Hotel adverts banned by watchdog over misleadingly low cost rooms | EUROtoday

Adverts by 4 of Britain’s greatest resort and journey corporations have been banned for stating deceptive minimal costs for rooms.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld complaints towards the Hilton resort group, Travelodge, Booking.com and Accor over their use of eye-catching so-called “from” costs.

The watchdog discovered solely a small variety of rooms really out there to ebook on the promoted worth and concluded the adverts overstated the offers.

It mentioned this was unfair on these in search of good offers or looking for to make knowledgeable selections about the place to ebook.

ASA operations supervisor Emily Henwood mentioned: “Advertised prices must match what’s really available. If only a few rooms are actually offered at the price shown, or it only applies to a specific date, then this information must be made clear to avoid misleading people.

“People ought to have the ability to belief the costs they see in adverts and these rulings present that we are going to take motion if the foundations are damaged.”

The ASA used AI to identify the misleading adverts as part of a wider probe into the availability of advertised hotel prices.

The Hilton hotel group was rebuked over two adverts, one reading “Hampton by Hilton Hamilton Park From £68”, and the other advertising stays in Newcastle from £59.

The ASA asked Hilton whether it could back up the claims, with the hotel offering evidence that rooms were bookable at the hotels on the respective dates the adverts were viewed.

But the ASA concluded Hilton had exaggerated the availability of the advertised rooms, leaving potential customers at risk of being misled. It ordered the chain not to publish the adverts again and warned Hilton to ensure any future price claims reflect deals available for “a big proportion of rooms”.

Travelodge had two adverts banned – one offering rooms in Nottingham Riverside “from £25” and the other rooms in Swansea “from £21”.

The ASA found that the advertised prices were only available for a single night’s stay, warning Travelodge in future to ensure deals are available “throughout a spread of dates”.

A Travelodge spokesperson said it recognised the need for clarity and transparency in pricing and is working with Google to ensure its adverts are clear and comply with the ASA’s guidelines. It said the relevant advert was removed before the ASA’s ruling.

Similar findings were issued against Booking.com and hotel group Accor, while staycation chain Butlins was criticised for changing the deadline of a sale it promoted via email.

Accor told the ASA it believed its adverts were accurate as rooms were available at or below the headline prices in the days following their publication.

Booking.com sent the watchdog a screenshot demonstrating that seven bookings had been made at the prices it advertised.

Spokesperson told the BBC Booking.com accurately displays price and availability at the time advertisements are shown and will work with the ASA “to deal with any excellent questions they may have”.

The ASA also found Butlin’s had breached its code by writing to customers that “The huge Butlin’s sale ends in 4 days” and “Time is working out”.

The deadline to participate in the sale was eventually extended by two weeks, which the watchdog said was unfair on those who had been put under pressure to book a break before the initial deadline.

It urged the firm to ensure future promotions are fair to consumers. Butlins said no customers were disadvantaged by the extension of the sale window.

The ASA’s findings come after the Competition and Markets Authority on Tuesday launched a probe into eight firms over probably deceptive on-line worth claims.