When the Eaton Fire forced more than 200,000 people out of their homes in January 2025, some of them sought shelter at one of Pasadena’s most expensive hotels. The Langham Huntington, a five-star property where rooms run between $200 and $1,700 a night, allegedly saw an opportunity.
On the day Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, triggering California’s anti-price-gouging protections, the Langham raised its rates above the legal limit. Under California law, businesses cannot charge more than 10% above their pre-emergency prices during a declared state of emergency. The Langham charged more than that — and kept doing it, according to prosecutors, for more than a year.
On Monday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced that Langham Hotels Pacific Corporation agreed to pay $320,000 and issue full refunds to eligible guests who were overcharged during stays between January 7, 2025, and March 29, 2026. The refund amount for overcharges from January through April 2025 alone has already been calculated at $216,795…