The Holiday Inn Express Durango Downtown-Animas River adds a mysterious fee to bookings at the property that’s made out to look like a tax. A reader shares the fee, asking what it could be?
It’s a ‘PACE’ fee, or rather they appear to participate in the ‘Property Assessed Clean Energy’ program. The way that generally works is the owners receive a subsidized loan to fund money-saving green energy projects (like replacing windows) and the loans are paid back through property taxes. The owners save money, receive subsidies, and in this case charge guests an extra fee to fund their loan repayment.
If nothing else, one way to tell that “Colorado Green Energy Fee” is made up and not a really government-mandated tax – despite describing it with the state’s name – is that the only reference Google finds to it on the internet is the last time I wrote about it.
Holiday Inn Express Durango
I similarly caught a Marriott and a Hilton adding fees onto room nights to cover their property taxes and pretending this was a government-mandated environmental charge.
This would seem to violate FTC rules. However under the current administration, “I’m not even sure that’s a crime anymore, there’ve been a lot of changes in the law.” So probably something guests should be complaining to the Colorado Attorney General about.
What’s remarkable is that I covered this Holiday Inn Express adding this back in 2022, and they’re still doing it. A reader complained about that Hilton’s PACE fee to the state attorney general and the property appears to have discontinued the practice.
Whether it’s hotels tacking on undisclosed fees for the lightbulbs in your room or franchisees charging extra to accept the chain’s own credit cards hotels get away with taking advantage of guests – but this seems worse because the property makes it appear like the government is forcing them to do it when that’s not the case at all.
It seems to me like triple dipping with corporate welfare, fraud, and fleecing guests – all rolled into one.
Two things can be true: 1) The environment matters, and is worth of programs to treat it better. 2) dishonesty and corruption is bad, and ‘green-washing’ is a nefarious form of that.
Anyway, now that I got that off my chest, please tell me how I’m a ‘woke’ DEI trans liberal and should be sent to a foreign gulag. I would also accept being called ‘silly names’ as an alternative.
Just say no.
I did this when a Marriott tried to charge $5 for utilities and for parking
1990
What foreign gulag are you speaking of? Oh….you’re speaking about “Maryland Man/Dad/Soccer Coach” who coincidentally is also known as Maryland Wife Beater/Maryland Human Trafficker/Maryland MS-13 Gang Member….well, he’s doing just fine in his new vacation destination.
So….we should blame Gary for giving this hotel ideas?? 🙂 /s
It’s a warm Saturday afternoon in New York. Every professionally successful person is handling a billion dollar M&A transaction from their Class A office in a Hudson Yards skyscraper. Every personally successful person is having a picnic with their friends in Central Park. Every academically successful person is on the Upper West Side in their research lab at one of Columbia’s campuses. Every artistically successful person is hosting their exhibition in Tribeca. Every culinarily successful person is in the kitchen prepping for a 3-star Michelin dinner service.
And then you’ve got 1990 who cosplays as a New York-based world traveler, and CHRIS the evergreen misinformed right-wing bigot. 1990 probably does live in New York, but is almost certainly a senile mouth breather typing away at an NYPL computer his fantasies of traveling to LA, Paris, and beyond. 1990 has provided no signal that he has achieved any dimension of success. Or, as stated in my previous paragraph, he wouldn’t be posting–not only today but every day on every post on this blog.
He’s right about the environment and corruption and what have you. Just a shame that he lacks the gravitas to influence people.
@L737 — Blame? They should give him a ‘cut’–a ‘kickback’–for all their ‘winnings.’ Bah!
@CHRIS — Any of them. The ones in warm climates (yes, the beaches, the rain forests, deserts), or frozen tundra (think of all the skiing!). Whatever is your preference, sir. I’m pretty boring, you know, due process, rule of law, all of those pesky Amendments. I know, it’s lame. Much harder to ‘move fast and break things’ with all those silly requirements. Ugh.
I am not sure why any blog would have a comments section anymore. If I was a blogger, I would probably “Points Guy” it and remove the opportunity for people to share their opinion that is not going to change anyone else’s.
This, of course, is my opinion. I am aware it will cause “zero” people to change theirs.
Ask for them to put the exact wording into writing, then show them that it is fraudulent and you intend to contact the AG’s office and file a formal complaint. Then, dispute the charge with your credit card provider.
We don’t have these IHG scams in the civilized world (Europe). Never use your points in what is left of America.
@ unintimidated
You need not call out CHRIS or 1990. After all, here you post rather than trying to heal this divided nation. On topic this faux greenwashing will never stop. It may assume different names, but it’s the same scam operating whilst hiding under a different cloak. Have a wonderful holiday everyone.
@ unintimidated:
I read your post three times, and your mix of fiction, bluster and assumptions still doesn’t make sense.
This is a travel blog. No need to unburden yourself of your emotions here. It’s tacky.
WearyWatchdog, you’re telling on yourself and your lack of reading comprehension.
This motel was charging this fee back in January of 2021. I have not been back there since because of the fee.
My wife and I Vacation in Arizona in January. We stayed at several Holiday Inn Expess.
those in Chandler and Oak Creek , charged a fifteen dollar a night parking fee. The Holiday Inn Express in Glendale, Scottsdale and Grand Canyon did not.
