Legal Question in Consumer Law in Georgia

I recently purchased hotel tickets through hotels.com. They quoted a price that was just for the room, "no service charge or fees." When I was leaving the hotel I received a receipt from the hotel at a room rate much less than what I paid. When I called hotels.com to find out why the discrepancy, they informed me that the hotel should never have given me a receipt. To me, this means that the website is quoting and charging people a certain price for a hotel room and actually paying the hotel less. I understand that this is how these websites do business, but I thought they had to accurately label what were room prices and what were fees. Is this deceptive pricing illegal?


Asked on 8/22/10, 9:39 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Glen Ashman Ashman Law Office also dba Glen Ashman Attorney

I assume you read the terms and conditions on the website before you booked. You checked a box to say you did. The site clearly says:

"You acknowledge that Hotels.com pre-negotiates certain room rates with hotel suppliers to facilitate the booking of reservations on your behalf. The room rate displayed on the Website is a combination of the pre-negotiated room rate for rooms reserved on your behalf by Hotels.com and the facilitation fee retained by Hotels.com to compensate us for our services. You authorize Hotels.com to book reservations for the total reservation price, which includes the room rate displayed on the Website, plus tax recovery charges, and service fees. You agree that your credit card will be charged by Hotels.com for the total reservation price. Upon submitting your reservation request you authorize Hotels.com to facilitate hotel reservations on your behalf, including making payment arrangements with hotel suppliers."

The site did exactly what they said they do, and told you accurately. So why are you complaining? They told you they charge a fee, they did charge a fee, and you think that is illegal?

You're completely wrong. See http://www.hotels.com/customer_care/terms_conditions.html for the conditions you agreed to.

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Answered on 8/27/10, 9:46 am


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