COOLIO

I also think it's a total scam. I once ended up with a total dive in st petes beach which was worth less than the resort fee. I felt robbed with the $120 I paid in the end. It was 10 times worse than a red roof inn i paid $200 for in Long Island the previous year.

Anyway, for those who hate the Trump being in the NOrth Strip zone, it seems it's been moved to it's very own zone that consists of behind the fashion show mall, so it looks like we're all free to bid for the Venetian, Palazzo and Wynn again ^

angeltohire

Well, there is good benefit to come out of every bad situation ^

rasheed

However, don't forget that almost all of LV hotels have already gone resort fee. It just makes it very hard to buy retail and compare true costs, but even harder to bid now as the resort fees can vary widely in any of these 4 or 5 star properties.

I would prefer either the option to leave out the resort fee hotels (separate category, etc.) or include the resort fee in the bid. I hope the threats against PL pan out. It is not necessarily Priceline's fault the industry is like this, but the have to change their system to reflect these added costs. A resort fee is also not like a parking fee, because you can legitimately avoid a parking fee in many ways, but the resort fees have become mandatory.

Rasheed

clrankin

I can think of a rather simple process that could ensure that PL bidders never encounter resort fees, while not forcing hotels that charge resort fees to do a single thing...

PL could change their bidding process just a smidge. When specifying hotel level you're bidding for, PL could also put a simple check box on the page labeled "Include properties that charge resort fees ($10-$40)". When bidding and leaving the box unchecked, PL would simply not include any properties that charge resort fees in the process.

This would require just a few slight changes to PL's computer system and would be a way of guaranteeing that bidders are never hit with a resort fee that they weren't aware of.

Hotels get to charge what they want to for resort fees. PL gets to charge and pay what it wants to without worrying about how much hotels might charge for resort fees. Hotels get to keep charging these extra fees with every room booking. Customers don't get hit with them without knowing and agreeing to them. This seems like a possible win-win-win situation to me.

lo2e

In a perfect, consumer-friendly world, that would be an awesome idea, clrankin. ^

Unfortunately, PL caters too much to the suppliers rather than the consumers, and I can just imagine that suppliers would take the "I'll take my ball and go home" attitude if PL were to start doing that.

mbstone

One more year and PL's business-model patent expires, unless it is sooner invalidated by a court. Then they will discover the concept of customer service.

mc4bbs

By Randy Abrams, Director of Technical Education, ESET LLC

As a frequent traveler I subscribe to a variety of travel columns, including one by Chris Elliot. A recent column reminded me of how thin the line is between adware and a legitimate company. The column focused on “resort fees.” “Resort fees” are charges that are generally only disclosed on check out by highly unethical hotel operators, often found in Las Vegas and other destinations.

Priceline and other brokers who sell rooms, but don’t tell you where until you agree to pay, are among the leaders in deception. Their fine print states that the prices do not include taxes or other fees, but does not tell you that the actual cost of the room could be $5 to $5,000 dollars a night more than advertised due to “resort fees.” While anything approaching $5,000 for a resort fee is unheard of, if customers complain to Priceline their stance will be that any and all extra fees, regardless of nature, are appropriate. Sites like Travelocity and Expedia also have such clauses.

Resort fees are a pretty common complaint in Mr. Elliot’s column, but there is some good news. The same recourse that many people have against fake antivirus products applies to resort fees as well. The recourse is to dispute the charge with your credit card company. In many, if not all cases, resort fees are not properly disclosed and a credit card dispute can eliminate the charge. Personally, I have only stayed at one hotel where an undisclosed resort fee was assessed. I complained to the hotel’s corporate headquarters and eventually the fee was refunded.

Interestingly enough, the Federal Trade Commission has ruled that the end user license agreement in adware products does not constitute informed consent and adware companies have been prosecuted despite their license agreements. If more people would file “charge backs” (credit card disputes), it would certainly make resort fees an unprofitable form of thievery.

The thieves behind the massive fake antivirus scourge understand the economics of charge backs. If you fall for a fake antivirus scam, odds are that thieves will not contest your charge dispute. After all, they don’t want to have their ability to accept credit cards cut off.

