2025
ASA v Travelodge
The ad'From GBP25', 'From GBP21'
OutcomeUpheld 19 Nov 2025
LessonSpread 'from' price availability across dates
Everyday consumer · Ad policy
Travel and hospitality ad policy on Meta and Google
Travel and hospitality ads are rules apply on Meta and rules apply on Google. Prohibited Commercial Practices: 'Misleading or unreasonable pricing', 'Product misrepresentation'. (enforced). The phrases most likely to cause trouble include "from GBP X (few units at that price)", "from GBP25 (one date only)", "+ resort/booking/service fee".
MetaRules apply
GoogleRules apply
Last checked5 October 2026
Meta rules Rules apply
Enforced
- Prohibited Commercial Practices: 'Misleading or unreasonable pricing', 'Product misrepresentation'. (enforced)
Sources: transparency.meta.com
Google rules Rules apply
Disapproval
- Dishonest pricing practices: Disclose 'the total price, including all taxes, fees, and surcharges'. (disapproval)
Sources: support.google.com
Flagged words and phrases for travel and hospitality ads
11 phrases that often lead to rejection, limited delivery or regulator action. High means the phrase or claim is named in a policy or ruling. Medium means it's our reading of a rule.
| Phrase | Why it's risky | Rule or source | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| from GBP X (few units at that price) | A 'from' price must apply to a significant proportion | asa.org.uk | High |
| from GBP25 (one date only) | Travelodge ruling | asa.org.uk | High |
| + resort/booking/service fee | Junk fees: total price upfront (US lodging), UK drip pricing ban | btlaw.com | High |
| taxes & fees extra (non-optional) | CAP 3.18: must include non-optional fees | asa.org.uk | High |
| only 1 room left / 5 people viewing (misleading) | CMA 2019 pressure-selling commitments | gov.uk | High |
| sold out (strategically shown) | CMA 2019 commitments | gov.uk | High |
| X% off (vs an inflated rate) | Discount claims must be genuine | gov.uk | High |
| carbon neutral flight/stay (offset-based) | EU ban on offset-based claims | climatepartner.com | High |
| eco hotel / green travel | EU generic claim | coslaw.eu | High |
| best price guaranteed | Needs substantiation and clear terms | asa.org.uk | Medium |
| free cancellation (conditions hidden) | Leaves out material conditions | asa.org.uk | Medium |
Risky creative patterns
- Lead-in fare available only on a single off-peak date
- Nightly rate that excludes a mandatory resort fee
- Ranking by commission without disclosure
- Scarcity badges based on partial inventory
Safer rewrites
Before and after examples. Swap the bracketed parts for your real details.
Before
Rooms from GBP25!
After
Rooms from GBP25 on selected dates Jan-Mar, [X]% of rooms at this price
Before
GBP99/night + resort fee
After
GBP124/night incl. all mandatory fees, before optional extras
Before
Only 1 room left!
After
1 room left at this rate on our site for your dates
Before
Carbon neutral holidays
After
We fund [named project] offsets, this trip still produces about [X] kg CO2e
Before
Save 60%
After
Save 60% vs our standard rate charged 1-30 Sep
Policy and enforcement history
CMA: Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com, ebookers and trivago commit to changes (deadline 1 Sep 2019)
EU CPC: Airbnb agrees to show the total price incl. mandatory fees
EU CPC: Booking.com and Expedia commit on offers, discounts and prices
FTC junk fees rule finalised (tickets, short-term lodging)
UK drip pricing ban
FTC junk fees rule takes effect
CMA DMCC investigations incl. StubHub/viagogo drip pricing
ASA Travelodge 'from' price ruling
Case studies
2025
FTC junk fees rule
The adBase-rate lodging ads
OutcomeTotal price must be most prominent, up to US$51,744 per violation
LessonUS lodging ads must lead with the all-in price
2020
EU CPC v Booking.com, Expedia
The adHow offers, discounts and prices were presented
OutcomeCommitments Dec 2020
LessonThe same standards apply EU-wide
2019
CMA v 6 hotel booking sites
The adPressure selling, misleading discounts, hidden charges, paid rankings
OutcomeCommitments
LessonPut mandatory fees in the headline price, keep scarcity claims honest
Rules by country
UAE
General misleading-claim rules (Cabinet Resolution 66/2023), no travel-specific rule verified.
Check a travel and hospitality ad
Platform
Runs in your browser. Nothing you paste is sent or stored.
Your report appears here.Each flag shows the phrase, the rule behind it, a source and a real case where a similar ad got in trouble.
This tool is a pre-launch screen, not legal advice. Meta and Google do not publish banned-word lists, so each flag is a risk signal tied to a published rule, regulator ruling or court case. Policies change often. Data last checked 5 October 2026.