Hidden hotel charges: avoid getting stung on holiday

When you’re on holiday, the last thing you want is to be hit with extra fees you weren’t expecting.

Here are some of the most common hidden charges you might come across when booking your accommodation or once you’ve arrived – and some unusual ones you hopefully won’t face.

In this article

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Tourist tax

If you’re travelling in popular tourist destinations, such as Spain, France and the Caribbean, you’ll have to pay an extra fee, on top of your booking cost, when you get to your accommodation. This includes hotels, B&Bs and campsites.

The tax is usually charged per occupied bed or room, per night, and is taken by the hotel on behalf of the government. It can be set at a flat rate or a percentage of the price of the room, and may be different depending on the time of year, the type of accommodation or the municipality. Children may be discounted or exempt.

The fee in France depends on the city but is typically between €0.65 (for a basic campsite) to around €11 a night (for a five star hotel). This would be about 56p to £9. Italy’s taxes generally range from €1 to €5 (86p to around £4) a night, depending on the type of accommodation and the part of Italy you’re staying in.

Most of the Caribbean islands charge a tourist tax between £11 and £38 which may be requested at your accommodation or as a departure fee.

Barcelona’s recently increased the charges for tourists. Back in April 2024, visitors had to pay a €3.25 (around £3) municipal fee on top of tourist tax. As of 1 April 2026 tourists must pay €10 – €15 (around £9 to £13) a night, depending on accommodation type, making it one of the highest visitor fees in Europe.

Featured deal

Santander £240 switch offer

Customer rating 3.9/5

Switch bonus
£240
Perks
8% regular saver
Monthly fee
0
Offer ends
Unknown

FSCS Protected? Yes
Bonus requirements To get the £240 switch offer, you need to complete a full switch with the Current Account Switching Service. Then, within 60 days of your initial switch request, you need to set up two active direct debits, deposit £1,500 into the current account, set up a Santander Regular Saver, and deposit £200 into it.
Regular saver 8% (variable) regular savings account. Includes 5% (variable) bonus for 12 months
Existing customers? You can't have held a Santander account on 1 January 2026.

View Deal

Resort fees

These seem to be more common in America where hotels charge for lots of different services on top of the room rate and taxes.

Resort fees can go by other names such as a destination fee, administrative fee, cleaning fee or utility fee. They usually cover amenities such as wi-fi or gym access, but they’re not optional. You have to pay them even if you don’t use the services. They can be upwards of $34 (£25) per night and they may not be mentioned at the time of booking.

However, if you’re a member of the hotel reward scheme, such as Hilton Honours or World of Hyatt, you may be able to get the fees waived if you book using your points.

You can check if your hotel has resort fees using this online checker.

Many UK booking sites have got better at including these in the price you see listed, though you won’t pay them until you reach your destination.

Mini-bar bill

We all know if you help yourselves to drinks and snacks from the mini-bar you’ll be paying way over the odds. But some hotels charge you for just removing them from the fridge.

The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas states in its terms and conditions that: ‘Movies, snacks, and beverages from mini-bars are available for purchase at the prices available in the suite. Our mini-bars use weight sensors and fees will apply to your account as soon as items are removed from the refreshment centre.’

Some fridges seem to be fitted with sensors which is why the charges are applied as soon as you move the items within it. I’ve also seen reports of guests being charged for simply using the fridge to store their own items.

Luggage storage

If you’ve got some time before hotel checkout and your flight, you don’t want to be lugging your bags around with you until you need to leave.

Every hotel I’ve stayed in was able to store my luggage for free so I was able to have my final wander about town without being weighed down.

However, they don’t all do this. For example, MEININGER Hotels charge €6.65 (around £6) to look after your luggage for up to 24 hours.

Utilities

Some properties will charge guests extra to cover the cost of electricity during their stay. It’s controversial and not all that common, but you may come across it especially in timeshares or some rentals.

If energy isn’t included in the price, it should be set out in the small print.

Be Clever with Your Cash’s senior writer, Zoe, had to pay an extra €40 (£34) for electricity for her two week stay at The Macdonald Dona Lola resort in Spain last year.

She knew about the charges as she’d read the welcome booklet which said: ‘All accommodation is independently metered. The electricity you use will be charged to your account prior to departure, together with a small standing charge.’ However Zoe says lots of the guests hadn’t realised.

Card charges

If you’re paying a bill at the check out desk, make sure you’re charged in the local currency – so euros if you’re in Spain.

If you’re billed in pounds – which is often given as an option – the exchange rate you get is one set by the hotel rather than the Visa or Mastercard one. This is almost certainly a worse rate and can cost you a lot more than a foreign transaction fee.

Of course, you’re a savvy bunch and no doubt have a specialist fee-free card to use in those situations.

If you’re paying ahead of time, you you might still get caught out when using UK booking sites.

Though you’ll see the price you pay listed in pounds (if that’s the currency you selected) when choosing your room, that can sometimes switch to the local currency at checkout – with an accompanying foreign transaction fee. Use the wrong card and you’ll get hit with those extra charges.

Cleaning extras

Years ago I was hit with an unexpected cleaning fee when I arrived at an apartment I’d booked in Barcelona. It hadn’t been in the terms and conditions and I was eventually refunded after I complained.

It’s not happened since and most hotels include the cost of cleaning your room in the price, unless you make a mess. However, do be aware!