On the leisure side of the industry, fees have become a standard (albeit frustrating) part of the booking experience. Resort fees, destination fees, service charges, and add-ons have become increasingly normalized as consumer decisions are typically emotionally driven and immediate. If a potential guest loves the hotel and wants to experience it, many will accept a few extra line items at check-out.
Group business, on the other hand, is purchased with a great deal of thought, not simply as a transaction. It is planned months (often a year or more) in advance: reviewed by stakeholders, scrutinized by procurement, audited by finance, and compared side-by-side against alternative options, rarely leaving room for surprises. What is considered an acceptable fee for a leisure guest can be a deal breaker for a meeting planner, especially when it scales across hundreds or thousands of attendees.
With this in mind, I am seeing a growing need for properties to rethink how they manage fees for groups—not necessarily to eliminate them but to package, explain, and apply them in a way that aligns with how groups will utilize the hotel.
What Group Planners Are Reacting to Right Now
The biggest tension I’m seeing is not fees themselves, but the combination of fee stacking, ambiguity, and late-stage surprises. Group planners are looking for transparency and value; any “gotcha” costs (particularly after the planner has built budgets and sold the meeting internally) can affect trust and slow decision-making. Adding in a resort fee, a service charge, admin fee, gratuity, A/V charges—the list goes on—can leave a lasting negative impression of the hotel.
Group Packages that Actually Work
The smartest operators don’t fight the fee conversation; they reframe it into group-friendly bundles that translate to value and predictability. Here are the most effective packages I’m seeing:
1. Meeting Essentials Package: A bundled rate that includes meeting room rental (or offsets it), standard A/V (screen, projector, microphones), notepads, water, and Wi-Fi. Planners want an all-in “cost per attendee” they can defend internally.
2. Connectivity Bundle: Enhanced Wi-Fi in meeting space, upgraded bandwidth, and a set number of wired drops for production. Connectivity is essential and expected today. It is now as critical as coffee…charging it a la carte feels outdated.
3. Simple A/V Bundles with Tiering: “Good/better/best” A/V packages that reduce line-item chaos (especially for general sessions). Planners fear open-ended A/V and tiers make costs predictable and faster to approve.
4. Food and beverage: Instead of waiving fees, properties offer a per person F&B credit to elevate group breaks and receptions. It protects integrity while delivering tangible value.
5. Wellness Packages: Hydration stations, reusable bottles, locally sourced items, guided wellness moments, etc. Groups will pay for purpose and a give-back.
6. All-Inclusive Offers: These are a sound option for corporate training programs and smaller conferences that align with how planners budget and compare options. This includes the space, meals, breaks, Wi-Fi, and standard A/V.
Translating Fees
Groups require a different commercial story. To match pricing with group realities, separate the what from the why. If a fee exists to fund amenities, say so but make sure you’re highlighting how it benefits meeting attendees. Beach chairs won’t help a conference get approved, but perks like bandwidth and set-up labor will.
Additionally, groups don’t want to discover charges that were not anticipated. If something must be charged, convert it into an upfront, contractable package instead of an automatic add-on. You will also want to look at reducing the number of line items, making a planner’s internal review and approval process easier. Ten small fees look worse than one clear bundle.
Most importantly, focus on being transparent, consistent and credible. If you are upfront about all costs in the initial proposal, you’ll avoid needing the planner to rework proposals and get “reapproval.” Earlier disclosure allows you to be seen as more credible and trustworthy.
The Bottom Line
Fees aren’t going away, but the way they’re structured for groups needs to evolve. In today’s market, the winning strategy is to bundle strategically, disclose early, and make value tangible.
Because what works for leisure—emotion and spontaneity—doesn’t reliably apply to groups. Groups buy with more sophistication, analysis, stakeholders, and scrutiny. If we want more group business and better long-term partnerships with planners, you have to price and package the experience the way that meets the group needs and experience at the hotel.
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Jamie Bruce is president of Teneo Hospitality Group, a global sales organization that represents 350-plus luxury and lifestyle properties worldwide.
A 35-year hospitality veteran with former leadership roles at One&Only Resorts, Hyatt, and Hilton, Jamie champions collaborative relationships between planners and hotels.
