I am really glad in Australia companies aren't typically allowed to advertise prices ex taxes / fees. They are allowed to mention the costs as a line item, but can't advertise only part of the cost (i.e. if they advertise its a $89 room, you need to be able to get it for $89)
SF is full of these. Every restaurant bill will have some SF Healthcare Ordinance or something else on it. Now that would be a useful proposition: all visible prices must have local taxes and fees built-in. We all know everything is going to switch to the tip entry, though. A tip for directing you to the self-checkout, no doubt.
Am I missing something? The article text suggests these are "mandatory fees and surcharges that are not included in the headline price", but all the screenshots from Marriott's site show the all-in total, inclusive of the fees, when you're searching, and then break down the elements of that price when you pay.
What's being hidden here?
The title made me think people were leaving trash in their hotel rooms (quickly resolved by visiting and reading it)
I wonder if you would get billed for forgetting your CRTs / tyres / hazardous waste / bags of asbestos when you checked out, if that was not explicitly in the contract...
I don't know the details but if this fee is required even for rewards redemptions, is it a local tax? If so .. i wouldn't necessarily expect tax to be included in the rate.
I've never understood how it isn't false advertising to have non-tax/non-optional fees stacked on top of the "price".
This is not a junk fee, it's a junk law. Stupid in, stupid out.
I don’t see the issue they aren’t charging the fee. The government is. The anger is severely misplaced here. Consumers should know why prices go up.
The golden rule of fees: if there are no circumstances under which you won't be charged the fee, then it should instead be incorporated into the base price. This sort of deception should be illegal.