Both consumers and businesses should remember that credit card disputes are a powerful tool at your disposal. Regardless of who is trying to rip you off, if you paid with a credit card, then don’t forget a dispute is one of your defensive weapons.

from http://sdchamber-members.org/Business Online 2009-10/Business Action Online April 2010/Business Action Online April ESET.html

TeaEarleGreyHot

Unfortunately, mc4bbs, the scenereo you describe isn't quite how it works in practice with opaque bookings. Savvy (if obnoxious) hoteliers are well aware of the potential for a chargeback. They counter the problem by informing you of the resort fee at check-in. I've even been required to sign a statement that I am aware of and agree to pay, the resort fee, during check in. If I refuse to sign the statement, then they won't let me check in, and I have no recourse for a chargeback because the hotel has not charged me anything. Meanwhile, my prepaid booking is considered forfeit by Priceline, and I cannot chargeback that unusable booking because the T&C on Priceline (and Hotwire) clearly state that the hotel may require mandatory parking, energy, room, and resort fees. In theory yes, the hotel could charge a $1000/night resort fee, but if they did, I would obviously walk out on the booking. Alas, there is a huge grey area, and this is the area in which unscrupulous hoteliers operate and profit.

"Sometimes the only way to win is not to play the game." --WAR GAMES (1983).

lowfareair

If that happens, ensure the hotel has on there somewhere that it is a mandatory fee required by all guests. File a chargeback for the amount of your resort fee to the Priceline charge, explaining that you agreed to receive a hotel room for what you paid Priceline. My argument why is after the next quote.

I would argue against it. On the 'review your request' page, it clearly states 'Total charges'. It's deception to add additional mandatory charges in the T&C.

Imagine if Amazon buried something similar in their T&C saying 'oh, we might charge you extra mandatory fees', then after purchase you are told 'Product X also requires a $20 processing fee. You can either pay the mandatory fee or forfeit your order without refund.' They'd have half a dozen AGs up their ... faster than you can say Free Super Saver Shipping.

Additionally, on the 'review your request page', the fine print is buried in the fourth paragraph under the hyperlink 'taxes and services fees' stating (emphasis mine):

That is vague enough to be considered an included services fee by the customer, especially b/c Priceline does not itemize the taxes and services fees, but rather only lists a total.

kasage00

their "no change fee for published flights" is false. One time I bought a ticket with a published flight (not a "name your own price") and i needed to reschedule my trip due to a family emergency, and I was charged $250 for the ticket change. I even explained it was not a name my own price and it was a published fare...and what they did contradicts their "no change fee for published flights"

lowfareair

Where on the site do they post it? I just took a cursory look around and didn't see that anywhere. They say no Priceline change fees for hotels, but I can't see where it mentions flights.

kasage00

Check out this link http://travela.priceline.com/hotel/j...stPricePop.jsp

This was copied directly from Priceline's website:
"In the face of high travel prices, booking fees must be destroyed!
That's why the Negotiator has eliminated all priceline cancellation and change fees on every published-price airline ticket, hotel room, rental car, cruise and vacation package where changes or cancellations are allowed. Please note that while we won't charge you change or cancel fees, our hotel partners may impose change or cancel fees that we are required to pass along to you. Typically, these fees are greatest when cancelling within 24-48 hours of your date of stay."

I see the phrase "airline tickets" in there. As long as it is a published price and not a name-your-own price, priceline should be able to make the change without a fee. it does say HOTEL PARTNERS may impose change/cancel fees, but not airline tickets. Occaisionally airlines allow a slight change for no fee or a very small one, but Priceline should state that while they themselves do not charge a fee, airlines may impose a fee which Priceline is unable to eliminate.

Diplomatico

Key words here are bolded above. There may not be Priceline cancellation/change fees for your airline ticket but you can bet the airline is going to charge a change fee and Priceline will pass that along to you.

While I agree that Priceline should be more explicit in stating that the airline may charge you a fee, technically they are correct in stating that they do not charge a fee.

ijgordon

Any updates to this general topic? (i.e., response from FTC, Priceline policy change, etc.)

Looking to PL a hotel in Las Vegas. Looking at the list of possible hotels on betterbidding.com, there are both hotels that charge resort fees (e.g., MGM's properties, Venetian) and those that do not (e.g., Harrah's properties).

This is for a weekday trip where published room rates at the 3-4* hotels are in the $50-75 range. So whether or not a resort fee is charged could be the difference between paying $30/night and $50/night, plus taxes/PL fees.

I still don't understand how PL can get away with advertising "name your own price". Is my winning bid $30 or is it $50???

ETA: I don't have a huge problem with resort fees in general. I just factor them into the total cost when I'm comparison shopping. My real problem is specifically with the Priceline model. Even Hotwire is okay, because they tell you the fee before you commit. The PL warning of a potential fee is bull caca.

QuietLion

Just keep the complaints coming. I'm expecting a class action suit any minute now. Is there a lawyer in the house?

QL