No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveCentral Valley businesses misleading customers, report finds

Central Valley businesses misleading customers, report finds

More than half of the hotels in the Greater Metropolitan Area of ​​Costa Rica either do not provide accurate information to consumers, or actively conceal it, according to a study by the Economy Ministry.

The study, made public on Tuesday, was conducted from April-September in 57 hotels, restaurants and shops in the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago. It included information obtained directly from businesses, as well as from advertisements and websites.

Ministry inspectors visited hotels twice. On the first inspection, businesses providing inaccurate or false information – a violation of commerce rules – received a warning. On the second inspection, officials said all of the hotels had corrected the errors.

The study found that 51 percent of hotels did not properly inform customers about room rates, providing prices without taxes included.

Inspectors also noticed that many stores did not inform customers that promotional pricing was valid only to those who paid in cash. Some stores required a minimum purchase for those paying with credit or debit cards.

Other problems included failure to provide receipts, failure to visibly display the exchange rate and offering prices without sales tax.

Ministry officials advised consumers to report violations by phone at: 800-266-7866.

Trending Now

JetBlue Flash Sale: Fort Lauderdale to Liberia Flights Ends Today

Those looking for a deal on airfare and eyeing a trip between Florida and Costa Rica now have a chance to get one with...

Panama Denounces New U.S. Pressure Over Chinese Companies

Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino on Thursday accused the United States of pressuring Panamanian officials to reduce the presence of Chinese companies in the...

Tourist Numbers Dropped in Costa Rica During 2025’s First Seven Months

Costa Rica's tourism took a hit in the first seven months of 2025, with visitor numbers dropping compared to the previous year. By the...

Costa Rica Monitors Caribbean Tropical Wave with 70% Storm Chance

Those who live along the Caribbean coast know all too well how quickly weather can turn in October. Right now, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional...

Costa Rica OIJ Arrests Human Trafficking Ring Exploiting Minors

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) dismantled a gang dedicated to human trafficking for the sexual exploitation of minors after carrying out 19 simultaneous raids...

Bolivia Elects Center-Right Leader Amid Crisis

Bolivians on Sunday elected a pro-business center-right senator as their new president, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the South American...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica