, recycling fees, security fees and the like will still be a thing.
Like the HI I mistakenly booked that adds 2.9% for a marketing fee just as you click for the final price (before the law came in)
@Scott – I’m totally lost for words that you refer to hospitality (and other lower paid) jobs as “crappy”. It feels really offensive to people working hard to earn a living. Many don’t have much choice. Hospitality is a vital sector that employs about three million people in the UK.
Tips often make up an important part of total wages for many hospitality workers and their work should be respected as much as anyone else’s.
The fact that some types of role are not traditionally tipped or permitted to be tipped isn’t really a valid excuse for not tipping those in roles or sectors where it’s the norm.
@NorthernLass – I think any hotel, not just the ICPL sees their fair share of rough guests! From friends in hotel ownership/management who started their training in every hotel department and family members who have done holiday jobs in the sector, too many guests are complete pigs in a variety of ways. Airbnb owners report similarly.
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