How can I avoid resort fees when I’m staying in New York?

Simon Calder on resort fees, travel agents and more strike complications

City limits: bear in mind that a trip to the Big Apple could cost more than you expect (Getty)

Q I’m about to book a trip to New York at the end of next month and have seen a charge for “resort fees” at about $40 per night. Are these fees compulsory, and are there any hotels that don’t charge them? Seems to be a bit of a hidden, but significant, additional cost.

Bridget H

A Resort fees are a pernicious scourge of travel to New York City and Las Vegas. They are simply ways to flatter a hotel’s apparent value: finding a decent Manhattan hotel room for under $200 (£153) is a welcome deal – until you find that $40 extra, usually along with taxes to inflate it still further.