Merchant Advocate

Profit margins are tight and hospitality business owners are always looking for ways to reduce expenses and add more to their bottom line. Merchant Advocate can help you navigate the complexities of accepting credit cards and has saved clients more than $300 million in excess fees. Merchant Advocate provides a FREE ANALYSIS on the health of your account and will:

✓ Negotiate lower rates
✓ Eliminate hidden fees
✓ Fix coding errors

Contact your dedicated CHLA representative, Howard Goldstein, at hgoldstein@merchantadvocate.com or 206-387-0189 with any questions or to get a free, no-commitment analysis today.

Compliance Guide – 24-Hour Cancellation Requirements

Under a new state law, Senate Bill 644 (Glazer, D), on and after July 1, 2024, all hotel reservations will be required to offer free cancellations for 24-hours after the booking confirmation is sent, subject to some conditions. Specifically, the measure only applies to bookings made at least 72-hours in advance of the stay. Further, the measure does not apply to negotiated rates that are not advertised or otherwise made available for booking by the general public, nor does it apply to reservations where the specific hotel is not disclosed to the consumer until after the booking is confirmed.

LIMITATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLES

Does Apply to:

1. This law only applies to bookings made at least 72 hours or more before the check-in time.
   If a hotel offers check-in after 4pm, a reservation made and confirmed at 3pm on August 1st for a stay on August 5th would be able to cancel their reservation with a full refund until 3pm on August 2nd. However, if the guest booked and received a confirmation for the same reservation at 5pm on August 1st, the reservation would
   not be governed by this law.

Does Not Apply To:

1. Reservations made for a negotiated rate that was not advertised, or otherwise made available, for booking by the general public.
   If a hotel negotiates a special rate with a meeting planner for an event, that rate is not subject to this measure. Additionally, if the hotel negotiates a special rate contract with a corporation permitting corporate employees to stay at the hotel for a special rate, that booking is also not subject to this measure.
   
2. Reservations for a hotel accommodation that is confirmed before July 1, 2024.
   If a guest books a room on June 30th for a stay on July 7th, the cancellation policy will be dictated by the time of delivery for the confirmation email. If the confirmation email was delivered on June 30th, then this measure would not apply to the reservation. If the confirmation email is delivered on July 1, then the law applies to the reservation.
   
3. Reservations where the specific hotel is not disclosed to the consumer until after the booking is confirmed.
   Your hotel participates in a program whereby guests book a trip to your local city for a set price. As part of the program, the guest is notified before booking that they may be placed in one of several participating hotels, and will be informed of which hotel after booking. In the event a guest books through this program, their reservation will not be subject to this measure.

Green Key Global

Green Key Global Eco-Rating Program: Trusted Sustainability Certification for the Hospitality Industry 

Sustainability in tourism is evolving, and Green Key Global is at the forefront of this evolution, ready to bring lodging facilities, convention centers, meeting, and event spaces up to speed and ready to receive a new generation of planet-conscious guests and attendees.

Certification with Green Key Global demonstrates your hotel or lodging facility’s commitment to improving environmental and social performance, enabling you to compete more effectively. Hotels that join the Eco-Rating Program are able to reduce operating costs, increase visibility on online travel platforms and attract new clients. 

CHLA has partnered with Green Key Global to help members advance their sustainability goals. With preferred pricing on the Green Key Global’s Eco-Rating Certification Program, hotels can improve their sustainability performance, get listed on Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s), boost credibility with travelers and access sustainability-focused funding as well as participate and qualify for corporate and business travel RFPs. Join thousands of certified properties leading the way in sustainable hospitality. 

Together, we will showcase your sustainable efforts to guests and help save our planet for future generations. 

Members can save 15% on Green Key Global membership by using code CHLA2025 at sign up. 

How do hotels earn their certification?

Green Key Eco-Rating certification is awarded to hotels that have completed and are up to date with Green Key Global’s assessment and audit process. The assessment analyses a property’s efforts to respect and protect the environment and local communities and provides personalized tips on how to improve by upgrading equipment, systems, standards, and operations. 

Hotels that have been awarded Eco-Rating Certification must retake the assessment every three years in order for their certification to remain valid. In addition, all members get access to tips, tools, resources, education, and vetted vendors that ensure their hotel stays on a continuous path toward improving their rating. 

Hotel Audits: 

• $500/3 year virtual audits 
• $2500/3 year in person audits 
• $500 for additional audits

Property Tax Appeal Services

CHLA Members Receive a Complimentary Assessment

CHLA has partnered with property tax experts, Kroll, to provide appeal services to members that seek to have their property tax assessments analyzed. Are you aware that the appeal deadline is November 30 for most counties in California?

CHLA members are encouraged to contact Kroll to receive a complimentary property tax assessment review. Kroll provides services on a success basis only, meaning that payment is only made if Kroll identifies and achieves assessment reductions and after you’ve received either a refund or reduced tax liability. Do not miss your window to appeal your hotel’s property taxes.

Compliance Guide – California Fee Transparency Laws

This year, the California Legislature passed two measures designed to increase the transparency of displayed prices. The first measure, Senate Bill 478 (Dodd, 2023) regulates the display of all prices and, generally, mandates inclusion of all fees in the advertised price, excluding government assessed taxes and fees. The second measure, Assembly Bill 537 (Berman, 2023), requires hotels to advertise the total price to be paid to stay at a hotel or other lodging accommodation, excluding government taxes and fees. These measures apply to both hotels and short-term rentals and will create a clearer price comparison for consumers choosing between short-term rentals and traditional lodging establishments.

Please complete the form below to access CHLA’s California Fee Transparency Laws Compliance Guide & Resources.