A $500 fee for being American and other absurd hotel surcharges
Nick Pilolla thought he’d made a reservation at the Renaissance Aruba Beach Resort & Casino through Otel.com, a European travel website.
HOTEL
Hang on — are you sure your hotel’s closed for the season?
When Steve Broman tries to check in to his hotel, he finds that it’s closed for the season. Now Hotels.com won’t give him a refund until it can confirm the hotel is closed. How long should he have to wait?
New tipping traps you need to know about now
When it comes to tipping, beware of the words: “for your convenience.”
Unnatural disaster: What to do when your hotel doesn’t have room
The deadly storms that left large swaths of the East Coast without power just before the Fourth of July holiday provided an uncomfortable lesson to hotel guests like Ken White: Always call to confirm your reservation — especially when the place you’re visiting is reeling from a natural disaster.
Where does the clever hotel wordplay cross the line?
The surcharged seemed like nothing to Andy Fixman — a “trivial amount” he says. But it meant everything to him.
Their valuables disappeared from the hotel safe — and so did the hotel safe
How safe is the safe in your hotel room? If you’re Steve DeLucia, not as safe as you think.
His SeaWorld vacation is sunk — where’s his refund?
If you want to save a little money on your next SeaWorld vacation, booking a package might be a good move. That’s what Jim Strasbaugh thought when he found a two-day package at SeaWorld Orlando through SeaWorld Vacations.
Are energy fees about to make a comeback?
The Oyster Bay Beach Resort is a highrise hotel in St. Martin that promises guests white sand beaches, “breathtaking” views of the Caribbean and a “paradise found.”
Do I deserve a refund after volcanic eruption?
When Chile’s Puyehue volcano erupted last fall, prompting airlines to cancel numerous flights, Donna Vogeler-Boutin decided her planned Christmas vacation in Bariloche, Argentina, would be too risky.
Disney promised me fireworks! Where are the fireworks?
It may sound insignificant, but to Mona Ogden, the fireworks at Disneyland are a big deal. She even spent $900 to upgrade into a “club-level” room at the Disneyland Hotel on a recent visit because they promised “a view of the Disneyland Park fireworks show from above with in-house soundtrack.”