BBB Advises Consumers To Be On The Lookout For Undisclosed Vacation Fees

The summer travel season will soon be here, and that means many people are looking forward to vacations. Chances are, some of you already have been hunting for vacation bargains online.

The Better Business Bureau is warning travelers to be on the alert for undisclosed fees that some resort owners don’t tell you about until you check in – or in some cases, when you check out. Fees may be for cleaning, daily newspapers, Internet access, recreation center use or other items. Some fees are mandatory, and a few may be for optional extras.

The Federal Trade Commission calls this “drip pricing.” This occurs when companies advertise only part of the product’s price and reveal other charges as the customer goes through the buying process.  Types of firms that use drip pricing include Internet merchants, automobile dealers, financial institutions and rental car companies.

Consumers have complained that the fees either were never mentioned or appeared separately from the quoted reservation price on the online booking site.

The FTC has warned at least 22 hotel operators about the practice.

The BBB has the following advice for travelers who want to avoid undisclosed hotel resort fees:

• Carefully read terms and conditions – When booking online, look for fine print which may disclose whether additional fees may be added to the nightly cost of a room.
• Contact the hotel in advance – After you have done your comparison shopping online, call the hotel or resort directly to find out what additional fees may apply and whether they can be waived if the amenities are not used.
• Reconfirm upon check-in – Bring a copy of your booking receipt when you check in, and verify the total cost of your booking.  It is much easier to negotiate in advance rather than at checkout, when you may be in a rush to get to the airport. If you are told that additional charges may be placed on your credit card for resort fees, make sure the hotel customer service representative or manager understands your concerns and makes a note in your file if you wish to opt out.
• File a complaint – If you feel that the hotel or other provider failed to disclose mandatory fees, you may file a complaint at www.bbb.org.

Consumers can learn how to protect themselves or find BBB Business Reviews and charity reviews by calling (314) 645-3300 or by going online to www.bbb.org.

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