US hotels: the FTC total-price rule and your booking engine

Since 12 May 2025, the Federal Trade Commission’s rule on unfair or deceptive fees applies to hotels and other short-term lodging in the United States. For independent hotels, it changes how prices must appear on your own website.

What the rule requires

• Mandatory fees — such as resort fees — must be included in the total price.
• The total must be shown more prominently than other pricing information.
• Government taxes may be left out of the first total, but must be disclosed before the guest pays.

What it means for your booking engine

The first price a guest sees has to include every mandatory fee — not add it at the last step. goDirects calculates taxes and fees on the server and returns the full total with every search result.

Occupancy taxes vary

State sales tax, city and county occupancy taxes and tourism assessments differ from place to place. Set them once per property and they apply to every booking.

Winning direct in the US

1. Price Match against the major OTAs.
2. A Spanish booking flow for a large share of travellers.
3. Group booking for conventions and events.
4. Google Hotels free booking links.

See hotels in the United States.