A Brief Guide to Winning a Hotel Property Tax Appeal

Factors both internal and external to a hotel property affect its value, and in turn, its property tax burden. In most cases, an experienced hotel appraiser, employing a proven appeal protocol, is needed to determine whether a property is unfairly assessed. Property tax assessors intend to assess property fairly. They want a given property's assessment to be both representative of its market value and logical in comparison to similar properties. But their job is difficult, particularly for complicated assets. Property tax appeals for hotels—particularly full-service assets with multiple profit centers and extensive personal property—are especially complex, requiring an expert in the field of hotel appraisals and seasoned in a proven methodology. The following serves as a cursory guide for owners who think their hotel's assessment might be illogically high, including the key steps to waging a successful appeal.