Finkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, LLP. based in White Plains, New York, recently filed a Complaint in Florida federal court against Kerzner International Resorts, Inc., the general sales and marketing agent for Atlantis resorts. The Complaint alleges that Atlantis unfairly and deceptively charges a “mandatory housekeeping gratuity” the vast majority of which is not actually paid to the housekeepers. In the face of shrinking revenues and eroding profits in the current economic climate, hotels and resorts have turned to the practice of imposing additional fees and surcharges on consumers designed to appear as innocent expenses. One such charge is Atlantis’ imposition of a “mandatory housekeeping gratuity.”
The Complaint alleges that the imposition of the Mandatory Housekeeping Gratuity is an unfair and deceptive practice because it is not entirely a “housekeeping gratuity.” By using that term, Atlantis represents and implies that the entire fee is being collected on behalf of, and subsequently distributed to, the housekeeping staff that services travelers’ rooms. However, Atlantis does not disclose the material fact that the housekeeping staff receives only a small, if any, percentage of that “gratuity.” By labeling an additional charge something that it is not, Atlantis is deceiving consumers into paying more for their hotel room than they bargained. If you or someone you know has stayed at the Atlantis resort or its related hotels, please contact us to discuss your legal options.