Survey: Brits loathe paying for hotel extras

LONDON – Hotels.com has revealed new research that shows British travellers resent having to pay for hotel extras.

LONDON – Hotels.com has revealed new research that shows British travellers resent having to pay for hotel extras.

Topping the list of pet peeves among travellers is having to pay to use Wi-Fi in a hotel. Three quarters (78%) of the 1,815 people surveyed resent having to pay for wireless internet, believing it should be free.

Car parking spaces are viewed as the second most unacceptable extra among nearly three out of four UK travellers (73%) along with paying for a newspaper in the morning (57%).

Bottled water was in the top three list of the things travellers hate paying extra for; 70% of those surveyed said they dislike having to pay for bottles of water left in rooms.

The economic downturn is clearly making cost conscious Brits think twice before reaching for a cold drink in their room. Three quarters of those surveyed (74%) deliberately steer clear of mini-bars preferring to buy drinks and snacks outside the hotel for their room. In fact, 80% of Brits said they feel ripped off by mini bar costs.

Travellers are so wary of extras at hotels, that more than half (56%) will question their bills at check-out.

Top five least wanted hotel extra charges are: Wi-Fi, car parking, bottled water, towels at the gym and toiletries.

Alison Couper, Director of Communications, Hotels.com, comments: “Our research shows UK travellers are becoming increasingly savvy at making their holiday money go further and hotel extras can really add up. It is always wise to check what is included in the rate as there are often great promotions to be enjoyed if you shop around. Sites like ours are currently offering fantastic deals on thousands of hotels around the world so there has never been a better time to make your money go further.”

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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