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The law, on your side:

Florida v. Wyndham et al.
Florida’s attorney general successfully prosecuted a case against Wyndham hotels for failing to disclose mandatory fees (such as resort fees, energy surcharges, etc.). The decision against the chain means that Wyndham hotels in Florida need to state the total price of a room at the time of booking. This includes price quotations on third-party travel sites. (via Elliott)

This is major. Mandatory fees are a big complaint against hotels, and in some parts of the country (like Palm Springs) the practice is rampant. Like airlines that impose fuel surcharges to make the base fare seem cheaper, resort fees should die a quick but painful death.

The court’s decision is an important step in that direction. For starters, Wyndham has agreed to change its business practices nationwide, and not just in Florida. (Aside: I wonder how this affects bookings through opaque sites like Priceline, where you sometimes get whacked with resort fees despite paying for your room up front…) Second, the case sets a legal precedent for other plaintiffs, so other chains are on notice to change their pricing or face a suit.

Until other hotels DO move to total pricing, the decision puts Wyndham at a disadvantage in side-by-side comparisons with other chains that DON’T quote total prices. Expect Wyndham, recently gone public on the NYSE, to push for total pricing in the industry, now that it lost its case. Other firms, and other states’ regulators, should heed the call.

British regulators targeting travel insurance
Travel insurance is a tricky game, both for medical insurance or trip cancellation/interruption coverage. Insurance companies are very adept at selling you the policy, but then finding a way to avoid payouts. Now the UK’s Treasury is investigating lazy or unscrupulous agents who sell these policies without disclosing the real terms and conditions.

Travel insurance is big business in the US as well, with about a third of travelers opting to buy in. For many, the coverage may be redundant, already covered by their homeowner policy, their medical coverage, or even their credit card. (For example, I’ve never purchased insurance of any kind, but my credit card’s automatic insurance covered the extra expenses I incurred — hotel, meals, transportation, etc. — when a tropical storm delayed my return home Barbados a few years ago.)

Three suggestions: Check your existing policies and credit cards to see if you are already covered. Only consider insurance for really big ticket items. And read the fine print of any policy you do actually consider buying, to make sure the thing you’re trying to insure isn’t excluded (e.g., cancellation due to hurricane evacuation, pre-existing medical conditions, etc.)

(image: &y)
tags: travel | hotels | Wyndham Worldwide Corp. | regulation | resort fees