Always do this 1 thing after you check out of a hotel
Everything started out as normal. I went to Miami for a conference and stayed in a perfectly adequate hotel. It did not offer coffee makers in the room, so the staff lent me a kettle to make my evening cup of tea. I attended the Wednesday morning sunrise yoga class on the hotel’s rooftop terrace (“free” with my daily $35 — plus tax! — resort fee). I scanned the printed bill at checkout and everything looked fine.
Then, I checked my credit card bill a week later.
There, in my list of transactions, I found not one but two charges from the hotel. One was the amount from my folio — three nights of room charges, plus taxes and the annoying amenity fee. The other was for an additional $32.
Excuse me, what?
I racked my brain. I’m not a minibar girl. After years of being a mom and occasionally vegetarian, you can bet I travel with my own snacks and am not going to pay $5 for a Snickers bar (mass-market chocolate isn’t going to satisfy me for that price). I didn’t break anything. I used the in-room yoga mat, but I’d just paid $100 in amenity fees for that privilege.
What was the extra charge for?
So, I called the hotel to ask and was told it was for taking the umbrella ... as in, the golf umbrella in the corner of the closet that I never touched because it was not raining. Even if I had fallen in love with its stylish logo design and thought it would make an amazing souvenir, the gigantic umbrella would not have fit in my carry-on suitcase.
No, I did not steal the umbrella from my hotel room.
I explained this to the phone representative, who didn’t even protest before she agreed to reverse the charge on my credit card bill. (I’m still waiting to see that reflected in my account.)
But the entire episode got me thinking: Are these accidental charges a common occurrence? And is there a travel takeaway from my experience?
To the latter question, the answer is yes.
My experience is not uncommon
Whenever I have a travel conundrum, the first thing I do is reach out to my colleagues at TPG, who collectively have logged millions of flight miles and hundreds (thousands?) of hotel nights.
Had they experienced these surprise charges?
Yes. Yes, they had.
Senior editor Christine Gallipeau had a Washington, D.C., hotel charge her twice for taxes and fees. Katie Genter, senior points and miles writer, nearly paid 18 euros ($19) extra when a hotel did not apply her food and beverage credit. Senior cruise writer Ashley Kosciolek twice found fraudulent minibar charges, and Caroline English, director of social media and brand, had to confront a Charlotte hotel about a bill for $100 worth of food that she allegedly charged at 3 a.m. (when that tired working mom was most definitely asleep).
But my favorite anecdote came from TPG’s copy editor, Treena Simington, who had to get over $140 in parking fees removed from her last bill. “I was particularly offended as someone who doesn't even drive,” she said.
I’m sure if I reached out to TPG readers, they would have similar tales. With the number of people checking in and out of hotels daily, it’s no surprise that the occasional accounting mistake occurs.
That goes for points, too. Make sure you check that you received any loyalty points you are entitled to for the stay.
Always do this 1 thing after you check out of a hotel
Why am I telling you all this tale? It’s because I want you to adopt one essential practice going forward.
I’m optimistic that you always ask for a printed copy of your hotel folio at checkout and review the charges to make sure everything is correct — especially if you have elite status or other credits and discounts that need to be factored into the total cost of your stay. If you don’t, please start.
But even if you’re already diligent about bill checking on-site, I encourage you to make a point of checking your credit card charges a few days to a week after your stay — once the hotel staff has entered your room and has time to bill you for any items they think are missing or eaten.
That way, you can catch any accidental charges levied after you checked out. It’s easier to contest charges immediately after a hotel stay than much later. Plus, if you forget to look right away, you’re likely to get busy with your daily life and not remember to check — or not remember if the charges are legit or not.
As for me, I will definitely be checking my credit card a few days after checking out of a hotel ... because I definitely don’t need any more $32 ghost umbrellas in my life.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.