I wanted to give 5 starsâuntil this happened.
Let me start by saying the apartment itself was lovelyâI was genuinely happy with the accommodation. But unfortunately, my experience was overshadowed by what can only be described as a blatant money-grab disguised as a âdestination fee.â
I had just flown in from the UK and walked straight to the hotel, only to be hit with a $700 chargeâthatâs over ÂŁ500. Yes, they try to soften the blow by offering a $35 food credit, but hereâs the thing: I came to New York to experience the city, not to be forced into buying hotel food just to justify a fee I never agreed to. I was told if I didnât use the credit, Iâd lose it. Thatâs not a perkâitâs an inconvenience, and honestly, a bit of a trap.
Letâs be clear:
An American destination feeâalso called a resort or amenity feeâis a mandatory extra charge hotels add to the base room rate, often claiming it covers things like Wi-Fi or fitness center access. These fees are considered a rip-off because theyâre not included in the initially advertised price, creating a deceptive bait-and-switch pricing model. The U.S. governmentâspecifically the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)âis now stepping in to change this, pushing for laws that require hotels to show the full price upfront so guests arenât ambushed at check-in.
Iâve stayed in New York many times and have never encountered anything like this. I fully understand and accept taxes or a refundable damage deposit. But this was differentânon-refundabl