Marriott sued in D.C. over ‘deceptive’ resort fee policy
More strife for Marriott International.
The D.C. attorney general is taking aim at the company for its ‘deceptive resort fees.’
AG Karl Racine’s office filed a complaint accusing Marriott of unfair ‘drip pricing.’
"Hiding the true price of hotel rooms is what this case is all about," he said.
"They comparison-shop based upon that initial price, which doesn’t include the resort fee. So when you go to Expedia and Priceline, Marriott is making its rooms appear more price competitive than they truly are."
On its official hotel websites and third party OTA platforms the resort fee only becomes apparent under the ‘Taxes and Fees’ section.
This gives the impression they are government-imposed fees, Racine said.
The lawsuit is part of coordinated investigations by attorney generals in 50 states.
The D.C. attorney general’s office was assigned Marriott while other state AGs will likely bring actions against other hotel chains.
It alleges that Marriott has violated the Consumer Protection rules and is seeking restitution for local consumers and a change to a more transparent pricing policy.
Investigations found resort fees can range from $9 to as high as $95 per night.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025