@Maryland — Agreed, it is quite the scam. I’m glad that folks like Gary call it out when they see it. Since there is not likely to be a regulatory fix anytime soon, we need to do our best to warn others when we see stuff like this.
@WearyWatchdog — I presume some folks are just trolling. I often enjoy trolling the trolls. They come and go. Just another day here.
@Unintimidated — I didn’t see your earlier comment (I guess it went into auto-moderation, likely because you used a word that required ‘manual review.’) Bah!
You’re right about the weather. It is quite nice in NYC today, isn’t it? We’ve had such a brutal winter here (like, Nov-now). Other than that one day in late-March, this Saturday feels like maybe only the second day in the 80s so far. Anyway, how nice that we’ve addressed the weather in NYC… in Gary’s post about this Holiday Inn’s skullduggery. Talk about off-topic. All good, either way.
You’re welcome to mock me and knock-on whatever you’d like on here. Thankfully, Gary is a gracious host, and rarely micromanages the comments. But, c’mon, the New York Public Library system is one of the best around, so your animus of it is truly unfounded. At least our tax dollars go to things we can actually use. And man, do we pay for it (city, state, federal… there goes +40% of every dollar we earn).
Finally, success is what you make of it. If you think I’m here to ‘influence others,’ that’s cute. I’m just having a good time. Hope you do, too.
No, 1990, you’re still just an idiot.
There sure are a number of bores on this forum who contribute nothing to the dialogue. Grow up and say something meaningful about the topic rather than the drivel some of you post.
At checkout, ask the hotel to waive the bogus fee. If they do not, announce that you charge a “Review Access Convenience Fee,” equal to the bogus fee, in order to post a review higher than 2 stars. Don’t do it at checkin or they may deny your booking.
@1990
You’re woke because your entire world view is based on emotion rather than logic.
@1990
@Unintimidated
Both of you clowns just parrot left wing misinformation especially about the “gulag”.
That ms 13 illegal is where he belongs.
@1990
@Unintimidated
Both of you clowns just parrot left wing misinformation especially about the “gulag”.
That ms 13 illegal is where he belongs.
@mike s — You’re still a ‘one trick pony,’ aren’t you? If that’s all you got, I’d say I win, each time.
@Walter Barry — You mean the human being that the United States Supreme Court unanimously (9-0) decided was illegally deported, in what this administration admitted was an ‘administrative error,’ who was imprisoned without trial, despite never being charged with or convicted of a crime?
If that’s what you’re referring to, it is odd how our supposedly ‘all-powerful’ President cannot seem to ‘fix’ this ‘error.’ I thought “He alone can fix it” and that “He was right about everything.” Well, apparently not.
One call and that guy can be brought back, properly charged (if there’s probable cause to do so), given his day in court and access to counsel, and if he (or anyone else for that matter) is convicted and sentenced to deportation, then do that in accordance with our laws.
Yeah, I know, it’s tedious; it does take time; it’s due process. It’s all so we don’t send the wrong people to the wrong places on false pretenses. We don’t like ‘witch trials’ here, ya know. We don’t have kings either. Like, we aren’t ‘run’ by dictates on a whim. It’s been nearly 250 years, son. We aren’t perfect, but it’s worked better than most systems. Don’t forget it.
Oh, fellas, sorry, I just realized… you’re actually special, like, an exception, so this could not possibly happen to you, personally, or anyone you care about, so please don’t worry about any of that ‘nonsense’ I was just referring to above, you know, like, ‘due process’ and the ‘rule of law.’ Yawn. I mean, let’s be real, the leopards won’t eat your faces. No. Never. And if they did, it would be a mistake, obviously, and we’d fix it. Right away. You can just get a new face! Problem solved. Glad we could talk this out here. Good talk. ‘Respectfully.’
> What’s remarkable is that I covered this Holiday Inn Express adding this back in 2022, and they’re still doing it. A reader complained about that Hilton’s PACE fee to the state attorney general and the property appears to have discontinued the practice.
Nothing remarkable here: with consumer protection matters unrestrained market always fails (big companies will always screw the little guy), while regulation works.
Whenever a “Fletch” moment occurs it is very well received!
Since the off topic shifted to politics again:
@ paul. I am an American and a Vietnam Veteran. Your “civilized world” (as you call it), Europe, has and continues to bomb the sh*t out of the other “civilized” countries. It baffles me how those who have never experienced war can so easily accept it, but that’s not limited to Europeans.
Back to the topic, I’m still thinking about the La Quinta charge I had in Denton, Texas . . . an electricity charge added to the total room charge. Another bogus charge like resort fees, green energy fees and unnecessary parking fees. I can’t help wonder how these “recovery” fees would go over at restaurants.
@One Trippe. I got my Masters degree in Denton, TX. While I was there, several international musical luminaries stayed at that La Quinta Inn, while stopping by for masterclasses and concerts… So the world is a small place, ain’t it!
@ Mash333. Yes, the world is a small place. About 12 years ago I was talking to our cab driver in Brisbane. Turns out he had been a Russian military advisor in South Vietnam during the same time frame I was there. Only thing, he was working for the North Vietnamese. In 1968 we would have shot each other . . . in 2013 we congratulated each other for being fortunate enough to have lived through a nightmare. Yes. small world it is.