Booking sued by Texas over hidden hotel fees

Thursday, 15 Aug, 2023 0

Texas has sued Booking Holdings for what it says is deceptive hotel rate display practices.

It misleads customers by ‘omitting mandatory fees from the advertised room rate’ the Office of the Attorney General of Texas says.

“For years, Booking has duped unsuspecting Texans by omitting mandatory fees from the advertised room rate,” the lawsuit states.

This ‘thwarts comparison shopping and allows Booking to lure unwitting consumers with artificially low room prices.’

It posted an example in the suit.

The JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa was advertised for $409 a night on Booking.com.

However, when clicking to finalize the booking, it costs at total of $546 with $56 hotel fee and $81 in taxes.

Various hotel chains have faced similar ‘misleading pricing’ legal action in several states, especially over resort fees.

Texas has sued Hilton and Hyatt, while Marriott recently reached a settlement.

Action has also been taken at the federal level by the Biden Administration.

Along with Booking.com, Booking Holdings owns Priceline, Kayak and Agoda.

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.

The Florida Keys and Key West is a 126 mile long string of Islands connected to South Florida by the...

Babble is a leading technology business that is reimagining how we do work. Founded in 2001, the company works with...

River cruising is a treat for the senses, allowing you to see, touch, feel and experience the world like never...

City Cruises is a leading operator of sightseeing, dining and charter services operating in London, York and Poole. We offer...

We work with reliable data providers with global coverage, that guarantee data representativeness as well as compliance with International Personal...

Our leadership is bold. Our agility thrives on open innovation and we embrace the new, whether it’s diversity, trends, challenges....

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 93 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives,...

Princess Hotels & Resorts is a hotel chain specialising in holiday and urban hotels located in first class tourist destinations,...

Welcome to Eurail! Your official sales channel for Eurail Passes—you won’t find a better one-stop shop to spark your curiosity....

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. FOR THOSE WHO WANT A LITTLE MORE. South Australia. It’s a beautiful place. A place for the restless,...

The Polish Tourism Organisation (Polska Organizacja Turystyczna – POT) is one of several dozen national tourism organisations operating in the...

ITB Asia, Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show, is an annually held B2B trade show and convention for the travel industry; it is designed...

IHG Hotels & Resorts: Redefining Hospitality Excellence IHG Hotels & Resorts is a globally renowned hospitality company that stands at...

We understand the importance of personal touch We do things a bit differently at Eventsquid. We know that we could...

It’s easy to find perfection in Santa Barbara, but what if there was even more of your favorite finds, activities,...

SAINT LUCIA IS NO ORDINARY ISLAND Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her...

The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance visitors’ experiences by providing information, resources and trip planning tools...