Originally Posted by
rumbataz
I've noticed some hotels are starting to introduce additional charges that are not shown on the initial room price. They are listed as additional charges.
When browsing the IHG site, I can see a price for a room, but when the additional charges are added on, the price of the room can increase by another 25-30% per night!
These additional charges can be things like local taxes, tourism charges and, now, a surcharge for non-sole occupancy.
I imagine a lot of people travel as a couple and book a room for two adults. I've never seen a surcharge for double occupancy before. In fact the room description states the room is for two adults.
Should IHG insist that hotels display the ACTUAL price per night on the IHG site rather than a greatly reduced but inaccurate price?
I find this tactic very misleading.
It really depends on the market and where vat tax or tax+service taxes are not displayed on initial IHG.COM (or app) searches the in effect 20% extra is substantial on weekly 5night stays
However within a countries market all hotels chains return searched rooms comparably with or without taxes, and usually the tax-included versions are due to local country laws making hotels include standard taxes.
and obviously all hotels in country/city need to return searches on same cost of room basis , which will be cheapest allowed by countrys laws, else uninformed searches will pass on booking an htel chain including taxes v chain excluding taxes, as all things/roomrates being equal one will incorrectly appear 20% cheaper on initial search.
eg
UK 20% vat included in searched room rates
Thailand 10% and 7% added to searched room rates
Regards solo/double occupancy you can look at it from solo guests perspective, paying for double occupancy on solo stays, which is how most countries_rooms are priced. If there is no surcharge for double occupancy regard it as beinf included upfront and hitting solo/business stay guests
nb
you have virtually same issue with air flights being fully inclusive of security/fuel-surcharges etc (or not) depending on country of flight origin.. so adding taxes after finding your wanted purchase is not unique to hotel rooms