Watch out for sneaky hotel fees

Making a getaway for the long Memorial Day weekend?

If a hotel stay is on your itinerary, you'll want to pay attention or you might end up paying more than you want to.

There are the obvious extras, like valet parking, internet, breakfast, or in-room movies.

Then there are fees that can catch guests by surprise at checkout.

That's because, like the airline industry, the hotel industry is getting more savvy about the conveniences guests are willing to pay for, even if they've been free in the past.

According to New York University, hotels collected an estimated $2.1 billion in fees and surcharges from guests last year, almost double the amount collected in 2000.

Consumer Reports says unexpected charges can include:

-- resort fees for athletic facilities and more, whether guests use them or not.

-- fees for an early arrival or late check-out

-- stowing luggage before check-in or after check-out.

-- in-room snacks and water that may appear to be complimentary, until you read the fine print.

In some cases, avoiding fees can be as simple as joining a hotel chain's loyalty program, where perks can include waivers of things like late check-out and in-room snacks.

In others, hotels will bundle perks like in-room movies, activity fees, and breakfast as part of special room rates, so look for those packages when booking a stay.