⚠️ 6 Hotel Booking Gotchas to Watch For
- Resort/Destination Fees: HIGH Mandatory daily fees of $25-75+ often not included in advertised rates. These cover "amenities" you may not use and are rarely optional
- Non-Refundable Rates: HIGH Discounted rates are often completely non-refundable from the moment of booking. No refund even for emergencies or illness
- Incidental Hold Amount: MEDIUM Hotels place holds of $50-500+ per night on your card for incidentals. These can take 7-14 days to release after checkout
- Early Checkout Penalties: MEDIUM Leaving early may result in charges for unused nights or "early departure fees" equal to one night's stay
- Room Type Not Guaranteed: MEDIUM Specific room requests (view, floor, bed type) are "subject to availability." You may not get what you requested
- Third-Party Booking Restrictions: HIGH Bookings through OTAs may have different cancellation policies and no direct hotel support for issues
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