Service charge at hotel booked as package

Donut1958

Hi, we booked a holiday to Aruba through Tui.  After contacting the hotel with some queries, they tell us that we have only part paid our accommodation and they will be charging us a 16% service charge on arrival which amounts to over $300.  The description of the hotel on Tui website did not indicate in anyway that there would be additional charges at the hotel apart from a refundable deposit against breakages.  They are now saying it's not their fault and hotels can do whatever they want to.  Does anyone know if Tui has to declare information such as this on their website?  

Thanks

daveyjp

Donut1958 said:

Hi, we booked a holiday to Aruba through Tui.  After contacting the hotel with some queries, they tell us that we have only part paid our accommodation and they will be charging us a 16% service charge on arrival which amounts to over $300.  The description of the hotel on Tui website did not indicate in anyway that there would be additional charges at the hotel apart from a refundable deposit against breakages.  They are now saying it's not their fault and hotels can do whatever they want to.  Does anyone know if Tui has to declare information such as this on their website?  

Thanks

TUI Ts and Cs.

The local authorities in certain countries may impose additional taxes (e.g. tourist tax), which generally have to be paid locally. You are responsible for paying such additional taxes.

You will need to argue with TUI that a service charge isn't a tax.

la531983

Sure it isnt a "tourist tax"? These are never paid through package holiday providers in my experience. 

swingaloo

Same thing happens in Las Vegas but TUI do tell you about this when you read the hotel details in the case of Vegas hotels. However in LV the charge applies to every hotel where perhaps in Aruba it doesn't yet.

IvanOpinion

I read somewhere that tourist taxes in Caribbean range from 8-18% (of hotel cost?).
I think the article said Aruba was about 12%.
I have also seen it presented as a flat amount.
There is a $20pp sustainability fee in Aruba which I believe is in addition to the existing $3 environmental fee.
Too many taxes!

400ixl

swingaloo said:

Same thing happens in Las Vegas but TUI do tell you about this when you read the hotel details in the case of Vegas hotels. However in LV the charge applies to every hotel where perhaps in Aruba it doesn't yet.

It doesn't apply to every hotel in Las Vegas, it is mainly the ones on the strip that charge it.

Aruba does have tourist taxes and sustainability taxes which will be the responsibility of the tourist to pay and in addition to they package costs unfortunately. As these can change or are only collected locally / externally most packages exclude thse from their price. It is the travellers responsibility to understand local taxes and check if they are included unfortunately.

TELLIT01

These additional charges (resort fees) are becoming more and more common, particularly in the USA and countries where people from the USA make up the bulk of the clientele.  I have seen hotels in America charging $50 or more PER NIGHT for things I would expect to be just a normal service.

swingaloo

400ixl said:

swingaloo said:

Same thing happens in Las Vegas but TUI do tell you about this when you read the hotel details in the case of Vegas hotels. However in LV the charge applies to every hotel where perhaps in Aruba it doesn't yet.

It doesn't apply to every hotel in Las Vegas, it is mainly the ones on the strip that charge it.

Aruba does have tourist taxes and sustainability taxes which will be the responsibility of the tourist to pay and in addition to they package costs unfortunately. As these can change or are only collected locally / externally most packages exclude thse from their price. It is the travellers responsibility to understand local taxes and check if they are included unfortunately.

I think its fair to say that TUI should have included the info. They do include it in thee case of the Vegas hotels but not in the Aruba ones. Someone who has never encountered the surcharges  and isn't a frequent traveller probably wouldn't expect the charge if its not stated in the brochure and it s their first visit to Aruba.

martindow

The OP reads to me as if it is not a tourist tax.  A service charge seems to be something that Tui should include as part of the holiday cost.  It seems analagous to a package holiday being sold for a certain price and then expecting the customer to pay the VAT as an extra.

Have you contacted Tui to see what they say?

Hoenir

 It seems analagous to a package holiday being sold for a certain price and then expecting the customer to pay the VAT as an extra.

Nothing to do with VAT. It'll be a fee levied by the hotel for items such as the provision of beach towels, internet access, daily resort activities and fitness classes. Irrespective of whether you use them or not. Hotels etc being able to charge whatever they want. 

NoodleDoodleMan

The only tourist tax we've encountered (to the best of my knowledge) is in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza as imposed by the Balearics government - then you are charged the relevant Spanish national tax (10%) on top of that - a tax added to a tax