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.
