A Las Vegas hotel is advertising rooms for as low as $1 a night — a deal that sounds too good to be true. For many travelers, this is true.
OYO Hotel and Casino, located near the Las Vegas Strip, offers $1 per night off on certain weekdays to guests who log in and enter a promo code. But hidden in the company’s fine print is a trap that’s increasingly common in popular tourist destinations: a mandatory resort fee of about $51 per night(1).
This means that the actual price of a “$1 room” is about $52. It’s still cheap by Las Vegas standards, but nowhere near the overall price.
Consumer advocates and travel influencers say the practice underscores growing frustration among travelers who feel hotels are being misled by advertised prices that don’t reflect what they actually pay at checkout.
According to the View from the Wing promotion breakdown, the resort fee is payable upon check-in and is payable regardless of the lower base rate shown on the booking page (2).
Las Vegas has zero resort fees, but the problem extends far beyond Nevada. Hotels in other vacation hotspots often charge resort or destination fees that are prohibitive for many travelers.
For example, according to Hawaii Vacation Planning Resources, many Hawaii hotels charge resort fees of $40 to $57 per day, adding hundreds of dollars to the cost of a trip(3).
In New York City, some hotels charge more than $50 per night, even though guests may have little opportunity to use amenities during their short stay(12).
A website that tracks resort fees in Las Vegas reports that resort fees will rise 11% in 2025, pushing average nightly costs to over $40, with some Las Vegas Strip hotels charging $50 or more(4). These fees are often considered reasonable because they cover amenities like Wi-Fi, gym or pool use—features that many travelers assume are already included.
OYO’s promotion attracted attention because it took the strategy to an extreme: advertising ultra-low room rates but charging more than 50 times more than the room rate itself.
Travel influencers have been vocal in their criticism. On TikTok and Instagram, some have described resort fees as “the biggest scam in travel” (5), arguing that they skew pricing and make comparisons between hotels nearly impossible.
One influencer explained that resort fees are often used by hotels to reduce commissions paid to booking platforms such as Expedia and Priceline, as these fees are often calculated based on base room rates rather than total costs (6).
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Resort fees have become even more painful at a time when many Americans are rethinking travel due to cost pressures. A recent TravelPulse survey found that approximately 20% of Americans have canceled or postponed travel because it became too expensive (7).
Inflation remains high, with the US Consumer Price Index hovering around 3%(8), putting pressure on household budgets even as wages struggle to keep up. Against this backdrop, unexpected hotel charges can push a trip beyond budget or simply convince travelers to stay home entirely.
In theory, consumers should now have better protections because of new Federal Trade Commission rules that took effect in May requiring hotels and travel providers to include mandatory fees in advertised prices, a move aimed at cracking down on so-called “junk fees” (9).
But execution can be uneven. According to CNBC, consumer advocates have warned that the Trump administration’s budget cuts could weaken the Federal Trade Commission’s ability to regulate violations, which could lead to the continuation of misleading pricing practices (10).
One of the best defenses against resort fee shock is to be prepared. Look for hotels that clearly advertise “no resort fees,” especially in competitive markets where hotels may be more willing to waive resort fees to win bookings.
If you’ve booked a hotel with a resort fee, politely ask if the fee can be reduced or canceled, especially if facilities like the pool or fitness center are closed during your stay. Frommer’s travel experts note that success is not guaranteed, but negotiation can sometimes work (11).
Using a travel rewards credit card can also soften the blow by earning you points for free or discounted nights. When comparing hotels, be sure to calculate all Nightly rates, including fees, rather than just focusing on the base rate.
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OYO (1); Wing View (2); Hawaii Vacation Guide (3); Las Vegas Excursions (4); TikTok (5); Instagram (6); Travel Pulse (7); Trade Economics (8); Dive Inn (9); CNBC (10); Frommer (11); Resort Fee Checker (12)
This article provides information only and should not be considered advice. It is provided without any warranty of any kind.
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