HEARINGS THAT IT'S LIKELY HE
ACTED INAPPROPRIATELY.
HOWEVER, LAVELA CONTINUES TO
DENY ANY WRONGDOING.
EVER NOTICE YOUR HOTEL ROOM
SUDDENLY GETS MORE EXPENSIVE
ONCE YOU SEE FEES GET ADDED ON?
IN SOME CASES, THEY'RE A NASTY
SURPRISE AT CHECK OUT.
ONE WATCHDOG SAYS THE NUMBER OF
HOTELS CHARGING EXTRA FEES HAS
GROWN 26% YEAR OVER YEAR.
AN EFFORT TO CRACK DOWN ON
THOSE FEES IS HITTING A
ROADBLOCK IN WASHINGTON.
ANNA WARNER REPORTS.
IT WAS THE MOST EXPENSIVE
HOTEL ROOM I'VE PAID FOR IN MY
LIFE.
WHEN LAUREN VACATIONED IN
KEY WEST LAST YEAR, SHE KNEW
HER $400 HOTEL ROOM WASN'T A
BARGAIN, BUT WHEN SHE ARRIVED
AT THE FRONT DESK, SHE LEARNED
SHE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY A
$20 RESORT FEE.
IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF
SENSE, IT'S NOT FAIR AND IT'S
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE.
WOLF IS AN ATTORNEY.
AFTER GETTING MAD, SHE GOT BUSY
STARTING A WEB SITE CALLED
"KILL RESORT FEES" TO EDUCATE
OTHERS.
SHE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SAYS
SHE WAS BLINDSIDED BY FEES.
THIS CUSTOMER SAYS WE GOT
KILLED ON UNDISCLOSED RESORT
FEES.
DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THEM UNTIL WE
CHECKED OUT.
ANOTHER, VERY DISAPPOINTED.
$25 A DAY URBAN FACILITY FEE.
I WAS CHARGED THIS WITH NO
EXPLANATION OF THE BENEFITS.
OTHERS COMPLAIN THE SERVICES
THEY ARE GETTING FOR SO-CALLED
RESORT FEES DON'T ADD UP.
RESORT FEE INCLUDED TWO BEACH
CHAIRS.
THERE WAS NEITHER A BEACH NOR
POOL.
ANOTHER GUEST WROTE "IF YOU
CHARGE $29 FOR COMPLIMENTARY
RECREATION ACTIVITIES, THEN
THEY AREN'T COMPLIMENTARY.
NOW DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
ATTORNEY IS LEADING AN
INVESTIGATION ALONG WITH THE
ATTORNEY GENERALS IN 47 STATES
INTO A DOZEN MAJOR HOTEL
CHAINS.
WHAT THESE LODGING COMPANIES
DO IS THEY HOOK THE WOULD-BE
BUYER WITH A LOWER RATE AND
THEN SPRING THE ADDITIONAL
CHARGE ON THEM.
WE FOUND THIS LAS VEGAS
HOTEL CHARGING A ROOM RATE OF
$26 WITH A RESORT FEE OF $34.
THIS SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL ADDS A
$20 URBAN FACILITY FEE AND THIS
HOTEL IN ARIZONA LISTED ITS
RESORT FEE OF $50 UNDERNEATH
TAXES.
WHAT'S ILLEGAL ABOUT IT IS
IT MISLEADS CONSUMERS AS TO
WHAT THE ACTUAL PRICE OF A
HOTEL ROOM IS.
EVEN PROPERTIES WITH A
CERTAIN FAMOUS NAME MAKE MONEY
OFF RESORT FEES.
WE FOUND THREE TRUMP HOTELS IN
FLORIDA AND LAS VEGAS CHARGE
RESORT FEES OF $35, $20 AND $24
FOR A POTENTIAL $66,000 IN
CHARGES PER DAY.
THE AMERICAN HOTEL AND LODGING
ASSOCIATION TOLD US THE HOTEL
INDUSTRY PROVIDES GUESTS
FULLDISCLOSURE FOR MANDATORY
RESORT FEES CHARGED UP FRONT.
SINCE THE HOTELS WANT TO
PROVIDE CONSUMERS WITH THE BEST
VALUE BY GROUPING AMENITY FEES
INTO ONE COST FOLLOWING THE
FTC'S GUIDANCE.
IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, THE FTC
FOUND CHARGING RESORT FEES
SEPARATELY WITHOUT FIRST
DISCLOSING THE TOTAL HOTEL
PRICE LIKELY HARMS CONSUMERS.
RAISIN SAYS THE FTC WAS WORKING
WITH THE STATES ON THEIR
INVESTIGATIONS.
AT LEAST, HE SAYS, UNTIL THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CAME IN.
THE FTC IN A WAY HAS GONE
DARK AND I THINK TO BE HONEST
THAT HAS GIVEN SOME CONFIDENCE
TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
PERHAPS THEY ARE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO WHITE OR OTHERWISE --
WAIT OUT OR OTHERWISE EVADE THE
EFFORTS OF THE 47 STATES
BECAUSE THE FTC IS NO LONGER
OUR PARTNER.
YOU ARE SAYING THE FTC HAS
BACKED OFF?
THAT IS THE CASE.
BACKED OFF HE CLAIMS DURING
A CRUCIAL TIME IN NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE HOTEL CHAIN.
WE WERE HEADING TOWARDS WHAT
I THOUGHT WOULD BE A PRETTY
FAIR SETTLEMENT.
REALLY?
YEAH.
THE ELECTION HIT AND THEN ALL
OF A SUDDEN THE HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY SORT OF DUG IN AGAINST
OUR POSITION.
WE ASKED THE FTC ABOUT
RACINE'S ALLEGATION SAYING THE
AGENCY WAS NEVER A CO-PLAINTIFF
WITH THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL, BUT
WORKED WITH THE INDUSTRY AND
STATE A. G. TO -- AGs ABOUT THE
ORGANIZATIONS.