Marriott Is Sued by D.C. as Hotel Resort Fees Come Under Renewed Fire
Photo Credit: Marriott Baltimore Waterfront in Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland. The District of Columbia sued Marriott International over its resort fee practices. Marriott / m01229
Skift Take
Resort fees are embedded into many hotels' business models, so it would take a lot to upend them. But the prospect is picking up a lot of momentum.
The pressure on hotels over their consumer-unfriendly resort fees is building as the District of Columbia sued Marriott International, alleging the chain "has reaped hundreds of millions of dollars over the last decade" by leveling these "deceptive" charges.
The complaint, filed Tuesday by the city in Superior Court (see below), alleged that Marriott is engaged in "an unlawful trade practice" and has violated the District's Consumer Protection Procedures Act" by using what the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has labeled "drip pricing."
Calling these resort fees — also sometimes labeled as amenity fees or destination fees — profit centers for the Bethesda, Md., hotel chain, which is the largest in the world, the lawsuit states that "Marriott owns, manages, or franchises at least 189 properties worldwide that charge consumers resort fees ranging from $9 to as much as $95 per day."
The lawsuit states that Marriott International insists that it approve resort fees before its fra
