Resort and destination fees are now common add-ons in big U.S. hotel markets, even when a property is not a traditional resort. They are charged per room, per night, and usually face local lodging taxes.
Hotels often bundle Wi Fi, gym access, credits, or local tickets into a required daily charge that shows up late in the booking flow. The fee is owed whether those perks are used, so the value can vary widely.
In 2024 and 2025, some operators raised these fees again, and others posted future effective amounts for new bookings on hotel policy pages. The result is a larger gap between the headline rate and the total paid at checkout, including taxes too.
1. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas shows repeated resort fee hikes at scale. MGM Resorts raised resort fees again on December 4, 2024, pushing Bellagio, Aria, Vdara, and The Cosmopolitan to 55 dollars per night plus tax.
The same round increased other MGM Strip hotels to 50 or 45 dollars, depending on the tier, which signals a broad pricing reset rather than a single hotel change. Coverage also noted that MGM had raised resort fees earlier in January 2024.
On a three-night stay, a 55 dollar fee adds 165 dollars before tax, so the all-in price can jump even when the room rate looks stable during sales. For longer conventions, the fee can exceed the cost of one extra night.
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, especially Waikiki, has moved toward some of the highest resort fees in the country. The Royal Hawaiian increased its daily resort fee to 52 dollars starting in December 2024.
The property lists a 52 dollar per room resort fee before tax, charged at checkout, confirming it is not optional. Reports have noted that 50 to 60-dollar daily fees are now normal across Waikiki and other Hawaii beach districts.
Because the fee is fixed, a five-night stay adds 260 dollars before taxes, even if the guest skips activities or already has mobile data for the internet. When room rates dip, the fee becomes a bigger share of the bill.
3. San Francisco, California
San Francisco hotels have leaned into destination fees that function like resort fees in an urban setting for downtown travelers. Stanford Court lists a 38-dollar nightly Nob Hill destination fee, effective June 1, 2024, and it is subject to San Francisco occupancy tax.
The fee is tied to bundled amenities such as a fitness center and bike access, but it is charged per night regardless of use. Mandatory fees like this can reduce the value of discounted room offers.
If the stay lasts four nights, the fee alone adds 152 dollars before tax. Because it is taxed, the final add-on is higher than the posted 38 dollars and local tourism levies, increasing the effective nightly rate.
4. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston’s Seaport and convention corridor has added destination fees that raise the real nightly rate for events and business travel. The Westin Boston Seaport District notes that, effective January 1, 2026, rates are subject to a 40 dollar daily destination fee plus tax.
The hotel lists inclusions such as local tickets and daily food and beverage credits, but the fee is still mandatory and can exceed what a guest actually uses. The policy also states the package is subject to change.
On a five-night stay, 40 dollars per day adds 200 dollars before tax, which can erase the savings from corporate rates. Travelers should total the base rate, fee, and taxes before booking.
5. San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio shows how destination fees are spreading beyond coastal hubs into fast-growing city breaks. Thompson San Antonio Riverwalk lists future changes, stating that bookings on and beyond December 1, 2024, receive a 25 dollar daily destination fee, applied to each room.
The fee is presented as funding services and amenities, but it is charged automatically per night. Even when a traveler chooses a lower-priced room category, the fixed add-on stays the same.
For a long weekend of three nights, the fee adds 75 dollars before taxes. In a market known for value hotels, this policy shift pushes totals closer to larger coastal city pricing and raises overall trip budgets.
6. Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix hotels are adopting destination fees as convention demand and winter travel stay strong. Hyatt Regency Phoenix lists future changes stating that bookings on and beyond August 1, 2025, carry a 25 dollar daily destination fee applied to each room of the stay.
Fees of this kind are billed regardless of whether a guest uses the included perks, so the charge operates as a price floor. Because it is a per-night add-on, it scales directly with trip length.
A six-night conference week adds 150 dollars before tax, which can exceed the cost of airport transfers. Budget plans should include the mandatory fee when comparing hotels around the convention center.
7. Washington, DC
Washington, DC, continues to normalize daily destination fees at large downtown hotels used by conferences and government travel. Grand Hyatt Washington lists future changes, stating that bookings on and beyond November 1, 2025, have a 30 dollar daily destination fee applied to each room.
The fee is described as supporting services and amenities that improve the stay, yet it is still required. For travelers on per diem limits, the fee can tighten meal and transit budgets even when rates look compliant.
At 30 dollars per night, a four-night trip adds 120 dollars before tax. When the fee is taxed, the total climbs further, so the posted room rate alone is an incomplete estimate.
8. Houston, Texas
Houston’s downtown business hotels have added scheduled destination fees, reflecting a wider move in large U.S. metro markets. Hyatt Regency Houston Downtown lists future changes, stating that bookings on and beyond February 1, 2026, have a 20 dollar daily destination fee, plus a recovery fee of 5.25.
Even at a lower headline amount than coastal cities, multiple mandatory add-ons can change the total. The destination fee is applied to each room per day, so it grows with every extra night booked.
A five-night stay adds 100 dollars from the destination fee alone, before tax and before the separate recovery fee. Reading the policy avoids unexpected charges at checkout.
9. Frisco, Texas
Frisco, Texas, shows that destination fees are moving into suburban business and sports travel nodes, not just big downtown cores. Hyatt Regency Frisco Dallas lists future changes stating that bookings on and beyond March 1, 2026, carry a 20 dollar daily destination fee applied to each room.
Because the fee is flat, it can weigh more heavily on cheaper shoulder season rates. Guests paying for youth tournaments or weekend events may see the add-on as a meaningful share of the nightly cost.
For a two-room family staying over three nights, the fee alone adds 120 dollars before tax. That math is easy to miss when only one room rate is compared in a search filter.
