Paris
The French government has fined six top Paris hotels for price fixing. The hotels, including the Ritz, the George V, and the Crillon, were found to be secretly sharing business information to keep their prices artificially high. Allegations had been swirling since 2001, when a French investigative TV news program found that the sales directors of the hotels were holding regular meetings. The Crillon, where Madonna frequently stays, got the stiffest fine, at $290,000. A single room there in the off-season costs nearly $600 a night, while a fancy suite during the prime tourist season goes for $9,500.
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