[ad_1]
If you've already booked a Marriott hotel room by doing comparative online shopping, chances are you've paid too much and DC wants the Bethesda, Maryland-based company to be more transparent about it. regarding its rates and fees.
The Attorney General's office filed a complaint Tuesday against Marriott International Inc. for charging what it called "deceptive resort fees."
These fees, also called "licensing fees" or "destination fees," usually appear when a customer is about to book a room. They are located in the Taxes and Fees section, leading customers to believe that these fees are government-imposed fees, rather than fees paid to Marriott, said the Attorney General's Office of the Republic of China.
Other charges against the company include not disclosing the actual price of hotel rooms and misleading consumers as to the actual price paid by the service charge.
D. Racine Attorney General Karl Racine said that Marriott practices "drip pricing."
Customers who buy hotel rooms online see the price of a room; But hotels, such as Marriott, do not tell them of the substantial price increase when service fees are added at the end, Racine added.
"Hiding the real price of hotel rooms is the purpose of this business," he said.
Deputy Attorney General Jimmy Rock said price deception is bad for consumers.
"They compare prices based on the initial price, which does not include service charges. So when you access Expedia and Priceline, Marriott makes its rooms more competitive than they really are, "said Rock.
Fees can range from $ 9 to $ 95. "Add to that the price you initially posted … so you plan to get an extra 30 to 50 percent," said Racine.
The lawsuit stems from an investigation by attorneys general in 50 states and later on pricing practices in the hospitality sector. D.C. has been asked to investigate Marriott, but other states assigned to other hotel companies will decide whether to sue other companies.
D.C.'s complaint concerns residents of this category who have booked at a Marriott hotel and who have been affected by this type of charge. The Office of the Attorney General of the Department of Defense claims that Marriott has violated the district's consumer protection procedures.
He is asking Marriott to change its practices, grant restitution to CD consumers and pay the fines and penalties owed to D.C.
Consumer Reports consumer group praised DC's complaint against Marriott, saying that hidden service fees were becoming more commonplace in the industry and it was difficult for travelers to make comparative purchases .
"The Attorney General of the Republic of China is right to fill the void and continue this case. Hotels should be required to disclose all fees up front so travelers can find the best deal and know exactly how much they will pay, "Consumer Reports' Anna Laitin said in a statement.
"(Marriott) found that this additional revenue-generating method literally went to the bottom of the costs. For them, it became an extremely cost-effective way to add money to their income. Go, go ahead, but be transparent with consumers, "said Racine.
WTOP contacted Marriott, and a spokesman said the company was not commenting on the ongoing dispute.
Megan Cloherty from WTOP contributed to this report.
Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to start a conversation about this article and others.
© 2019 WTOP. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located in the European Economic Area.
[ad_2]
Source link