**Traveler Outraged by Charges for Amenities at Hotel in Morocco**
The “Consumer Champions” segment of The Guardian features an article that grabbed my attention:
> My partner and I spent £2,150 on a week’s all-inclusive getaway in Marrakech with easyJet Holidays.
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> We selected the Jaal Riad Resort Hotel due to its pool and spa. Upon arrival, we were informed that accessing the heated pool would cost £24 per person per hour, the Jacuzzi £24 for 20 minutes, and the hammam was priced at £16 for 20 minutes.
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> These additional charges were not mentioned during booking. EasyJet Holidays dismissed my complaint and pointed me to a line at the bottom of the facilities list indicating that charges may apply. We had intended to use the pool frequently but found the costs prohibitive. If we had been aware, we would have chosen a different place.
The Guardian concludes that this could be illegal, considering these amenities were prominently advertised as part of the holiday experience, and extra fees were not transparently communicated.
In a statement, EasyJet asserted that “we consistently attempt to clarify that the use of hotel amenities might incur extra costs.” The company noted it is reassessing the description to “better emphasize that the use of the spa amenities incurs charges,” and it also proposed a £500 goodwill payment, presumably only due to the publicity garnered through The Guardian.
**Is This Narrative Really as Absurd as It Seems?**
Initially, this narrative left me astonished. For starters, charging for pool access? That appears absurd. Additionally, the fees are outrageous — $32 for an hour in the pool, $32 for 20 minutes in the jacuzzi, and $22 for 20 minutes in the hammam?!
Yet, I believe there’s more to this tale. The account specifically mentions a charge for the heated pool, without acknowledging the existence of a non-heated pool.
From my research — and honestly, this isn’t straightforward, as the hotel’s website has scant information — it seems that there is an unheated outdoor pool alongside a heated indoor pool. The indoor pool appears to be part of the spa amenities, along with the hammam and jacuzzi.
While I wish it were otherwise, it’s quite common for hotels to levy charges for spa amenities, even for guests. What I find most egregious here is the pricing — I can’t fathom how they derive these amounts, as they are preposterous.
Given the hotel’s website providing minimal information, it certainly looks like this hotel is mainly focused on filling rooms via online travel agencies and vacation deals. This also likely fosters a system where they may be more motivated to maximize revenue from each guest rather than providing the best experience possible, in hopes of encouraging repeat visitors.
The reality is that generally, hotels aren’t effective at disclosing which amenities incur additional fees and which are included. I’ve certainly stayed at hotels costing over $1,000 per night where I was later asked to pay extra to use the spa pool, for instance, even if that wasn’t clearly mentioned on the hotel website.
Am I supportive of this practice? Certainly not. However, I also don’t view this as particularly unusual. Naturally, no one desires to swim in an unheated pool in Marrakech during winter. But I also believe that travelers should research what they can realistically expect from a hotel before making a reservation. One should never presume that access to spa facilities is included with bookings.
**Conclusion**
A traveler booked an EasyJet Holidays package to Morocco, only to be dismayed at the charges for various amenities — we’re talking $32 for an hour in the pool, $32 for 20 minutes in the jacuzzi, and $22 for 20 minutes in the hammam. Those fees are outrageous… but they seem to belong to the spa amenities, and it’s not unusual for such services to incur extra charges.
I genuinely think this hotel is deliberately overcharging guests with exorbitant fees for these amenities, as it doesn’t appear they receive many direct bookings. While I’m certainly not a proponent of that approach, and while I would prefer not to stay there, I also feel this serves as a valuable reminder that one should never assume all hotel amenities — especially spa facilities — are included with stays.
I can absolutely understand how this could spoil a vacation, particularly if you’re visiting Morocco in winter with the intention of utilizing a pool, only to find yourself in this predicament.
**What are your thoughts on this EasyJet Holidays hotel situation?**