While many hosts simply operate their business from their standalone home, some have opted to be part of a larger complex that includes amenities. As a result, an amenity fee has popped up on some short-term rental listings. Traditionally, the amenity fee is something that hotels and resorts charged. However, since it has dripped over into the vacation rental industry, it’s important to familiarize yourself with what these fees are and how they work. This guide will explain all you need to know about an amenity fee as a host.
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What is an amenity fee?
An amenity fee is a charge that typically covers the cost of making certain amenities available to guests. For example, it could cover the cost of pool cleanings, gym maintenance, landscaping in green spaces, bike rentals, or other resort-style amenities. However, it’s not a “catch-all” type of fee to cover the expense of hosting guests. Rather, it should be clear what exactly the amenity fee is covering. For example, if you’re charging a $30 amenity fee, be clear on what it’s for. Say that this amenity fee covers access to the pool, hot tub, and gym. Of course, some hosts should wrap this up in their total nightly fee.
What is the difference between an amenity fee and other vacation rental fees?
An amenity fee is specific to providing guests with access to various amenities during their stay that offer them direct value. Here’s how it compares to other types of fees:
| Fee | What it covers |
| Amenity fee | Access to amenities or services, such as a pool, gym, parking, beach equipment, or bikes |
| Cleaning fee | The cost of cleaning the property between guests |
| Pet fee | Additional cleaning or wear-and-tear costs that come with allowing pets |
| Service fee | Fee charged by a booking platform or property manager for processing a reservation |
| Security deposit | Money held to cover potential damage or other issues during a guest’s stay |
| Resort fee | Typically the same as an amenity fee, just a different name |
Should I charge an amenity fee?
Just because you have amenities doesn’t necessarily mean you need to charge an amenity fee. In fact, for many hosts, it may make more sense to build the cost of those amenities into the nightly rate rather than adding another line item to the guest’s total payment. Consider if you’re paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year to maintain an amenity; a fee could help offset those costs. On the other hand, if the amenities you’re offering are relatively inexpensive to maintain, adding a separate fee may not be worth the annoyance some guests will have with it.
An amenity fee makes the most sense when you’re offering something guests genuinely value. For example, a vacation rental in a resort community with a pool, hot tub, fitness center, tennis courts, and private beach access has a very different amenity package than a standalone home with Wifi and a few board games. If an amenity is one of the reasons guests book your property in the first place, there’s a stronger argument for charging a fee to help maintain it. If you are charging an amenity fee and a guest doesn’t feel like your property delivers an experience worthy of it, they might not choose to book with you simply because of the fee. As a result, an amenity fee could cause you to lose out on prospective guests and ultimately income.
How much should an amenity fee cost?
There isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” answer to how much an amenity fee should cost. It all depends on what your specific property is offering and the location. A good place to start is by looking at the actual cost of your amenities. Add up expenses like how much your pool costs to maintain, gym maintenance, etc. Then, consider your typical annual occupancy rate.
For example, if your property’s amenities cost $3,000 per year to maintain and you expect 150 booked nights, that’s about $20 per occupied night in amenity-related expenses. You could use that figure as a starting point when determining your fee. Of course, you need to see how much your competitors are charging in the area and consider the perceived value of your amenities. Meaning, do guests actually see value in these amenities that they’d be willing to pay an extra fee for?
According to NerdWallet, amenity and resort fees typically range anywhere between $15 and $50 per night. This August 2026 report shared that resort fees were as follows for some popular brand-name hotels:
- Wyndham: $25 per night
- IHG: $32.57 per night
- Hilton: $33 per night
- Hyatt: $33.80 per night
- Marriott: $36 per night
While these are hotels, they can serve as a starting point for figuring out where your property and the value of your amenities fall.
Final thoughts
An amenity fee can be a useful way for short-term rental hosts to offset the cost of providing and maintaining amenities that guests value. But before adding one to your listing, make sure the fee actually makes sense for your property, your guests, and your market.
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!
