subject: How To Avoid Extra Hotel Fees [print this page] If only the price advertised on the web site or the price the front desk person says is the rate would be the final rate. Instead, there are always extra taxes and extra fees for every little thing.
Just a few examples of extra charges could be taxes, a charge for room service and Internet charges. Most hotels in Fargo ND also charge to use the phone when it is not a local number.
Below are some tips for avoiding extra charges at hotels. These little costs add up and can be a big surprise at check out time. The following tips will help keep that "$149 dollar room" at $149.
The first thing to think about is Internet. Although most hotels do not charge for Internet these days, some do charge an access fee or a fee per day of use.
Be careful. Just because a hotel says it has free high speed Internet does not mean it offers free Internet in the rooms. Although some hotels offer free high speed Internet in each room, some only offer "free" Internet in the lobby.
When in doubt about Internet, just ask. It's better to know ahead of time than to rack up the bills checking email. Sometimes it's wiser to just head across the street to a restaurant or coffee shop where there is free wireless Internet access.
Another good way to really rack up a hotel bill is to drink all the booze in the mini fridge. Although the champagne and beer might look like a nice gesture, how does an extra $100 sound as a nice gesture?
Hotels will even charge guests for the bottled water and candy offered in the mini fridge. It's there because they want you to consume it so they can charge more. It's a good idea to just pack personal snacks or to use the vending machine down the hall, which will be a lot cheaper.
Seriously, a Kit Kat bar is not worth $3, is it? And water is water. It's 99 cents at the gas station or $4.50 at the hotel. Take your pick.
Another way the hotel will snag money from its guests is to charge a ridiculous amount for common household items people forget. They may charge $5 for a tiny tube of travel toothpaste simply because they know travelers will pay it. Who's going to go without brushing their teeth?
Hotels get away with charging $4 for two tablets of over the counter pain medicine. In the store someone could get a whole bottle for that price! To avoid charges like these, remember to pack extra toiletries, Advil, etc.
Room service is not a surprise, considering most people are aware it is already overpriced. But, remember that usually the tip is already included in the bill, so don't tip again! The person delivering the food is not going to say anything when they are the one receiving the tip.
It's almost always cheaper to just eat at the hotel restaurant or better yet, to walk across the street to the gas station and buy food there. Even eating at another restaurant is a good idea.
