Hotel Booking Scams Rise Ahead of Holidays
The American Hotel and Lodging Association warns travelers to book only through official channels as holiday travel nears.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Hotels
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The American Hotel and Lodging Association warned travelers about deceptive hotel booking websites that mimic legitimate hotel sites, using misleading prices, hidden fees and fake reservations. The association launched a "look before you book" guide.
Why it matters
More consumers are falling victim to fraudulent booking sites that look similar to legitimate hotel websites, and the warning comes as the holiday travel rush approaches. The association is working with federal and state legislators and regulators to limit these deceptive practices.
The warning describes fraudulent sites that use misleading price listings, hidden fees and fake reservations. No dollar losses or victim counts were specified in the available information.
The players
American Hotel and Lodging Association
The American Hotel and Lodging Association is a national trade group representing the hotel and lodging industry in the United States.
The details
Deceptive websites mimic the appearance of legitimate hotel sites to lure travelers into booking. Travelers are advised to book directly through official hotel websites, apps or reservation phone lines, check that URLs are correct, and watch for misspellings, typos or extra words in web addresses.
Timeline
November 13, 2026: The American Hotel and Lodging Association issued its booking scam warning.
Upcoming holiday travel rush: The warning was issued weeks before the peak holiday travel period.
Travel Outlook
The warning follows the association's launch of its Look Before You Book guide, which the group is pairing with work by federal and state legislators and regulators to curb deceptive hotel booking practices. Holiday travel demand is the seasonal backdrop against which these scams are being flagged.
Travelers booking holiday stays should use official hotel websites, apps or reservation lines rather than links from search ads or unfamiliar sites. Checking each web address for misspellings or extra words before entering payment details can help avoid fake reservations and hidden fees.
The takeaway
Before paying for a hotel, confirm the booking is on the hotel's official site, app or phone line, and check the address for typos. Taking that extra minute can protect holiday travel money from fake reservations.
Further reading
For more on how to avoid fraudulent listings, see Hotels coverage across the United States.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC News.
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