We typically stay at this resort on a yearly basis and always have a good time. The service is outstanding and the rooms are well maintained. It is nice and close to Calgary and Nakiska ski area is super close. We were given a spacious room in the signature tower and were more than happy with the food. No, its not top notch as many other reviewers cite, but overall the selection and quality were good. I also like that people can bring their dogs to the hotel. There is a lot to do if you are a family as there is a couple of skating rinks, paved paths and daily entertainment activities.
Unfortunately, out check-out ended up on a low note. When I assessed our bill, I noticed a fee of about 3% ($22.47CAD) charged to our bill. It was titled DMF-Destination Marketing Fee. This was not included in the quoted in the taxes and fees when we originally reserved the room online. It was a surprise cost that we were not told about. So naturally, I thought I would do some investigating. I asked the front desk clerk what it was for and she became instantly nervous. She claimed that it was a mandatory fee that all customers had to pay as of January 3 of this year and that the money went to pay for infrastructure within the town of Kananaskis. As it turns out, this is not exactly the case. I contacted the CEO of Tourism Canmore/Kananaskis, the organization which collects and spends the fee, and he informed me that the money is supposedly spent on marketing via social media for the entire region. He sent me a link to some fancy website. Anyway, since we as guests are paying for this marketing, I thought that I would be privy to data that explains, just how our money is spent. Not so. The members, who I assume are hotel managers in the area, are the only ones who have access to this info. Here is a direct quote, "Our member companies pay an annual fee and elect a board from with the membership. We do publish an annual report and audited accounts which are both presented and distributed to our members". This is totally sketchy. And since the organization is considered non-profit, they probably have access to government grants and such, though they are not actually accountable to the government. What are they hiding? Why do they feel entitled to pass the cost onto their customers?
These are the reasons I am angry 1) I was not informed about the DMF upfront 2) When I asked, the front desk was not knowledgeable, nor did they offer to remove the cost from my bill 3) By writing this review, I am providing marketing directly for the hotel and indirectly for the region and the hotel pays me nothing for it. Yet, I had to pay $22.47! In Ontario, this fee is voluntary and I can ask to have it removed from my bill. Apparently, not in Alberta. Certainly, not at the Delta. It is not about the fee as much as the way they went about it. If I knew up front what I was paying I wouldn't have questioned it.
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