Nickel and dime guests for amenities: exploring guests’ perceptions of resort fees

Resort fees refer to a mandatory daily surcharge imposed on guests for services and facilities. Although about 10% of U.S. hotels charge resort fees, there is a dearth of empirical studies on resort fees. Thus, this study takes an interpretative phenomenological approach and investigates guests’ view of resort fees. Based on data from https://www.TripAdvisor.com/, guests’ perceptions of resort fees are identified in three stages: the moment they learn about this fee, the assessment of quality, availability, variety, and usage of amenities during their stay, and the evaluation of the overall hotel stay experience. Practical and theoretical implications are suggested.