US hotel price did not include tax

I recently booked a hotel in the US via booking_com and was surprised when the amount that hit my credit card was substantially more that headline price in the online booking....

When I went back to review details I saw the small print said this price did not include 14.5% tax and would be added to the bill

I know the booking is in US but would Irish rules about advertising the total price cover this?

This is common in many countries. The price quoted does not include local taxes.

Brendan

+1 tax is always added to the price in the U.S., I think it highlights to the consumer the actual cut that goes to Unlcle Sam.

Thanks for replies. I was aware of the US adding the sales tax on top of the "tag" price but was surprised that on a website selling in Ireland that it didn't show the total price on the final page before hitting "pay now".....Anyway, a good learning experience.

In Bologna, Italy, you are hit with this on top of your bill.

Price Range 1-30.99 €, rate 1.50 € per person per night
· Price Range 31-70.99 €, rate 2.00 € per person per night
· Price Range 71-120.99 €, rate 3.00 € per person per night
· Price Range 121-200.99 €, rate 5.00 € per person per night
· Price Range over 201 €, rate 5.00 € per person per night
· Camping sites and hostels, rate 0.50 € per person per night
Children under 14 are tax-free.

In Amsterdam recently, I paid for the hotel up front using a booking website and then was charged 2% or 3% local tax on arrival. Seems standard in a lot of countries.

As the "product" is being used/delivered in another country, Irish advertising guidelines would not apply.

Booking.com is an international service and it just acts as a facilitator. All term and conditions of your booking are those of the place you booked.

You might also check if there's an extra local "per night" tax payable on check-in. Some cities in usa apply it.

I got stung with this for a second time recently (shame me on and all that). My opinion is that Booking.com deliberately conceals the true price for marketing purposes. Other websites DO include the taxes, so when trying to select a hotel you'll naturally drawn to Booking.com's seemingly lower prices. Hotels.com, for example, includes taxes. I'm seriously annoyed with Booking.com and won't be using them again anytime soon.

To only include it in small print so that you'll most likely only notice it AFTER you've booked with them is disingenuous at best. The only thing you can do is be careful to note whether a site says that they include taxes and charges.

There's a difference in models. Hotels,com block book rooms at a price and then sell them on at a higher price. You pay hotels.com and your booking contract is with them


Bookings.com is purely a booking agent. The hotels themselves control all the rooms and prices and booking.com take a (substantial) commission on each sale. Contract is with the hotel.

peemac said:

Bookings.com is purely a booking agent. The hotels themselves control all the rooms and prices and booking.com take a (substantial) commission on each sale. Contract is with the hotel.

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I use Bookings webpage because they have a great website. Photos, Location Maps etc. I always compare their price with the hotel's own price on their own webpage. A lot of hotels will offer an incentive to book direct with them. Those that don't and charge the same price as Bookings.Com I always contact them and ask why? Lots of times they will offer a discount on their own prices as a result.

The "Resort Tax" introduced many years ago in Las Vegas has now spread to places like New York under various names and might cost $25-35/night extra as well as a "City Tax" of $4/night approx.

The headline offers do not show these.

Grizzly said:

I use Bookings webpage because they have a great website. Photos, Location Maps etc. I always compare their price with the hotel's own price on their own webpage. A lot of hotels will offer an incentive to book direct with them. Those that don't and charge the same price as Bookings.Com I always contact them and ask why? Lots of times they will offer a discount on their own prices as a result.

Click to expand...

I know someone who has their guesthouse on Booking. Part of their agreement is not to offer a lower price on their own website than on the booking website. Some countries are investigating this practice, but booking's argument is that the hotels/guesthouses can set any price they wish, just that they must not offer a lower price on another booking engine that they have control of.
Some get around it by offering free breakfast & other incentives.
Yep, pics and descriptions will be best on booking as they are all uploaded by the property themselves - and they'll always want to shoiw the best pics and best info.

Back to original query, this would mean that details on booking will always in the local format, so USA places will be excluding taxes, UK/Irl places will include taxes in accordance with local regulation.

Its how they suck you in. Typically the tax is around 15% booking a hotel in the US.