Texas AG sues San Antonio hotel for alleged price gouging during winter storm

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News)  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has  filed a lawsuit  against a San Antonio hotel accused of price gouging during the winter storm last month.

The suit claims that a man, his three daughters and 101-year-old grandmother booked two rooms for a one-night stay at La Quinta Brooks City Base.  The family told hotel staff that they didn’t know when their power would be restored, so they made plans to extend their stay.

According to a news release from Paxton’s office,  the family was informed on the third day that the room rates jumped from $74 to $199 a night.  When they asked why, hotel staff told them there was a huge demand for rooms and if they didn’t want the rooms, someone else would pay the exorbitant rate.

“This gross exploitation of Texans in dire need of shelter during historic low temperatures will not be tolerated,” Paxton said. “Companies looking to profit from this tragic event that left millions of Texans without power or water will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.”