by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 8:35 PM ET, Mon April 17, 2023
PHOTO: An elegant Marriott hotel logo. (photo via Flickr/Jose Carlos Cortizo Perez)
Marriott International must pay a $225,000 fine in Pennsylvania for failing to adhere to a settlement that required informing consumers about “hidden” resort fees.
Pennsylvania State Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the fine as part of what her office described as a new agreement with the hotel giant.
According to a press release issued by Henry’s office, Marriott International has agreed to the terms of a court order requiring that it comply by May 15 with a 2021 settlement regarding transparent disclosure of resort fees. That means the company must improve how it provides information about the fees and do a better job of making consumers aware of these additional costs during the booking process.
The agreement comes after Marriott had been granted multiple extensions in order to come into compliance with the 2021 settlement and failed to meet the latest deadline, which passed in February, Henry’s office said.
“What we asked of Marriott, and what the settlement demands, is simple: be up front with consumers and do not hide fees for hotel stays,” Henry said in a statement. “I am thankful that Marriott has agreed to comply with the terms of settlement agreement without the need for litigation.”
Marriott Hotel in Chicago (photo via RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images)
Marriott, said Henry’s office, often practices what is known as “drip pricing” where resort fees, destination fees, facility and amenities fees, and other similar fees, are not listed in the total price of the hotel room until a consumer is in the final steps of the purchasing process, or upon check-in.
The original settlement agreement required Marriott to clearly and conspicuously list any mandatory fees at all steps during a consumer’s booking process. Marriott will now have pay the $225,000 for failing to comply with the 2021 settlement and the multiple subsequent extensions.
"Marriott International has long been committed to ensuring that any resort/destination fees charged by hotels are separately and clearly stated," a Marriott representative said in a statement reported by Travel Weekly. "We have been working to update our technology and the room rate display to further enhance the way these fees are disclosed. We will be making changes to the display by May 15, 2023, per our agreement with the State of Pennsylvania."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter here.
Topics From This Article to Explore
