(this isn't directed at anyone specifically just in general)
This post makes total sense to me. But as someone who has rented thru vrbo.com, skyauction.com, management companies and directly from resorts/hotels, I really wish owners/management would just include the stupid fee in the rate! lol
Then I could compare apples to apples especially when it's for the same resort. All kinds of places do it and I just don't understand it. Some of the DD resorts do this. Like $12.50 a day "resort fee". What? If it's a daily expense and you are charging daily, shouldn't it just be included in the price of the hotel? I know it's just psychological.....I mean, if they include it in the rate, the rate goes up. I get that....but at least it's easy then to look at the bottom line.
And some I know do that and call it "processing fee" to reimburse themselves for the visa/mc % fee.......it's illegal according to their merchant contract with visa/mc to charge a fee. ILLEGAL! And it's done everywhere. I used to be a Visa coordinator for IBM credit union....they can't do it. But they get around it by calling it something else. It ticks me off cause it's the cost of doing business. If you don't want to pay the fee, don't offer visa/mc. My parents tried to do the same thing when they owned a restaurant. They put up a sign saying that there would be a fee for using your cc if you didn't purchase at least $5. I laughed cause I totally get it, but I made my parents take the sign down and stop doing it. If someone reports you, you can get fined and I didn't want them fined.
If you need more money to cover your costs, then charge more. Don't look like you're being competitive with a lower rate, looking like you're giving me a great deal and then charge a "fee" for stuff. I won't rent from owners like that.
Ok. Rant over.