I’ve been in the UK corporate heli sector for almost twenty years and come across the full range of landing permission costs, some are free, on a please help yourself basis. One kind owner has even sent me free coffee. Many of the hotels I’ve used in the UK actually do nothing to the ground to show that it’s a designated landing site and unless asked, provide nothing other than someone to collect the fee. Some do have a marked H but some just tell you where they want you to land. The most expensive rip off price I’ve encountered was £750 to land on a school playing field. Their “extra work” consisted of putting down a single dinner plate to mark the landing spot (so the groundsman knew where to look for holes). The school was closed, no staff were on site. To arrange the landing I had to deal with a lady whose official title was “Business generation manager”. Say no more. Obviously, I had to advise the leading passenger of the outrageous cost in advance, which I was surprised to hear was accepted.
One thing that many private pilots fail to do is to gain a written permission from the CAA to land where required at some sites (which obviously costs the operator a hefty fee and the application takes time to process in an office somewhere at Gatwick). Many hotels, by their very nature/location are in what the CAA consider to be a congested area. Gaining permission to breach the 1,000 ft rule prevents the possibility of a conviction for illegal low flying. From personal experience, any complaint to the CAA is likely to be investigated! A complaint against me was made by an ex military pilot who should have known better (he obviously didn’t understand the 500 foot rule doesn’t apply if you are landing or departing, although the 1,000 ft rule does) and although it was investigated it resulted in no action taken because my flight was 100% legal.