Alpine Inn ripoff charged 20 percent tax when tax is 7.85 percent Anaheim California
The Alpine Hotel located in Anaheim,CA charged us a 20 percent tax, when tax in Anaheim is 7.85 percent tax. They stated that they charged the 20 percent tax because we were in Anaheim. What a lie! The night before, we stayed at another hotel, in Anaheim, and they didn't charge a 20 percent tax! What ripoffs!
Sandee
Merced, California
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Bob
Orlando,Florida,
U.S.A.
Taxes are not set by hotels
#3Consumer Suggestion
Tue, May 06, 2003
Sandee,
Hotels can not arbitrarily charge whatever tax they feel like. Mike, there are no hidden charges when it comes to taxes. Tax rates vary by state and county. There are all sorts of taxes aside from state tax. You can call it a bed tax, a tourism tax just to name a few. Any confusion is answered by the rate and law card found in your hotel room. This card discloses the maximum rate you can be charged and the tax rate. While the sales tax rate may be 7.85%, there may be county taxes bed taxes etc. The department of business and professional regulations assures that hotels comply with the law and the rate and law card is filed with the state DBPR.
The reason for a bed or tourism tax is simple. Tourism provides a vital economic impact to certain areas. Obviously Orlando and the area you visited are home to Disney World and Disney Land. These areas survive off of tourism. It is their number one industry and largest employer.Therefore the bed/tourist taxes are collected by the hotels to support advertising to attract more tourists. Without tourists the cities that depend on tourism would be gone in no time at all.
Take all the hi-tech companies out of San Jose and what would you have. The hotels collect the taxes but they do not keep them. They are paid to the department of revenue. So while you feel like you are being ripped off (and your not), by the hotel, keep in mind that the hotel will have to pay the state every cent they collected for you. There are taxes on telephone calls made from hotels as well and not all states require the hotel to break out the taxes. Take a look at you folio from the hotel.
It should show exactly what tax you paid and what it was for. States like Florida, California, Texas and New York are tremendously impacted by tourism and rely on the economic impact that tourism brings to their area. If you never saw an advertisment for Disney, would you be enticed to go. How many advertisments do you see for theme parks. The states have to market themselves. Have you ever heard the slogan I love New York. Almost every state advertises themself as a destination. It is the consumer who ends up paying for the ads because it was your tax dollars. You are not being ripped of by the hotel. Hope ths helps
Mike
Arlington,Texas,
U.S.A.
Please be aware that most communities have seperate HOTEL/MOTEL TAXES
#3Consumer Comment
Tue, May 06, 2003
Please be aware that most communities have seperate HOTEL/MOTEL TAXES that are considerably higher than the standard sales tax which you quoted. And YES this tax can be 20%. Most communities do this because people who stay in Hotels & Motels dont vote in their local elections in these cities to vote against these taxes. So they feel they can tax the unsuspecting traveler. Just ask the local hotel when you check in what their HOTEL/MOTEL tax rate is. Also be aware that RENTAL CARS are the same way when you rent from Airports & such. Lots of hidden fees.