WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — For Rick Netzel at the Best Western Hotel in West Palm Beach, it’s all about preparation.
“We do have a plan here with generators, with water, with back up supplies different things like that,” Netzel said.
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Netzel wants to be prepared if a hurricane makes landfall and his hotel becomes a place for shelter.
“The outlets have called, the cruise ships have called and we are getting a lot of phone calls for availability,” Netzel said.
Netzel says even if the need for rooms go up their prices won’t.
“Once the governor declares a state of emergency it is illegal to raise you rates.” Netzel said.
The Better Business Bureau says there are ways to see if a hotel is price gouging.
“They can compare the rates for other hotels in similar areas that are tourist destinations,” said Guy Miller, Vice President of the Better Business Bureau.
Miller says you could also compare the current rates to last month’s rate. He says even though this is a holiday weekend the prices shouldn’t be dramatically different and if they are you should report it to them or the Attorney General's Office.
“If you have screenshots, receipts, invoices,” he said.
To file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, click here.
To file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office, click here.
