Hotels call rooms ocean view when you can barely see water, and there is no standard that stops them
Ocean view, sea view, partial sea view, and water view all mean completely different things depending on which hotel is using the term. There is no industry standard, no independent verification, and no reliable way for a traveller to know what they are actually paying a premium for until they are already standing in the room.
Who has this problem
Travelers booking premium-priced 'view' rooms
People who want independent, photo-verified confirmation of what they're actually paying an upcharge for before arrival.
Honeymooners and special-occasion travelers
Guests who pay the biggest premiums for a view and can least fix it on arrival.
Booking platforms and travel agents
Intermediaries who relay hotels' descriptions to customers with no way to verify them.
Frequent travelers who post reviews
People who end up as the informal fact-checkers of view claims.
Signal timeline
San Francisco's City Attorney sues GuestReservations.com, BookOnline.com, and their supplier Booking Holdings (Kayak, Booking.com), alleging the sites impersonate real hotels and charge markups up to 85% over the actual room rate; one cited example listed a Palace Hotel room at an 85% markup. The city seeks $2,500 per violation plus restitution.
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