3 Hotel Chains With Top-Tier Amenities and No Resort Fees

Resort fees have become one of the most frustrating aspects of hotel booking. These mandatory charges—often called "destination fees" or "facility fees"—can add $30 to $90 per night to your bill, even though they're not included in the advertised rate. They supposedly cover amenities like Wi-Fi, pool access, or fitness centers, but let's be honest: these should be included in the room rate.

NerdWallet analyzed more than 100 U.S. hotels with December 2023 check-in dates and found that — among hotels that charge resort fees — the average nightly fee was $38.82. Over a week-long vacation, that adds up to over $270 in junk fees.

But while these mandatory yet hidden resort fees remain common, some major hotel brands already offer lavish, resort-style amenities without fees.

These three major hotel chains don't charge resort or destination fees at all:

Free food is the star of the show at Drury Hotels. Breakfast, which typically consists of hot items like scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage, is free.

In the evening, there’s the 5:30 Kickback, which serves free drinks (including beer and wine). Drury also serves snacks that could qualify as a full meal. Exact menu items vary by day and location but include meatballs, mashed potatoes, sliders, hot dogs, pasta and grilled chicken.

Nonedible amenities include pools at most locations, free Wi-Fi and 24-hour access to the fitness and business centers.

While even the cheapest Disney vacation is notoriously expensive, you at least won’t encounter resort fees when staying at a Disney-owned hotel.

Disney operates resort fee-free hotels at each of its six campuses worldwide, including Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii. (That particular Disney offering makes for one of the best Oahu hotels without a resort fee.) However, at Disney’s hotels in Asia (found at Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney and Tokyo Disneyland), a service charge of 10% to 15% is added to your final bill — a common practice throughout Asia.

Benefits for Disney World hotel guests include free theme park parking and extended hours to spend in the theme parks.

At Disney’s California hotels, resort amenities include large family-friendly pools and early theme park entry. Visitors at Aulani enjoy resort features like five pools, a private beach, classes, nature walks, movie nights and pool parties — all without resort fees.

Ovolo Hotels is a Hong Kong-based chain operating boutique properties in Australia and Asia.

Some amenities, such as free Vespa rides at the Bali location, are unique to specific properties. Then there are standardized perks across all properties, including free breakfast, free self-service laundry, a gym, a complimentary in-room mini bar, candy in the lobby and a snack bag offered at check-in.

While Ovolo doesn’t charge resort fees, there is one stipulation to get all those benefits for free: You need to book directly on the Ovolo website, rather than through a third party such as Expedia or Priceline.

Even within major chains that generally don't charge resort fees at most locations, individual properties can vary wildly in quality and amenities. Most of the time, you get exactly what you expect — a reliable, predictable experience. But occasionally, you'll stumble upon a property that transcends its brand entirely, delivering boutique resort experiences at chain hotel prices.

Here are two exceptional examples within the Marriott family that demonstrate what's possible when a chain property overdelivers:

SpringHill Suites Napa Valley

Most SpringHill Suites are perfectly nice, functional properties near highways or business districts. They're reliable for free breakfast and clean rooms. The Napa Valley location is playing an entirely different game.

This property sits alongside vineyards and offers a complimentary wine tasting hour, fire pits for evening relaxation, a heated outdoor pool with actual cabanas and a whirlpool. Rooms include mini-fridges and microwaves for storing leftovers and reheating food.

The real differentiator? No parking fees and no resort fees. In Napa, where competing hotels routinely charge $30-50 for parking and $40-50 in daily resort fees, you're saving $70-100 per night compared to similar properties. Over a three-night stay, that's $210-300 you're not hemorrhaging on junk fees — money that could buy a lot of good wine.

Courtyard by Marriott Oahu North Shore

Most Courtyard properties are solid, predictable business hotels near airports and convention centers. The Courtyard by Marriott Oahu North Shore location captures authentic surf culture, ocean views, beach access and a laid-back Hawaiian atmosphere that makes you forget you're staying at a chain brand.

The property delivers the amenities you'd expect from a beach resort — pool, beach access, that coveted North Shore location — without the corporate blandness typical of the brand. And crucially: no resort fees. On the North Shore, where resort fees at competing properties easily top $40 per night, that's real money saved.

These properties prove that even within chains known for consistency, location and management can create exceptional experiences. They're the crown jewels of their respective brands, offering resort-quality amenities and locations without resort fees.

Whether or not you use the resort amenities, resort fees are still mandatory at the hotels that charge them. But sometimes you can get out of paying them. Here’s how:

Book on points (at certain hotels): Some companies won’t tack on resort fees if you book on points. Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt loyalty programs do not charge resort fees on award stays.

Hold elite status: Sometimes hotels waive resort fees for members with high levels of elite status. Hyatt, for example, won’t charge you if you have Globalist elite status.

Just ask: While not guaranteed, sometimes asking (nicely) might get you out of a resort fee — particularly if you have a strong case (e.g., you checked in at 9 p.m. and checked out the next morning at 9 a.m., hence couldn’t possibly have taken the free hula classes).

Don’t patronize businesses that charge them: Even in high-tourist areas, there are usually lodging options that don’t charge resort fees. For example, a couple of Las Vegas Strip hotels (and many more off-Strip hotels) have no resort fees. Consider booking those instead of the ones with fees.