The Dreaded Resort Fees

If a hotel says "Rates from $29" what that may actually mean is "Rates from $29 plus a well-masked fee of $14.99". Suddenly, your room is 50% more expensive than the hotel advertised. The difference is the dreaded "Resort Fee". It is mandatory, but never clearly explained.

For the most part, the fees are hidden in fine print, or in "Terms and Conditions" that you have to click through to read. In some cases, we couldn't find any fee explanations on the hotel web sites, so we had to write and ask. On almost all sites, they don't even add them in when they give you a "total" cost for a requested reservation.

What do you get for your "Resort Fee"? In almost all cases, nothing you don't get included in the basic rate at a Super 8 or Holiday Inn. Some give you wireless internet access, whether you want it or not. Before "Resort Fees", you had the option to buy it, and usually for less. At some hotels you'll also get things like free incoming faxes and a gift shop discount. The fees are also explained by the resorts as a way to cover the cost of free self-parking, lounge entertainment, energy, pool access and pool towels.

Below is a comprehensive list of the hotels in Las Vegas that charge resort fees. Be sure to factor in these extra fees before you book a room at any of these hotels.

Aria Hotel at Las Vegas City Center: Aria’s $22.40 (includes tax) per night resort fee goes towards Internet, local and toll-free calls, Fitness Center access, daily newspaper, two welcome cocktails per stay and airline boarding pass printing.

Bellagio Vegas: $20 per night for in-room high speed and wireless Internet, local calls, fitness center access, and airline boarding pass printing.

Boulder Station Vegas: $12.99 per night. You get you wireless internet, local and domestic long-distance calls, a newspaper Monday to Saturday and copy and fax service.

Circus Circus Vegas: $7.95 a night. You get wireless internet, two rides in the Adventuredome, chips and salsa, two midway games, two free drinks, two fitness passes and local and toll-free calls.

Excalibur Vegas: $12.50 per night. You get wired internet, fitness center access, incoming faxes, daily newspaper and local and domestic long-distance calls.

Fiesta Henderson Casino: $9.99 per night. You get wired and wireless internet, local and domestic long distance, daily paper, copy and fax services.

Fiesta Rancho Vegas: $9.99 per night. Gets you wired and wireless internet, local and domestic long distance calls, daily paper, copy and fax services.

Gold Coast Casino: $3 per night. You get coffee makers, fitness center access, valet, self-parking and shuttle service to the Strip and Orleans.

Gold Spike Hotel: $7.95 per night. You get wireless internet, fitness center and pool access.

Green Valley Ranch Casino: $24.99 per night. You get wired and wireless internet, local and toll-free calls, daily paper, fitness center access, shoe shines (tip not included) and an airport shuttle.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino: $18 per night. You get valet parking, Strip shuttle, fitness center access, local and long-distance calls (make a chatty friend in Malaysia), self-parking (so do non-guests) and pool towels.

Las Vegas Hooters Hotel: $7.50 per night. You get pool access, fitness center access, in-room safe and two bottles of water.

Luxor Vegas: $16.80 per night. You get high-speed internet, fitness center access, local and long distance calls and daily paper.

Mandalay Bay Vegas: $20 per night. You get wireless internet, fitness center access, daily paper, local and toll-free calls, outgoing faxes, boarding pass printing and two well drinks per stay (not per night).

MGM Grand Vegas: $22.40 per night. You get high-speed internet, $15 beverage credit per stay (not per night), USA Today, local and toll-free calls and limited business center services.

The Mirage Vegas: $20 per night. You get internet access, fitness center access, daily paper, robes in your room, notary service (you know how often you use that on vacation), printing of boarding passes, faxes, local and toll-free calls.

Monte Carlo Vegas: $16.80 per night. You get wired internet, fitness center access, daily paper, copying and faxing, printing boarding passes and local and toll-free calls.

New York New York: $15 per night. You get high-speed internet, fitness center access, daily paper, local calls and long distance for $0.10 per minute, printing boarding passes and up to five pages of fax.

The Orleans Hotel Vegas: Resort fees are $6 per night. You get a coffeemaker in the room, local and toll-free calls, ten minutes of internet access in the business center and fitness center access.

Palace Station Hotel: $14.99 per night. You get wired and wireless internet, local and domestic long distance calls, airport and Strip shuttles, fitness center access, daily paper, copy and fax services.

Palazzo Hotel: $17 per night. You get internet access, fitness center access (but only the gym part), daily paper and local and toll-free calls.

The Palms: $15 per night. You get local and toll-free calls, $15 in drink credits per day, free valet parking, and some discounts.

Hotel Riviera: $11 per night. You get a bunch of nonsense, including fitness center access, incoming faxes, local and toll-free calls, lounge entertainment, tennis and pool access, pool towels, parking, enrollment in slot club and discounts around the hotel.

Sahara Hotel Vegas: 0

Sam's Town Vegas: $4.50 per night. You get shuttles to other Boyd properties (which are free to non-guests), incoming faxes and local calls. So, yeah, a ripoff.

Santa Fe Vegas Station Casino: $15 per night. You get wired and wireless internet, local and domestic long distance calls, daily paper, copy and fax services. The stations also say you get a gift shop discount.

Silverton Casino: $7.50 per night. You get an in-room safe, local and toll-free calls, shuttles to the Strip and shopping and fitness center access.

Las Vegas Stratosphere: $7.50 per night. You get two-for-one show tickets and access to the tower.

Suncoast Casino: $5 per night. You get an airport shuttle (reservation required), Strip shuttle, fitness center access, coffeemaker, safe and fridge in room and USA Today.

Sunset Station Vegas: $14.99 per night. You get wired and wireless internet, local and domestic long distance calls, fitness center access, daily paper, copy and fax service.

Treasure Island Vegas: $20 per night (plus tax). You get internet access, fitness center access, two-for-one cocktails, daily paper, nightclub admission, VIP free show viewing, local and toll-free calls, printing boarding passes, ten pages of copies/faxes and $20 credit toward a future stay.

Tropicana Hotel: $14.99 per night. You get wireless internet, fitness center access, access to the pool and two-for-one cocktails.

Las Vegas Tuscany: $13 per night. Access to the pool and fitness center, ca coupon book and live entertainment.

The Las Vegas Venetian: $17 per night. You get internet access, fitness center access (gym area only), daily paper and local and toll-free calls.

Las Vegas Westin Casuarina: $11.50 per night. You get self parking, access to the steamroom and sauna, pool access, fitness center access, printing boarding passes, incoming faxes, public notary, local calls and two bottles of water.

Wild Wild West Casino: $4.99 per night. It provides no information and lumps it in as "taxes".

Wynn Las Vegas: $20 per night (plus tax). You get internet access, local and domestic long distance calls and fitness center access.