Okay, so here’s my ongoing headache: I book this allegedly all-inclusive trip—months in advance, mind you, thinking I’m so clever, locked in at a flat rate. Joke’s on me. Final bill hits and now it’s stacked with “resort fees,” “service surcharges,” and, no lie, an “energy” fee. Energy? For what, the flickering hallway lights? Apparently, even at “all-inclusive” places, these sneaky resort fees can tack on 10-15% (sometimes, swear to god, it’s like half the room price if you add every random surcharge), and I had zero clue until check-out—not just my bad luck, it’s everywhere.

Why’s the FTC suddenly pretending to care, and why am I still getting blindsided after all the “transparency” PR? Airlines do this, sure, but at least there’s a new rule that’s supposed to show junk fees up front. Supposed to. Average resort fee? Nearly $39 a night now, which, if you’re doing the math (I’m not, but someone at NerdWallet did), means you’re sometimes paying a third more than you expected. The FTC keeps making threats, loopholes just keep multiplying.

And the in-room safe? Not even safe from fees. Some places literally charge a “safe fee” per day or slap on “energy surcharges” with names that sound like a utility bill. My travel agent just shrugged—classic. Maybe I hallucinated that after too much lobby coffee.

What Are Resort Fees in All-Inclusive Vacation Packages?

Resort fees, add-ons, “service charges”—nobody warns you when you’re scrolling those dreamy, all-inclusive resort pages. Then, at checkout, that innocent $2,000 rate? Suddenly $800 higher. What am I paying for, a vacation or a surprise IRS audit?

Definition and Origin of Resort Fees

Let’s be real, “resort fee” is just a made-up daily charge for “extras” I didn’t ask for—Wi-Fi, towels, whatever else they think of this week. I read a story about a $2,000 package jumping to $2,800. That’s $800 gone. These fees didn’t even exist until the late ’90s—Vegas started it, then suddenly everyone else in the Caribbean and Mexico copied. Hotels figured out people click on a lower price, then just swallow the fees later, like buying a video game and then paying for every extra level. There’s no real federal rule, so resorts just invent new fees and hide them in the fine print—always non-optional, of course.

Types of Resort and Mandatory Fees

Now there’s a “mandatory” fee for everything—pool chairs, local calls (who’s calling anyone?), daily yoga I never attend, random “sustainability” charges while the minibar is stuffed with plastic. Parking, gym, even the safe (which I used for loose change, maybe). They show up as “daily resort fees,” “facility charges,” or “destination fees,” depending on how creative they’re feeling. Last trip, I saw “premium dining” and “theme night” surcharges—billed after checkout, naturally. Some places bundle “gratuities” or “service charges” into these, but don’t trust it—policies are about as consistent as the number of free drinks you get before the bartender starts ignoring you.

How Resort Fees Differ From Service Fees

Here’s what makes zero sense: resort fees aren’t even the same as service fees. You might get hit for $40 a night for Wi-Fi you never touched, then find tip envelopes in your room anyway, with a note about your cleaner’s hard work. Service fees (sometimes “automatic gratuities”) are usually a percentage, tacked onto spa treatments or à la carte stuff—supposedly for staff, but who knows if it actually goes to them. Sometimes service feels so cold I wonder if anyone’s getting tipped at all. Resort fees, meanwhile, are like a forced subscription to hotel mediocrity—fixed, non-negotiable, explained with jargon or asterisks that mean nothing. Check your bill, or you’ll pay twice. Nobody at the front desk will spell it out unless you ask, and even then, you’ll probably get a blank stare and a pamphlet. I bet there’s a hidden fee for asking.

Recent Trends in Resort Fee Hikes

You blink, refill your coffee, and—bam—your all-inclusive resort just tacked on another $60 a night. Only reason I noticed? My credit card app buzzed with a “pending transaction.” Fee creep is everywhere: more rules, more watchdogs, and somehow, more fees. Big brands, vacation rentals, nobody’s immune.

Scope and Scale of Recent Increases

Spreadsheets, news feeds, FTC press releases—last December, I watched the numbers climb. “Mandatory” resort fees, “amenities charges,” “destination waivers”—they used to be $15 or $25, now $40-$60 is normal. I called three Miami hotels (don’t ask why), and one manager just blamed corporate. Not just Miami—Vegas, Orlando, even budget chains, all hiking. NerdWallet says average all-inclusive resort fees jumped 14% in a year. Chains claim it’s “industry standard,” which is code for “we all copy each other and hope you don’t notice.”

Most of these increases hit right before peak travel. “Higher operating costs,” they say, but staff uniforms haven’t changed since 2017. I paid a $50 “wellness” fee and the gym was closed. Go figure.

Impact on Total Price of Vacation Packages

It’s wild—book a trip at one price, check out at another. “Total trip price” is supposed to be clear now, per that shiny new FTC rule, but it’s not. These fees can balloon the rate by 20% in some places.

Family package: $2,800 for four nights, meals, cabanas. Then “facility charges” and “mandatory service fees” add $300+. Not just hotels, either—my LA short-term rental was $195 per night, then “community fees” and a “linen service fee” made it nearly $90 more per night.

Friends have canceled trips after seeing the real bill. I’ve done side-by-side comparisons—base rate looks fine, but all those extras wreck the budget. Every confirmation email invents a new line item.

Analysis of Hotel Chains and Short-Term Rentals

Big chains—Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt—are in on it. Marriott “bundles” WiFi, towels, and two-for-one drinks into their fee. Hilton charged me a “destination fee” for “local calls” (in 2025? Please). PR reps just parrot, “Guests appreciate enhanced value.” Sure.

Vacation rentals get even weirder. An Airbnb wanted $72 for a “property usage charge”—for water and trash, which the owner’s HOA already covers. No pool, no front desk, not even a fake resort feel—just a keycode and a cleaning checklist.

NerdWallet (I checked during a rage-scroll) says short-term rental resort fees jumped even faster than hotel ones after 2024. No real enforcement, so operators do whatever, unless enough angry reviews pile up. If anyone knows how to actually compare “all-in” costs before booking, let me know.