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Nebraska Attorney General’s lawsuit against Hilton shows how travelers can be harmed by deceptive and costly resort fees

Hotels should be required to disclose all fees up front so consumers know true cost 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A lawsuit filed by Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson against Hilton, demonstrates how consumers can often end up paying more than they expect when staying at the hotel chain.  The lawsuit charges that Hilton hides the real cost of booking a room at the hotel by charging resort fees that aren’t clearly disclosed by the advertised price.

The action by Nebraska follows a similar lawsuit filed by District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine against Marriott.  Consumer Reports noted that hidden resort fees have become an increasingly common industry practice that makes it difficult for travelers to comparison shop and find out how much they’ll really pay for their hotel stay.

“Travelers deserve to know exactly how much they’ll pay for their hotel when booking their room,” said Tim Marvin, campaign manager for Consumer Reports.  “But too often, they get hit with hidden fees that sometimes aren’t disclosed until check-out and make their hotel bill more expensive than expected.  Hotels should be required to disclose all fees up front so travelers can find the best deal and know exactly how much they’ll pay when making their reservation.”

A recent Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 adults found that 34 percent had been charged a hidden hotel fee in the past two years.  The hotel industry collected more than $2.9 billion in resort fees and other fees and surcharges in 2018.

Consumer Reports recently launched “What the Fee?!”, an organization-wide effort to highlight surprising fees and charges across industries—and help consumers fight back. Consumers can visit WhatTheFee.com to share their stories and learn how to avoid hidden fees.

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