Hospitality Union Protests Deceptive Resort Fees at Seattle Hotel Association Meeting

UNITE HERE Local 8, the union representing hospitality workers in the Pacific Northwest, staged a protest outside the Seattle Hotel Association’s fall membership meeting to express their opposition to the practice of adding resort fees to hotel room rates. They argue these fees can be misleading and unjust.

Major hotels in large U.S. cities such as Seattle, including those run by Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott, often levy these additional charges for services that guests may not want or expect to pay extra for, such as internet access, landline phone usage, postcard postage, and personal grooming services.

These resort fees contribute to hotels’ annual revenue of $3.3 billion. However, guests are often unaware of what they are paying for or do not use these services.

According to an industry survey, these mandatory resort fees can increase the cost of a hotel stay by an average of $38 per night.

Anita Seth, President of UNITE HERE Local 8, expressed concern over this practice by comparing it to airlines’ charging methods. She suggested that these extra charges are simply a way for hotels to increase their profits while offering guests little to no additional value.

During the protest, hotel workers displayed a banner with the message “Honk if you hate resort fees”. They distributed leaflets to passersby, informing them about what they termed the “Resort Fee Ripoff.”