A woman on her honeymoon in Hawaii said her hotel charged $200 for a poolside chair among other “resort fees” that left her with a huge bill. She stayed at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel in Honolulu, and the evidence of “corporate greed” at every turn led her to warn other travelers to take their post-wedding trips elsewhere.
Some fear that this nickle-and-diming by U.S. companies is going to hurt tourism.
$200 to sit by the pool
Travel TikToker @funkshe has recently been on her multi-national honeymoon, ending in the Waikīkī neighborhood of Honolulu. She was having a swell time until she got the bill at the end of her stay and noticed over $500 in “resort fees” for things she didn’t ask for or enjoy.
“Dude, travel in the U.S. is dead, and it’s all because of corporate greed,” she said.
“There’s a daily resort fee of $52 plus tax per room per day. The following amenities are included: Fresh flower or coconut lei greeting upon arrival for two guests per stay—which we didn’t ask for because the flower was itching my neck.”
Other “perks” included freshly baked banana bread muffins (which she called “sh*tty), refillable water bottles with the hotel logo on them, internet access (which they already got as Marriott Bonvoy members), and something called “daily cultural activities.”
“Guess what’s not included?” the TikToker challenged. “The actual beach chairs.”
According to the traveler, the lounge chairs up next to the pool or on the beach cost $200 to reserve. Imagine paying $200 to sit in a chair. And that’s on top of mandatory resort fees, which are on top of the cost of the expensive room.
She did clarify that they have free chairs you can sit in near the pool, but they charge for the best spots.
“Go to any other country for your honeymoon, for your vacation,” she concluded. “Save your hard-earned cash and do that because in the U.S. you’re never going to feel welcome as a guest.”
“Third World country with a Gucci belt”
The TikToker’s followers expressed horror and outrage at this latest fee among a nation of fees. Folks are already going broke thanks to Ticketmaster, but the extent of the consumer squeezing is starting to sound like a heavy-handed joke. It’s making us look bad.
“That’s why they say America is a Third World country with a Gucci belt,” said @imyeokai.
Meanwhile, @seandekodaphillip theorized that “tourism is down and they’re taking it out on anyone that can afford to go.”
While @funkshe gained 1.5 million views with her TikTok video, it did even better on X, netting 7.3 million from a @WallStreetApes repost. There, Americans started advising each other to ditch America.
“Go to Vietnam,” @thangdcao recommended. “Free beach, free chairs, 5-star hotels will serve you like a king.”
“I keep telling people, when you leave the US you realize how much better you can live,” wrote @RicanLink_.
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