Status: Checked against official sources on 18 October 2026
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is a hotel parking fee?
Hotel parking fee (also self-parking fee, valet fee or garage charge) is the money a hotel bills a guest for keeping a car at the property during a stay. It is normally quoted per night, charged separately from the room rate and posted to the guest's folio, so the room price a traveller sees when booking is rarely the full cost of arriving by car. The amount, the way it is charged and whether the car may come and go freely are set property by property.
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Parking is an ancillary charge, not part of the room rate: it is priced per night or per stay, billed to the room account and settled with the rest of the folio at checkout.
- Self-parking, valet parking and in-and-out privileges are three separate features, and properties price them differently, so a rate comparison should include the parking line as well as the room.
- Loyalty rules decide what an award night covers and which folio charges earn points. At Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas, a Marriott Bonvoy award stay includes the standard room rate and room tax only, and other property charges fall to the member. [2]
How a hotel parking fee works
A parking fee buys the use of a space on the property rather than the use of the room, which is why it is quoted and billed on its own line. Three things usually decide what a guest pays.
Self-parking. The guest drives into the hotel's own garage or surface lot and parks the car, often taking a ticket at a barrier or using the room key to open a gate. It is normally the cheaper option and is charged per vehicle per night.
Valet parking. An attendant takes the car and returns it on request. Valet is usually the more expensive option, is often the only choice at city hotels with small garages, and can carry a time cut-off after which the car cannot be retrieved until morning.
In-and-out privileges. Some properties let a car leave and re-enter as often as it likes on one nightly charge. Others operate a paid exit, so each departure is billed or the ticket has to be validated at the front desk before the barrier lifts. This single condition can matter more than the headline rate for a guest who drives to dinner.
Hotels generally keep parking outside the room rate for the same reasons they keep other extras outside it: the advertised room price stays comparable with rivals, and only guests who bring a car pay for the garage. Some rates and packages fold parking in, which is why a slightly higher room rate can work out cheaper overall for a driver.
How the charge reaches your bill
A parking charge that is billed to the room appears among the incidental lines on the folio, and a guest who pays at an unattended gate or meter may never see it on the room account at all. It is worth checking the folio before checkout, since the same stay can carry parking, a resort fee and taxes on both. A step-by-step list is in the hotel folio and billing checklist.
In Marriott Bonvoy, base Points are earned on Qualifying Charges, which the programme rules define as charges a member incurs during a stay in a guest room at a participating property, as the registered guest, on their folio and for up to two additional guest rooms with the same check-in and check-out dates. The listed examples include qualifying room rates, food and beverage, direct-dial in-room telephone and fax, and in-room movies and video games. [2]
All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy resorts and properties offering all-inclusive packages year-round have their own list: the package charge, premium food and beverage bought on top of the qualifying rate, extra-person charges on paid stays at a qualifying rate, spa, golf and other resort-run activities managed by the property, and taxes, service charges and gratuities that form part of the qualifying room package rate. In certain limited cases, taxes, service charges, gratuities and fees relating to other incidentals charged to the room bill may also be eligible to earn Points. [2]
Are parking fees included in award stays?
An award night pays for the room night, and ancillary property charges sit outside it. Marriott Bonvoy describes Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas as a non-branded property that participates in the programme in a limited capacity, and sets out what an award there covers. [2]
| Item | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Standard room rate and room tax | Included in the Award Redemption Stay [2] |
| Extra-person charges, resort fees, service charges and other property charges | Paid by the member, not included [2] |
Free Night Awards are redeemable at thousands of properties worldwide with varying point values, and Cash + Points rates are bookable at participating hotels, so the room element is priced by the programme while the property bills its own extras. [5] A driver should ask the property what it charges for parking before booking, since that cost is separate from the award.
Exceptions and limits
- Property rules beat programme rules on price. Loyalty terms govern what an award includes and how folio charges earn points; the parking price, garage hours, height limits and valet cut-off times are set by the individual property, so two hotels in the same brand can charge differently.
- Limited and unique participation. Where a property or brand takes part in Marriott Bonvoy in a limited or unique capacity, its own supplemental terms apply, and specific benefits, amenities, offers, awards and services may not be available there even though the programme rules describe them. [2]
- Award stays exclude ancillary charges. At Atlantis, Paradise Island the award covers room rate and room tax only; extra-person charges, resort fees, service charges and other property charges remain the member's responsibility. [2]
- Rules change. Marriott reserves the right to change the programme rules, supplemental terms and partner arrangements with or without notice, including rules for earning and redeeming. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Do Marriott Bonvoy members earn points on hotel parking?
Points are earned on Qualifying Charges, which require a charge to be incurred by the member, as the registered guest, on their folio during a stay at a participating property. [2] A parking charge billed to the room lands on that same folio, but whether it counts as a Qualifying Charge depends on the property and on how the charge is posted, so it is worth checking the folio before checkout.
Is parking included in a Marriott Bonvoy award stay?
Not automatically. At Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas, an Award Redemption Stay includes the standard room rate and room tax only, and the member pays extra-person charges, resort fees, service charges and other property charges. [2] Free Night Awards are redeemed at thousands of properties worldwide with varying point values, and each property handles its own extras. [5]
Do all Marriott Bonvoy hotels handle parking the same way?
No. Properties that participate in the programme in a limited or unique capacity are covered by their own supplemental terms, and specific benefits, amenities, offers, awards and services may not be available there. [2] The price and conditions of parking come from the hotel being booked, so they should be confirmed with that property.
What should I check before booking a hotel with a car?
Confirm whether the rate includes parking or bills it separately, whether the garage is self-parking or valet, and whether the nightly charge allows in-and-out trips. The hotel pre-booking fee checklist lists the fee questions to settle before a reservation, and the folio and billing checklist covers the checkout side.
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Coverage here is limited to Marriott Bonvoy and to the programme's own terms; other hotel programmes, including World of Hyatt, Hilton Honors and IHG One Rewards, are not covered on this page.
- Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- Marriott Bonvoy — redeem points, checked 18 October 2026