We want to make you aware of a new law in California that may impact future property bookings through our platform. California Senate Bill 478, also known as SB 478, or the "Junk Fee Law", is designed to increase price transparency and prevent hidden fees in the hospitality industry.
Here's what you can expect:
Price Transparency: Properties will now be required to include all mandatory fees, such as resort fees, cleaning fees and parking charges, in the advertised room rate. This means you'll see the true total cost upfront, without any surprise fees at checkout.
Upfront Disclosure: During the booking process, properties must disclose additional fees like early check-in/late check-out charges, minibar prices, and internet access fees. This ensures you're fully informed about the total cost before finalizing your reservation.
Potential Pricing Changes: While the law doesn't dictate pricing strategies, some properties may adjust their base room rates to account for previously hidden fees.
This new law will go into effect on July 1st, 2024, and California properties will need to adjust their fee structures to comply with the new requirements. The changes to price display may impact travelers using a device in California to search for accommodation elsewhere.
To learn more about the implications of this law and how properties are working to comply, we invite you to watch the webinar “Fee Transparency What You Need To Know” hosted by the California Hotel & Lodging Association.
At ThinkReservations, we support this effort to provide greater transparency. Therefore, we have updated our booking engine across the board to better reflect our values. For more information about this update, or if you have further questions on using ThinkReservations to stay in compliance or need help adjusting your fees, please review this help article: Mandatory Reservation Fees, or contact our support team. We appreciate your continued trust in our services
Further reading: SB478 FAQ article from oag.ca.gov