Hilton Award Nights charged taxes/fees for each day in CA now?!

[PacoDeGato]

Hi all,

I was under the impression that Hilton award stays did not end up with taxes being owed (I never had to pay them before), but I just stayed a couple days at the Embassy Suites LAX North and got charged a few different fees for each day.

When I messaged Hilton Honors asking them if things had changed, they simply passed my question along to the hotel.  The person there left a voice message saying something about LA passing something last October where fees are added to pay the housekeepers or something and that all of the guests pay them now.

Does that sound legit?  If not, who should I address this to, as Hilton Honors seemed to just leave it up to the hotel.

Maybe I just got lucky all these past years not having to pay taxes/fees!

Doug

[yelped]

It's the latest scam fee. Basically, LA requires hotels to now purchase portable alarm buttons for hotel employees to be able to call emergency services if they get attacked, so some hotels are taking the opportunity to charge a per night daily fee. An alarm button doesn't cost more than a few dollars and it's an one time cost. They're charging about $12 a night plus tax for hundreds of rooms and the vast majority of the fee is definitely not going towards purchasing these alarm buttons, and there's no reason for you to fund them for the hotels permanently.

I see grounds for a complaint to the attorney general as it's a total bogus fee.

[PacoDeGato]

Yes, that's the fee(s) I'm talking about... and $12/Night is about right as well.

So, I take it there is no "rule" that says fees/taxes/whatever like this can't be charged to Hilton point/award stays then? 

That's really what I'm trying to find out... while I agree that it's a scam, I'll just chalk it up to staying in LA then, which I very rarely do anyway.

Thanks!

[yelped]

Yes, that's the fee(s) I'm talking about... and $12/Night is about right as well.

So, I take it there is no "rule" that says fees/taxes/whatever like this can't be charged to Hilton point/award stays then? 

That's really what I'm trying to find out... while I agree that it's a scam, I'll just chalk it up to staying in LA then, which I very rarely do anyway.

Thanks!

I would try writing a complaint to corporate (not regular CS), and if not, a letter to the attorney general.