6 Hotel Fee Lines to Check Before Booking a Summer Trip

Travelers should review resort fees, service fees, cleaning charges, parking costs, and checkout totals before booking summer lodging. New FTC rules require more transparent pricing, but careful review still helps avoid expensive surprises – Shutterstock

Summer travel season brings sunshine, road trips, beach escapes, and one very unwelcome travel companion: surprise hotel fees. A room that looks like a bargain on a booking site can suddenly cost much more once extra charges appear during checkout. Those last-minute additions often turn a carefully planned vacation budget into a frustrating guessing game.

The good news is that travelers now have more protection than ever. In late 2024, the Federal Trade Commission announced a bipartisan rule that requires hotels and short-term lodging providers to clearly disclose the total price, including mandatory fees, when advertising lodging prices. The rule targets pricing tactics that hide costs until later in the booking process and makes comparison shopping much easier.