Dolphin Hotel Rip-Off
 

At the Disney World Dolphin (Sheraton) Hotel we were assessed a "Resort Charge," explained by the hotel as follows: <BR> <BR>"So that we may better serve your needs for comfort and convenience and decrease your incremental expenses we've established the Resort Charge which automatically includes the most requested of these amenities with every guest room. Valued at $12.70 per day, the Resort Charge includes: Daily newspaper delivery, Free local telephone calls and credit card access (up to 30 minutes), In-room coffee, Unlimited access to our Health Club. By providing you with this selection of amenities at the greatly reduced price of just $5.00 per night, we're adding even more value to your stay." <BR> <BR>Saturday and Sunday we received a local paper with so much advertising that the local merchants would have paid us to accept it. Monday through Friday USA Today is furnished. However, any decent hotel furnishes a daily paper without charge. <BR> <BR>Hasn't anyone told Sheraton that local calls are free in almost all hotels these days? <BR> <BR>The in-room coffee was self made, which you find in any cheap motel. <BR> <BR>Show me a first class hotel that charges for use of their exercise facilities. <BR> <BR>It isn't the money, it's being insulted by the hotel pretending to give you a bargain. Put it in the room rate, Dolphin, and cut the baloney.

Ouch! That hurts!

Couldn't agree with you more about the hoodwinking, Rod. It's not the $$, it's the deception that's insulting and upsetting. <BR>Westin was adding an automatic charge a couple years back to fund some humanitarian type cause (which is in itself fine) but you had to read the fine print on the check-in folio to notice or understand what it was. Again, the deceptive approach was what really irked me. They discontinued it in relatively short order, I believe. <BR> <BR>On another note, most places I've stayed lately are back to charging for phone calls...these are &gt;$250 a night type places. And papers don't come with most of the non-package rooms I stay in, it seems. I've also paid some significant $$ to use exercise/health facilities...but this is much more common in Europe. <BR>The Resort Charge scam is going to be a PR nightmare, I would think. Thanks for posting

<BR>thanks for the info. It IS a ripoff; if a guest had a CHOICE and WANTED those amenities, that would be acceptable, but to just unilateraly charge everyone, it's rediculous. Maybe if they get enough negative feedback, they'll discontinue.

If this charge is compulsory and was not disclosed when the room rate was quoted, that borders on fraud. I would have refused to pay it.

It is my understanding (from one of the Disneyworld Vacation forums) that you can refuse the service upon check-in. Several people have also made a fuss upon checkout and had the charges removed...

There's no way I would have paid it -- like you said -- not because of the amount, but because it was deception, pure and simple. I would definitely call the Disney World Resort and lodge a complaint as well -- you can book the Dolphin hotel through WDW so I'm sure they'd like to hear about this deceptive practice (if they're not already aware). If they are aware, they need to know how WRONG it is -- that'll only come with people voicing their objections.

If the hotel was smart, it should add $5 to the room rate, rather than assessing the "Resort Charge." <BR>However, a couple points need clearing up: <BR>1. Most hotels of the Dolphin calibre DO charge for local calls. <BR>2. A $5 fee for use of the fitness facility is a bargain! Most hotels of the Dolphin calibre that have a comprehensive, full-service fitness facility (and I don't mean a Holiday Inn with a little room with a few machines) charge more.

My wife and i stayed at the dolphins sister hotel( the swan ) this month. we stayed on there club floor(royal beach club)and we were charged the resort charge.Club floor rates are $399 per night plus tax,and they have the cheek to levy this charge.These people are just making fools of us. <BR> Ripped off Colin <BR>

Colin: You were foolish enough to spend $399 a night there, and you complain about them charging you an additional $5! Further comment would be superfluous!