Some golfers and guests apparently feel that the PGA National Resort should take a mulligan and compensate them for alleged inadequate disclosure of mandatory resort fees.
The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., resort, which is not affiliated with the PGA tour, was socked with a purported class-action lawsuit in a New York federal court for allegedly hiding a $25 per day mandatory resort fee when guests book over the phone and online. The suit, which also names as a defendant the resort owner, Walton Street Capital, seeks more than $25 million in damages.
The plaintiffs, two former guests, allege the "PGA hides this fee from customers and prospective customers when they make reservations and does not disclose the fee until it is too late and customers receive their bill at check-out time," the suit alleges.
The plaintiffs allege that when they and "thousands of others" made phone reservations at the 379-room golf and meetings' venue, they were quoted a total price and were never informed of the resort fee until checkout.
For a seven-night stay, the fee comes to $175 plus taxes.
Likewise, the suit alleges, when thousands of guests make reservations on the hotel website, the "reservation summary" does not include a resort fee, which is $25 per day plus tax on the fee.
When Tnooz searched for a reservation on the website, the package description states that accommodations start at $139 per night for a room with two double beds and there is no mention of a resort fee.
However, the website does disclose -- albeit not very transparently -- a resort fee of $25 plus 11% tax when if you click on a terms and conditions link. And the fine print doesn't make clear that this is a daily fee.
The suit alleges that the resort "provides no services for the daily resort fee that it would not otherwise provide."
Under terms and conditions on the website, the resort claims the fee covers services such local calls up to 60 minutes, a daily newspaper, free Wi-Fi in guest rooms, access to the health club, aerobic classes, and golf bag storage and transportation.
The suit alleges that the defendants' resort fee disclosure -- or lack thereof -- violates the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
So, the legal skirmish undoubtedly would take up the issue of whether the property has gone far enough in disclosing its resort fee.
The plaintiffs seek damages, to certify the suit as a class action, and a permanent injunction barring the resort from its alleged "improper conduct and practices."
An attorney for the resort hadn't yet seen the suit and declined to comment.
The PGA is not a defendant in the suit. A PGA spokeswoman says: "We do not have ownership in this property. We are not a resort partner and not involved in their business management. We will not be issuing a statement."