Update: *No* Credit card surcharge at Choice Hotels!
 

Just an update: Choice got back to me today; Choice Hotels does not allow any of their hotels to charge credit card surcharges - apparently this was being done without their knowledge or approval, and they have put a stop to it, and refunded the charge to my card.

So there's our answer!

You can go a number of different ways of complaining and there's no reason why you wouldn't go with all of them. It doesn't appear to be illegal to charge a credit card surcharge in Alabama, but squeaky wheel gets the grease - it's a downright terrible customer experience to be slapped with all sorts of additional fees on check-in (which is why you should let the chain know).

VISA:
https://usa.visa.com/Forms/visa-rules.html

Choice Hotels:
https://www.choicehotels.com/support

Thanks - I hadn't thought to contact Visa. I copied the Choice Hotels "executive team" on my initial email to the hotel yesterday, and forwarded them the response I got. Truthfully, I don't expect to get much from that, other than maybe a canned email about how their operators are all franchisees that are allowed to set their own policies, etc. But who knows?

I just wish that Choice would set and enforce consistent brand expectations.

This is an outrageous fee. If it was not disclosed at the time of reservation, I would challenge with my credit card company.

The ridiculous 'safe' fees seem to have gone away, but perhaps they are finding a replacement.

Nope, the safe fees are alive and well. The hotel in question has the safe fee, and the place I was at last night does too (although the fine print says it can be removed on request).

In case you guys didn't see the edit I made to the original post, Choice got back to me today; Choice Hotels does not allow any of their hotels to charge credit card surcharges - apparently this was being done without their knowledge or approval, and they have put a stop to it, and refunded the charge to my card.

So there's our answer! Thanks to Choice for coming through.

Now, if only they'd prohibit their hotels from adding on that stupid safe usage fee! I always forget to ask them to take it off...