Leslie - I'd like to clarify a few things for you...

1) The resort fee includes much, much more than internet, pool, parking, local calls and 1 snack per day! It is not a hidden fee as you state - it's mentioned on every site out there, in big bold print, and it includes the following:

* covered parking (other hotels in the area charge up to $45/night just for parking!
* Internet (other hotels in the area charge up to $22.95!)
* long distance *and* international calls (other hotels charge up to $20/minute just for a call to London or Sydney!)
* unlimited bottled water (other hotels charge up to $12 per bottle and are sneaky, placing it right within reach so that you wake up at night from a deep sleep and start drinking it so you get charged!)
* unlimited "late night munchies" minibar - not just one snack from a list, you can have a bunch of snacks (other hotels charge up to $12 for jelly beans in a little baby-food size jar)
* in-room Keurig coffee machines with regular and flavored *liquid* creamer (other hotels use coffee pots that not only get washed with the same brush as the tub/shower/sink/toilet, and usually give you just one packet of sugar and one packet of awful powdered creamer)
* morning newspaper (at the desk, since hardly anyone reads a real newspaper anymore),
* access to our fitness room (yes, it's just cardio equipment and free weights and kettle bells) AND access to UltraFit Boot Camp with a personal trainer for an hour (usually $90/hr but free for our guests), access to Gold's Gym Elite (a day pass costs $20, but free for our guests)
* four pool passes for visiting friends (usually $10/each)

Compared to other area hotels, you can see you're getting a lot for your money, and 99% of our guests really enjoy everything they get for the fee. Of course, we'd love to not charge any fee, but rates at hotels are still below 1997 levels, while airfares have gone way up. Just think of how much per hour you spent to fly to your destination, and how awful your seat, service, and food were... now think of your hotel room per hour and what it includes. Even with this fee being fully disclosed, we are still sold out every Saturday of the year, sometimes weeks in advance, and many other days of the week as well.... so you can see that a lot of people understand the value in this fee.... of course we could get rid of the fee and start charging for all the other things, but then people would just be upset with that, probably more than the fee.

3) Pool privacy - you mention the room windows facing the pool... I'm not sure where you would like having the pool placed so that you couldn't see it from a guest room window? We're the only hotel in central Phoenix that has a pool located in between our four buildings.... every other hotel in the area has a pool along a noisy, busy road (not relaxing for you) where people can watch you from their cars while sitting in traffic, OR has a pool that's visible from a dozen high-rise office buildings so that people who are working at their desk and who are in meetings can all comment on your tan-lines, bathing suit, and body. Our pool is very private, and does not have traffic noise.... and has the world's largest glass water-wall - over 60 feet wide and 2 stories tall and covered in silver, it not only shimmers beautifully, but sounds like a mountain stream was transported from Sedona to Phoenix... it's very soothing.

Sorry that you did not enjoy your stay - but for the sake of other readers, I had to set the record straight.... I understand your frustration but not your anger and hostility. Did you bring this up with anyone? My mobile number is available at the desk, and I can be called 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to make sure that you're enjoying your stay - if you have problems that the staff cannot resolve, call me... I'm there for you!

Sincerely,
Ben Bethel
Owner/General Manager