Publication of hotel prices

[Mhj]

Last week a hotel charged us 10 Euros over the price displayed on the bedroom door - explaining that prices increased during holidays. We argued but paid up.

This is the first time in 40 years regular travel in France that this has happened. Our belief was that they were of course entitled to charge higher prices for certain periods, but that this had to be displayed on the bedroom door.

Can anyone state the legal position?

And a couple of subsidiary questions!

- Are hotels required to display prices outside their hotel?

- Are restaurants required to provide a "menu" ie a multi course meal at a fixed price?

Thanks for any help

 

MHJ

 

 

 

[Quillan]

I believe they are supposed to display the prices either outside or in the lobby possibly even both as well as in the room. I also believe it is the same as in England that you pay the price displayed. I know this works for goods because they had the wrong price on a item I bought in a DIY shop. I took the guy to the shelf with the price on and thats what I paid.

Surely you cannot be expected to buy something (even a hotel room) if you are not told the price before hand.

I can state that with Chambres D'hote the rules are clear, you must display the prices outside.

Another 'trick' I have seen with hotels is that they sometimes omit to tell you that breakfast is extra.

As to resteraunts I have been in a few (very few) that don't do a dish of the day i.e. a fixed price meal. I don't think it's the law anymore although most still carry on with this practice.

[Graham & Brenda]

Last year, April I think, I booked a couple of nights at a Logis hotel at Mimizan Plage. On arrival we were given a choice of 2 rooms. Having chosen we started to settle in and I checked the price on the back of the door. It was more than I was told on the phone. I mentioned this to madame when we went out for a walk and she said that's OK - your price is lower because those on the door are the high season prices. I was relieved and we had a good stay!

I will bear your story in mind for the future.

Graham

[letrangere]

Graham, that's right, the price on the back of the door is what hoteliers call the "rack rate", it's always the highest and it is often possible to negotiate a better deal, sometimes a lot better.

I'm sure French law must say something about displaying room prices and always assumed that's why they were on backs of doors.  Would be ideal if they could advertise outside, as with restaurant menus (isn't that also a statutory requirement?), but as many French hotels have rooms of various sizes and quality, I don't suppose they can do a "one price fits all" deal.

I think the poster was very decent in paying up.  If it had been me, I'd still be there now arguing.

M

[Iceni]

"I think the poster was very decent in paying up."

Oh no -not decent just doing it the English way. As with poor service in restaurants etc, don't complain at the time, keep a stiff upper lip but make a really big fuss later telling all your friends/forum mates about how badly you have been treated.

Cynical ? Moi ?

John

not

[Mhj]

[quote]"I think the poster was very decent in paying up." Oh no -not decent just doing it the English way. As with poor service in restaurants etc, don't complain at the time, keep a stiff upper lip but mak...[/quote]

We appreciate all the comments, thank you.

I was amused to see myself portrayed as a shrinking violet afraid of standing up for myself, I am usually criticised for precisely the opposite. On this occasion I simply wasn't sure of the legal position,  the local tourist office was still closed, and we had a 300 mile drive into the Alps ahead of us, hence my decision to pay up and check the position out later.