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Last year, I was conducting a site tour at a posh, upscale beachfront resort in Florida. I had expressed my concern over attendee reaction to the quoted $15 resort fee, given the fact that the room rate was in the high $200s and most of the attendees would not be using the fitness center or pool.

The sales manager’s response: “Well, we don’t want to nickel and dime our guests, and they appreciate just paying one lower fee instead of a separate charge for everything that would end up costing them more at the end of the day.”

Yes, but isn’t your resort fee a whole bunch of nickels and dimes in the form of a $15-per-day additional charge?, I thought.

Ironically, it seems that the higher the room rate, the more likely you are to encounter a resort fee. But should hotel guests who pay top dollar have to shell out again for those extras that make their stay a little nicer?

That day, I was tempted to stop by the pool and pick up a supply of towels for all 200 of my attendees.

What do you mean I can’t take 200 towels?, I wanted to say. My attendees paid for them. Unfortunately, they can’t lay by the pool because they will be attending an industry conference from 8:30 to 5, followed by a networking reception and then an evening dinner with clients. But it is my responsibility to see that they get the full value of their resort fee. So hand over those towels, cabana boy!

Time to Negotiate

Some planners have negotiated away resort fees or agree to a lower resort fee with a reduced amount of amenities. However, use caution when devising a customized package of amenities. There are bound to be instances where a few attendees fail to get their promised bottled water in the room, etc., and specialized amenity deals are often unbeknownst to the front desk, which may further upset attendees when their complaints are met with blank stares.

For meetings during high season, resorts may be less willing to negotiate the fee. If you are faced with one, check that the combined room rate and resort fee fall within your attendees’ budget. And most importantly, ensure that the resort fee includes items that your attendees value and will actually use.

For example, your attendees have probably encountered the average $10 per day in-room Internet fee that many hotels charge. So if your resort fee includes wired and wireless Internet in their rooms, your attendees may not grumble because they expected to pay for it anyway.

In my case, the $15 resort fee included access to the fitness center, unlimited local calls and toll-free number access, wired and wireless Internet access, daily newspaper, in-room coffee and bottled water, nightly shoe shine, access to the business center, and beach/pool towels. When you consider that the average Internet rate at hotels is $10 and that bottled water in your room can cost as much as $6, hopefully our attendees will perceive that they have received their $15-a-day’s worth, even if they never set foot on the beach or hit the gym. I know I plan to bring all of my shoes to take full advantage of that nightly shoe shine.

Full Disclosure

If your event venue charges a resort fee, it is best to disclose it to your attendees in your hotel information and outline what the resort fee includes. Remember, presentation is key. Do your best to package the services so your attendees perceive value. They still may not be happy, but at least they will feel like they are getting something in exchange.

Resort fees are here to stay for the foreseeable future and we have to learn to live with them. If your efforts to waive the fee are rejected, then it’s crucial to negotiate as much value for your attendees as possible — and hope for a return of a buyers’ market as soon as possible.

About the author: Karen Close

Guest columnist Karen Close is senior events manager with BNP Media/Packaging Strategies in West Chester, Penn. Contact: kwclose@verizon.net