Tip if you are staying in a hotel: (OR How I got a refund check for over $200!)

[PinkInk]

Saw this on reddit, thought it could be useful to someone:

By California law a hotel cannot charge you more than the maximum rate posted on the door of your hotel room. IF they do charge you more, then they have to reimburse you THREE TIMES the amount they overcharged you. (CA Civil Code 1863 if you want to look it up.)
Last year my friends and I booked a room online for about $300 a night. When we got there I noticed that the sign on the door said that the maximum nightly rate for the room was only $154 dollars. (Dollars values in this story are approximate, I really can't remember.) When we went to check out, I explained to the receptionist that we were charged more than the maximum nightly rate, and that according to CA Civil code the hotel was required to reimburse us three times the amount. I was very polite and specific! The receptionist tried to hush me so the other guests waiting in line would not hear. I don't like being hushed, so I turned around and started explaining it to the other guests. Later that week I received a phone call from the general manager and he agreed to send me a check.
tl;dr : hotel overcharged me, i used legal knowledge to get my money back times three, and you can too!

[heyeric]

This happened to me back in 2008 where I was overcharged about $115/night. Got my money back & some.


Civil Code Section 1863

(a) Every keeper of a hotel, inn, boardinghouse or
lodginghouse, shall post in a conspicuous place in the office or
public room, and in every bedroom of said hotel, boardinghouse, inn,
or lodginghouse, a printed copy of this section, and a statement of
rate or range of rates by the day for lodging.
(b) No charge or sum shall be collected or received for any
greater sum than is specified in subdivision (a). For any violation
of this subdivision, the offender shall forfeit to the injured party
one hundred dollars ($100) or three times the amount of the sum
charged in excess of what he is entitled to, whichever is greater.
There shall be no forfeiture under this subdivision unless notice be
given of the overcharge to such keeper within 30 days after payment
of such charges and such keeper shall fail or refuse to make proper
adjustment of such overcharge.

[JustSteve]

so if they are smart the hotel goes in and changes that card if they book rooms for coachella weekend, right?

[mlcoach]

What hotel was this at?

[TomServo]

so if they are smart the hotel goes in and changes that card if they book rooms for coachella weekend, right?
That's why lots of crummy old hotels have like $369/night quoted on the back of the door (seen this a lot in San Fran at places that were ~$99).

[baily]

The OP is 100% correct

Knowledge is king!

[blueblazered]

Thanks for the heads up!

[KCsunny]

Hey! This is awesome info! I like! Does anybody have extra space for a girl to crash and change and shower?? I'm trying to keep my costs down..... I'll bring booze! ;> kimberleycarson@yahoo.com