HARRISBURG– Attorney General Michelle Henry announces a new agreement with Marriott International, Inc. for the hotel chain’s failure to comply with a previous settlement by informing consumers of “hidden” resort fees.
Marriott has agreed to the terms of a Court Order requiring it to comply, by May 15, with the settlement agreement from 2021. Marriott is now required to be fully transparent about mandatory fees, including resort fees, for consumers booking hotel stays.
The latest agreement comes after Marriott had been granted multiple extensions to come into compliance and failed to meet a February deadline.
“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,” said Attorney General Henry. “I am thankful that Marriott has agreed to comply with the terms of settlement agreement without the need for litigation.”
The original settlement agreement requires Marriott to clearly and conspicuously list any mandatory fees at all steps during a consumer’s booking process. Marriott often practices “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.
Marriott will make a payment to the Office of Attorney General totalling $225,000 for its previous failure to bring its disclosures into compliance by the agreed upon date and subsequent extensions.
The Stipulated Motion that will require a Court Order was filed in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jill T. Ambrose.
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