Beach vacations should feel like paradise, not a financial ambush waiting to happen at checkout. Unfortunately, many coastal resorts have turned adding mysterious charges into an art form that would make a magician jealous.
While new federal rules now require upfront disclosure of these fees, they still exist and can turn your dream getaway into a budget nightmare. Here is a list of 20 beach resorts where hidden charges lurk around every palm tree and poolside cabana.
Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
This massive Waikiki complex hits guests with a $59 per night resort fee, making it one of the highest in Hawaii. The fee supposedly covers internet access, fitness center use, and cultural activities, but most guests question whether these basics should cost extra.
With over 3,000 rooms, this resort collects millions annually from fees that feel more like a hidden tax than added value.
MGM Grand Las Vegas, Nevada
Don’t let the desert location fool you—this resort features multiple pools and a lazy river that rivals any beach destination. The $45 daily resort fee covers amenities like Wi-Fi and gym access that most hotels include for free.
Guests pay a $44.22 nightly resort fee—proof that even artificial beaches come with real charges.
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Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Florida
This iconic oceanfront property pioneered the luxury resort fee game and continues charging guests for basic services. The Miami Beach location adds daily charges for internet, pool access, and fitness center use—amenities that should come standard at a five-star beachfront hotel.
Guests often discover these fees only when checking out, adding hundreds to their final bill.
Luxor Las Vegas, Nevada
Take, for example, the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, which is a seemingly budget-friendly hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Rooms on some nights in December 2024 are advertised at less than $25. But then there’s a $45 daily resort fee, which amounts to more than the base nightly rate.
The Egyptian-themed resort features elaborate pools and beach-like areas, but the fees often exceed the advertised room rate.
Grand Wailea Resort, Maui, Hawaii
This sprawling Maui resort charges a $50 daily resort fee that covers everything from internet to pool towels. The property features an elaborate water complex with slides, grottos, and lazy rivers, but guests pay extra for amenities they assume are included.
Many families find the fees particularly shocking when multiplied across multiple rooms and extended stays.
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Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Nevada
A daily resort fee of $55, plus applicable tax, will be added to your room account for each complimentary (if applicable) and purchased room night. This newer Strip property features elaborate pool areas designed to mimic beach resorts, complete with daybeds and cabanas that cost extra beyond the mandatory fees.
Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
This tropical-themed resort features an 11-acre beach area with real sand and a wave pool, but charges a $45 daily resort fee on top of room rates. The artificial beach setting features a lazy river and multiple pools, yet guests are charged extra for Wi-Fi, fitness center access, and local calls.
The resort fee applies whether you use the beach amenities or stay in your room all day.
Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Waikiki, Hawaii
The Royal Hawaiian will increase its nightly fee to $52 starting December 2024. Known as the ‘Pink Palace of the Pacific,’ this historic beachfront hotel charges premium fees for its prime Waikiki Beach location.
The daily charge covers amenities like internet and cultural activities, but guests often feel nickel-and-dimed at one of Hawaii’s most prestigious properties.
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Planet Hollywood Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
This Strip resort transforms its pool area into a beach-like experience but charges one of the highest resort fees in Vegas. Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Las Vegas Resort fees: $52.10 per accommodation, per night.
The fee covers basic amenities that most hotels provide for free, making the total cost significantly higher than advertised rates.
Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Big Island
Fairmont Orchid recently raised its resort fee to $48 per night. This oceanfront resort on the Kohala Coast charges daily fees for services like internet and fitness center access that guests reasonably expect to be included.
The property features beautiful beaches and multiple pools, but the extra charges can add hundreds to a week-long stay.
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, Hawaii
The $50 resort fee at Hyatt’s Andaz Maui in Hawaii gets you a lei greeting, free snorkel equipment and GoPro rentals, and free lessons in ukulele, hula, stand-up paddleboarding, and coconut husking. While this resort offers more activities than most, the $50 daily fee still surprises guests who assumed these beach resort amenities were included in the nightly rate.
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Excalibur Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
This medieval-themed resort may not scream ‘beach,’ but its pool area and lazy river create a resort atmosphere that comes with a $40 daily fee. Excalibur Hotel & Casino Las Vegas Resort fees: $39.68 per accommodation, per night.
Budget-conscious travelers often choose this property for its lower room rates, only to discover the fees make it comparable to more expensive options.
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort, Hawaii
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa costs $45 per night. This sprawling resort on Kauai’s south shore features saltwater lagoons and beautiful beaches, but charges daily fees for internet, fitness center access, and other basic services.
Guests at this luxury property often express frustration about paying extra for amenities that should be standard at such an upscale destination.
Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
Alohilani Resort also charges $50 per night, joining Andaz Maui at the top tier of resort fee pricing. This modern Waikiki hotel features stunning oceanfront pools and direct beach access, but the daily resort fee covers basics like Wi-Fi and fitness center use.
The property markets itself as a luxury destination, yet nickel-and-dime guests for standard hotel amenities.
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Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, Nevada
Encore At Wynn Las Vegas Resort fees: $51.02 per accommodation, per night. This ultra-luxury resort features elaborate pool areas with European-style beach clubs, but charges premium fees for services that should be complimentary at such an expensive property.
The daily charges cover internet, fitness center access, and newspaper delivery—amenities most five-star hotels provide without extra cost.
Hotel Wailea Maui, Hawaii
Hotel Wailea Maui charges $40 per night in resort fees. This adults-only property on Maui’s south shore positions itself as an intimate luxury retreat, but still charges daily fees for internet and fitness center access.
Guests paying premium room rates often feel blindsided by additional charges for what they consider basic hotel services.
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort, Hawaii
The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa sets its resort fee at $49 per night. Located directly on Waikiki Beach, this resort charges daily fees that cover amenities like internet, fitness center access, and cultural activities.
The beachfront location commands high room rates, making the additional daily charges particularly frustrating for guests.
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Montage Kapalua Bay, Maui, Hawaii
Montage Kapalua Bay maintains its $50 per night charge, with additional costs for valet parking. This luxury resort on Maui’s northwest coast features pristine beaches and world-class amenities, but charges premium daily fees on top of already high room rates.
Guests paying thousands per night often express shock at additional charges for services they assumed were included.
Koa Kea Hotel & Resort, Kauai, Hawaii
Koa Kea Hotel & Resort is charging $45 per night. This boutique oceanfront property on Kauai’s south shore features a beautiful beach setting and luxury accommodations, but charges daily fees for internet and other basic services.
The resort’s intimate size doesn’t protect guests from the industry-wide trend of adding mandatory daily charges.
Aston Waikiki Beach Tower, Hawaii
Aston Waikiki Beach Tower charges $45 per night in resort fees. This beachfront property in Waikiki offers apartment-style accommodations with full kitchens, but still charges daily fees for amenities like internet and pool access.
Guests staying in units with kitchens often find that the daily fees eliminate much of their intended savings.
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The Real Cost of Paradise
These resort fees represent a fundamental shift in how the hospitality industry operates, transforming what were once complimentary services into profit centers that can add 50% or more to advertised rates. While new federal transparency rules now require upfront disclosure, the fees themselves remain as entrenched as ever, proving that even paradise comes with a price tag that extends far beyond the nightly rate.
Smart travelers now budget for these charges as carefully as they plan for airfare and meals, recognizing that the true cost of a beach vacation lies in the fine print as much as the headline price.
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