2019 US Virgin Islands Code
Title 27 - Professions and Occupations
Chapter 13 - Hotelkeepers
§ 403. Loss of clothing and other personal property; limited liability
(a) No hotel proprietor, lessee, or manager shall be liable—
(1) for damage to or loss of wearing apparel or any baggage or other property of a guest in any sum exceeding the sum of $100, unless such hotelkeeper by an agreement in writing individually, or in writing by the authorized agent or clerk in charge of the office of such hotel, voluntarily assumes a greater liability with reference to such property;
(2) for the loss of or damage to any merchandise samples or merchandise for sale unless the guest has given such hotelkeeper prior written notice of having the same in his possession, together with the value thereof, receipt of which notice the hotelkeeper shall acknowledge in writing over the signature of himself or of his agent thereunto duly authorized, but in no event shall such hotelkeeper be liable beyond the value of $100 unless he voluntarily assumes a greater liability with reference to such property in writing signed by the authorized agent or clerk in charge of the office of such hotel;
(3) for the loss of or damage to property permitted to remain unattended by the guest unless the guest secures the same by leaving it in the room assigned to the guest and locks the door thereof;
(4) in any sums exceeding $50 for the loss of or damage to the property of any person delivered to such hotelkeeper, his agent or employee, for transport to or from the hotel, unless at the time of delivering the same such value in excess of $50 is stated by such persons and a written receipt stating such value is issued by such hotelkeeper: Provided, however, That where such written receipt is issued, in no event shall the hotelkeeper be liable to any person beyond $100; or
(5) for the custody of property delivered to or left with the hotel prior to or subsequent to the time when such person is obligated to pay for occupancy as a guest at the hotel, unless it is proved that the hotelkeeper assumed the obligation by issuing a written receipt stating the value thereof and that the property shall be held for a stated period of time; and if the latter is proved, in no event shall the hotelkeeper be liable in excess of $100.
(b) Except as explained in sections 402 and 403 of this title, no hotelkeeper shall be responsible to any guest for the loss of any property that has been brought or left by him in any place in the hotel managed by said hotelkeeper, nor for the destruction or damage suffered by same; and a hotelkeeper shall not be responsible in any case to any guest for any loss or damage occasioned by fire, hurricane, earthquake, or any other condition caused or resulting from any act, omission, or condition beyond the control of the hotelkeeper, and the burden of proof thereof shall be upon the guest.
(c) No hotelkeeper shall be responsible to any guest or other person for any loss through theft or damage brought about by other cause to any motor vehicle or to any other vehicle while it is parked in any free parking space provided by said hotelkeeper; nor for any loss brought about by theft or damage to any property left in said motor vehicle or other vehicle while it is thus parked.
(d) None of the provisions in this section shall be interpreted to mean that anyone should be relieved of responsibility for acts carried out intentionally.
