Hospitality Fee Disclosure & Perceived Fairness Survey

Welcome to this survey about fees and charges at hotels, resorts, and other hospitality properties. This survey takes approximately 11 minutes. Your participation is voluntary and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers — we are interested in your honest opinions and experiences. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate. Your individual answers will not be linked to your identity. By continuing, you consent to participate in this research.

Have you stayed at a hotel, resort, vacation rental, or hostel in the past 6 months?

• Yes
• No

For the following questions, please think about your most recent stay at a hospitality property within the last 6 months.

What type of property was your most recent stay?

• Hotel
• Resort
• All-inclusive resort
• Vacation rental
• Bed and breakfast / inn
• Hostel
• Other

How many nights was that stay?

• 1 night
• 2 nights
• 3–4 nights
• 5–7 nights
• 8–14 nights
• More than 14 nights

Which of the following appeared as separate line items on your final bill? (Select all that apply)

• Service charge
• Resort / destination fee
• Cleaning fee
• Local taxes
• Credit card surcharge
• Mandatory gratuity
• Parking fee
• Other
• None of these

When did you first learn about these additional fees?

• Before booking (search/results page)
• During booking (before payment)
• In the confirmation email
• At check-in
• At checkout
• Not sure / Don't recall
• Not applicable — no additional fees

Before you checked out, did the displayed price include taxes and mandatory fees?

• Base price only (taxes/fees extra)
• Included estimated taxes only
• Included taxes and mandatory fees
• Not sure

Overall, how clear were the descriptions of the fees on your bill?

Overall, how fair were the additional fees for your stay?

How likely are you to return to this property given your experience with fees and charges?

How did the added fees affect your trust in the property?

Approximately what percentage of your total bill consisted of added fees and charges (excluding the base room rate)?

• 0% — no added fees
• 1–5%
• 6–10%
• 11–15%
• 16–20%
• 21–30%
• 31–40%
• More than 40%
• Not sure

Please rank the following factors by how much they determine whether fees feel fair to you, from most important to least important.

1. Disclosed early in the process
2. Clear description of what the fee covers
3. Amount is reasonable
4. Provides clear value or benefit
5. Fee is mandatory vs. optional
6. Ability to opt out or avoid the fee

What, if anything, did you do to avoid or reduce fees for that stay? (Select all that apply)

• Chose a different property
• Booked directly with the property
• Asked to waive or reduce a fee
• Changed dates or shortened stay
• Selected a different room or tier
• Accepted the fees as listed
• Not applicable

At what point in the booking process should mandatory fees be fully disclosed to guests?

• On search/results pages
• On the room/property detail page
• Before the payment step
• Only after booking (confirmation)
• Only at checkout

Based on your responses throughout this survey, what would make fee disclosure feel transparent and fair to you?

We'd like to understand more about your experience with checkout fees. An AI moderator will ask you a couple of follow-up questions based on your responses.

What is your age?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65 or older
• Prefer not to say

What is your gender?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Prefer not to say

What is your region of residence?

• North America
• Latin America & Caribbean
• Europe
• Middle East
• Africa
• Asia
• Oceania
• Prefer not to say

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Some high school or less
• High school or equivalent
• Some college / associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Postgraduate (master's / doctoral)
• Prefer not to say

What is your current employment status?

• Employed full-time
• Employed part-time
• Self-employed
• Student
• Homemaker / caregiver
• Retired
• Unemployed
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for completing this survey. Your feedback will help improve fee transparency and guest experiences across the hospitality industry.