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I’m a big fan of Hyatt and I make no apologies for believing that the World of Hyatt program is the best major hotel loyalty program around…and by some considerable difference. I am, however, getting more than a little tired of seeing an ever-increasing number of World of Hyatt properties charging guests inexcusable Resort/Destinations fees. It’s also very disappointing to see that a new Hyatt that’s soon to open in Los Angeles will be adding this rip-off fee to most guest’s folios.
The Thompson Hollywood Charges A Destination Fee
The new Thompson Hollywood is set to open on 15 August and is already taking reservations with a (slightly) discounted “Grand Opening” rate available for a few weeks.
As its name suggests, this new Hyatt is in Hollywood (it’s just a short walk away from the W Hollywood), and although this isn’t an area of Los Angeles that I’d choose to stay in if I was a visitor to the city…
…it isn’t the hotel’s location that would be my main reason for choosing not to stay here. My main reason for avoiding this property would be because it charges a “Destination Fee”.
To be fair to the Thompson Hollywood, the fact that it’s going to be charging a rip-off destination fee is made reasonably clear on Hyatt’s booking page (not something that has always been the case with a number of Hyatt properties)…
…and if you are careful to expand the cost of your stay when given the chance, it’s clear that the destination fee will cost a guest $28.92 per night.
So, what do you get for $28.92/night? Well, if you follow the link from Hyatt’s booking page it leads you to a page that has this to say:
“A destination fee of $25.00 plus tax (subject to change) is applied to each night of your stay in order to provide the following services and amenities, which enhance the guest experience. Please contact the hotel directly for more information.”
- Local & Domestic Calls
- Lobby Coffee Offering – Inclusive of Coffee, Whole Fruit and Granola
- Free Package Delivery to Room (up to 5 packages)
- Bottled water available at the desk (2 per day)
- printing and business services, 15 page limit
- Exclusive access to discounts to local attractions and activities
- Universal Studios- 10% discount on ticket sales
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not- 15% on ticket sales
- La Brea Tar Pits
- Natural History Museum
- Madame Tussauds
- Beverly Center, VIP Shopping Experience, up to 20% off
- 15% off at The Record Parlour
- The Now Spa – 10% off services
- The Now Spa – Two Complimentary Experiences (choice of Calm Balm, Deep Tissue
- Shoe Shining – In House
On a positive note, anyone booking using World of Hyatt points will not have to pay this heinous fee, neither will a top-tier World of Hyatt Globalist member regardless of the rate they’re staying on, but that doesn’t get us away from the fact that the Thompson Hollywood thinks it’s ok to use services that almost no one needs or plans to use (local and domestic calls, free package delivery, and, printing and business services), amenities that are either usually free or that entry-level elite status holders get for free (bottled water and shoe shine services), and discounts on tickets that you can get from dozens of places for free as an excuse to charge guests $28.92 for every night they stay.
It’s possible that someone staying a single night, who uses the spa, buys something at the Record Parlour (whatever that is) and who drinks enough lobby coffee for 10 people may come close to getting some value out of this destination fee, but for most other people it will just be another charge that offers them next to nothing. This is a rip-off fee and as many people as possible should be made aware of this.
Bottom Line
The Thompson Hollywood will be opening its doors on 15 August but unless you have top-tier World of Hyatt status or are making a booking with points, I suggest you stay away. There is no justification for the $28.92/night destination fee that the property is set to charge (most of its guests) and the sooner we get people boycotting properties that choose to add these deceptive and ridiculous fees to guest accounts the sooner we may start to see properties rethinking their pricing policies.
All images of the Thompson Hollywood are courtesy of Hyatt
Charleston Hyatt Place has a destination fee… but it’s only $2.28 per night. Not exactly sure what it covers though.
I just stayed at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco this past week and paid $25/night for a destination fee.
So glad I’ll be able to make local and domestic calls from my room! Thank you Thompson Hollywood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will not stay at a property charging a “destination fee” or “resort fee” period! Both are a total ripoff! It’s almost always possible to avoid these fees with a bit of shopping.
I also always give the offending GM a call to advise why I will be staying elsewhere.
Hyatt now charges a fee for late check out, i think, its $50.00 up to 3P. What used to be free. Im not surprised by this. They are a democrap company.
[…] few weeks before the Thompson Hollywood opened I called it out for levying an indefensible “destination fee” on most cash bookings (World of Hyatt Globalists do not have to pay the destination fee on most cash bookings and all […]
[…] the $30 + tax nightly destination fee that the property is set to charge (most of its guests) and as I said when discussing this exact issue with the Thompson Hollywood, the sooner we get people boycotting properties that choose to add these deceptive and ridiculous […]