What Is a Resort Fee?

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How it works

A property first defines a package of on-site amenities and services to be covered by the fee. This daily fee is then automatically added to every reservation for the duration of the guest's stay.

The existence and amount of the fee are disclosed during the booking process, although its prominence can vary. At check-out, the total accumulated resort fees are included on the final invoice alongside room charges and taxes.

Why it matters

While more common in hotels, some large vacation rental complexes adopt resort fees to cover shared amenity costs and create an additional revenue stream. For individual hosts, understanding this fee is crucial for competitive positioning, as marketing a property with transparent, all-inclusive pricing can be a powerful differentiator.

By building a direct booking channel with a tool like the Lodgify website builder, hosts can control their pricing narrative and explicitly market their properties as having 'no hidden fees.'

Examples

• A beachfront resort in Miami charges a $50 per day resort fee covering two beach chairs, poolside towel service, and high-speed internet. A guest staying four nights pays an extra $200.
• A ski lodge in Aspen implements a $35 daily 'winter activity fee' that includes ski valet service, a shuttle to the ski lifts, and access to the heated outdoor pool.
• A condo owner lists their unit on an OTA. Because the condo is in a large resort community, a mandatory $25 per day 'community amenity fee' is automatically added to every booking to pay for access to the clubhouse, tennis courts, and lazy river.