Lastminute.com undisclosed resort fee

EB

I am due to travel to NYC this week and booked a hotel through lastminute.com. in September 2019. As the holiday has drawn closer I've noticed on TripAdvisor that the hotel charges around $39 a night as a "resort fee". This is for use of the gym, business centre, local calls and "free wifi". None of this was disclosed at the time of booking (and won't be used as I use 3 mobile), the only additional cost I was made aware of is a city tax. I spoke with lastminute.com in January about the booking and the customer service chap said all additional costs will be shown in the confirmation and if it not on the confirmation then I don't have to pay it. I have since noticed that lastminute.com are disclosing that approximately £30+ is due at the hotel per night and payable locally if I were to make a booking the hotel today for alternative dates. I don't want to be faced with conflict on check in/check out and charged a further £150+ for a 5 night stay. What are my rights? Are lastminute.com responsible for not disclosing the costs? Can I negotiate the resort fee at the hotel?

Westin

Lastminute.com seem to take their hotel inventory from third party bed bank suppliers or hotel groups rather than directly contract with hotels. As such the hotel descriptive copy and often images is uploaded directly from that third party.  I have a feeling that their t&c’s will make mention of LM not taking responsibility for errors and omissions of third party supplied information.  

These extra ‘resort’ fees are a terrible blight especially when you are not going to a true resort and when the inclusions are irrelevant or not used. Sadly however in some areas it is becoming a way for hotels to grow revenue to replace the rate displayed for the advertised room. As consumers we all want and shop on best price. The lower prices getting our attention, this horrid practice is the outcome. Remember when you flew and your baggage, meal, drinks and seat assignment was included?

I suspect that the hotel will be expecting and requiring you to pay the resort fee upon arrival.  

If you believe the resort fee was not mentioned then I would ask LM to contact the hotel or their supplier in advance of you travelling and get something in writing that as it was either not displayed or was a recent additional cost introduced post booking that the fees would be waived.  I however suspect LM will not be that open to doing this as quite honestly their customer service has become quite questionable since they were taken over a few years ago by Bravofly.  
You could perhaps also do this yourself if you email the hotel, especially if you believe the resort fee was either introduced after you booked or that the hotel supplied description was incorrect.

MATTR5

If you booked by phone ask to hear a recording of the call 

Alan_Bowen

The hotels in New York will not negotiate on resort fees, they take a swipe of your card and bill you accordingly. As you didn't book directly with them, their reply will be that you have to take it up with the agent. 

jonesMUFCforever

I know this is not what you want to hear but you are going to have to pay this.
Whether they disclosed it or not - you will have to pay it because even if they cancelled your booking and refunded your money you would still have to pay on your next booking.
I have not recently been to NY so cannot comment on whether the hotel will partially refund some of it, if the services they are supposed to cover is not right.
Having been to Vegas several times we have had some of the resort fees refunded when pointing stuff out to the hotel staff.

George_Michael

MATTR5 said:

If you booked by phone ask to hear a recording of the call 

As the booking was made about 5 months ago then even if it was via the phone, there is a good chance that any recordings are long gone.

TELLIT01

Resort fees in the USA are simply a way for them to generate additional income.  Even tour operators who mention them generally simply state that it is a fee levied locally and must be paid direct to the hotel.  They often give no indication of the amount.  I'm not aware of any way of avoiding them, other than not staying in a hotel which charges them.