I don’t like paying hotel resort fees.
After paying the already considerable room rate online in advance, during the check-in process I received a piece of paper informing me that by paying additional (mandatory) fees I could use certain facilities and small savings, many of which I had assumed were included in the room rate, which was an unpleasant addition.
On a recent trip to Las Vegas, I discovered a clever way to use points and miles to eliminate resort fees.
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What is a resort fee?
A hotel resort fee (sometimes called a destination fee, amenity fee) is a mandatory nightly charge that many U.S. hotels now add to advertised room rates. These fees are designed to cover amenities like Wi-Fi, a pool or gym, daily bottled water, and even “amenities” like printed boarding passes. In practice, however, they are often viewed as a way to increase income without raising house prices.
Resort fees typically range from $10 to $50 per night, but some luxury hotels in cities like Las Vegas, New York and Miami charge more. Since these fees are not always included in the prepaid fee shown at the time of booking, travelers may be surprised (and understandably frustrated) by a higher total charge at checkout.
How I use points and miles to save on resort fees
I recently stayed at the Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World. While the mid-week rates were reasonable when paying cash, the weekend I stayed coincided with a major music festival within walking distance of the hotel.
Therefore, room rates are approximately $500 per night. Luckily, you can book every night of the entire weekend for just 75,000 Hilton Honors points.
By redeeming 225,000 Hilton Honors points, I saved about $1,500 on a three-night stay, including room tax (without adding the resort fee), making my Hilton points worth about 0.67 cents each, beating TPG’s November 2025 valuation of 0.5 cents each.
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But the savings keep adding up. Conrad Las Vegas, along with two other Resorts World hotels (the Las Vegas Hilton and Las Vegas Crockfords, LXR Hotels & Resorts), has a mandatory $55 daily resort fee that advertises:
- Guest Internet Access
- Smart TV broadcasting capabilities
- 15% off spa or fitness retail
- 5% off spa or fitness treatments
- 5% off cabin experience
- 5% off on two pool chairs
- Unlimited local and toll-free calls
- Access over 7,000 top newspapers and magazines with the PressReader app
Of these perks, the only one I used was Wi-Fi, which you’d expect any modern hotel to have included in the room rate. Plus, I certainly don’t receive $55 worth of money every day.
If I had to pay $165 during a three-night stay to take advantage of these meager benefits, I would be outraged because I wouldn’t spend more than $3,300 on a spa or fitness treatment to get a 5% discount on $165.
Luckily, resort fees are waived with Hilton Honors award redemptions, so while I get to enjoy these benefits, I don’t incur any additional costs. Therefore, it is important to consider the additional resort fee when booking a hotel stay.
bottom line
While destinations like Las Vegas have been trying to waive resort fees on select promotions (perhaps realizing how unpopular they are with guests), these frustrating fees are here to stay.
The good news is, points and miles not only save you money on room rates, but they also eliminate those pesky resort fees on Hilton Honors redemptions, leaving you with more money in your pocket for the things that matter (like blackjack).
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