97.638 Hotel rates posted; rate charges; special rates.
(1) Every hotelkeeper shall keep posted in a conspicuous place in each sleeping room in his or her hotel, in type not smaller than 12-point, the rates per day for each occupant. Such rates shall not be changed until notice to that effect has been posted, in a similar manner, for 10 days previous to each change. Any hotelkeeper who fails to have the rates so posted or who charges, collects or receives for the use of any room a sum different from the authorized charge shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $100. A hotelkeeper may permit a room to be occupied at the rate of a lower priced room when all of the lower priced rooms are taken and until one of them becomes unoccupied. Special rates may be made for the use of sleeping rooms, either by the week, month or for longer periods or for use by families or other collective groups. The department or its representatives may enforce the posting of rates as provided in this subsection.
(2)
(a) A hotelkeeper shall post, in each sleeping room in the hotel with a telephone, a notice of any fee imposed by the hotelkeeper for using the telephone.
(b) The notice required under par. (a) shall be all of the following:
1. In type not smaller than 12-point.
2. Conspicuously posted on the telephone or within 3 feet of the telephone's normal location.
(c) The department or its agents may inspect hotels to ensure compliance with pars. (a) and (b).
(d) A hotelkeeper who fails to post the notice required under par. (a) or who posts an inaccurate notice shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $100.
History: 1975 c. 413 s. 15; Stats. 1975 s. 50.84; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 27 s. 89; Stats. 1993 s. 254.83; 2015 a. 55 s. 4098; 2015 Stats. s. 97.638.