Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2025 campaign finance filings show about $53,500 charged for boutique and upscale hotel stays, with nearly $50,000 reported in Puerto Rico during one reporting period that included a $23,000 venue rental. The expenses include high-end restaurants and stays at well-known hotels across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, some coinciding with stops on her 'Fight Oligarchy' tour. Critics called the charges hypocritical given AOC's public stance on gentrification; the campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
AOC Charged About $53.5K In 2025 Campaign Funds For Boutique And Upscale Hotels, Draws Criticism
AOC spent over $53K in campaign funds on luxury hotels in 2025: 'Carpetbagger'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) charged roughly $53,500 in 2025 to her campaign for stays at four- and five-star and boutique hotels, according to year-end campaign finance filings released ahead of the November midterm elections. A large share of that spending occurred during a single reporting period in Puerto Rico, where the campaign reported nearly $50,000 in expenses for lodging, meals and a venue rental.
What The Filings Show
The congresswoman's fourth-quarter report includes about $4,000 in additional charges at the Hotel Palacio Provincial in San Juan, following substantial Q3 spending in the territory. During Q3 the campaign reported tens of thousands of dollars for upscale dinners and a $23,000 venue rental at the San Juan arena where AOC was later seen in a suite at a Bad Bunny concert.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used over $50,000 in campaign funds in 2025 on four- and five-star luxury hotels, including some in Puerto Rico during the same month she went to see Bad Bunny perform from a luxury suite.
Notable Charges And Examples
Itemized filings list stays at properties across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including The Langham Huntington (Pasadena), Vdara Hotel & Spa (Las Vegas), Lansdowne Resort & Spa (Virginia), Hyatt Grand Central (near Queens), Westdrift Manhattan Beach, the Asher Adams Hotel (Salt Lake City, a stay exceeding $3,100), Leo Kent Hotel (Tucson), Arlo Williamsburg (Brooklyn), Bottleworks Hotel (Indianapolis), and Hotel El Convento (San Juan).
The records also show upscale dining charged to the campaign: a New York sushi restaurant with a roughly $150 14-course tasting menu, a CATCH meal on the Las Vegas Strip where certain sushi and sashimi combinations can total about $225, and San Juan restaurants where cocktails top $20. Earlier filings reported $10,743.13 for catering and meals in Puerto Rico during one period.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a "Fight Oligarchy" rally in Nampa, Idaho.
Context And Timing
Many of the hotel and travel expenses coincided with stops on AOC's 2025 'Fight Oligarchy' tour, which she conducted alongside Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and with campaign travel and event activity listed in the disclosures.
Reactions
Republican strategist Mark Bednar criticized the expenditures, saying the spending appeared to conflict with AOC's public rhetoric. Daniel Turner, a Queens native and founder of the nonprofit Power The Future, also accused the congresswoman of spending outside her district rather than directing resources locally.
What better way to 'fight the oligarchy' than to use campaign funds on luxury hotels, Bednar said, adding that AOC would need to explain how these expenses square with her rhetoric if she pursues higher office.
Campaign Response
Fox News Digital reported that AOC's representatives did not respond to requests for comment about the filings. Supporters of the congresswoman and some campaign finance observers note that travel, lodging and event costs are common for congressional campaigns, while critics emphasize the optics of higher-priced accommodations and meals billed to campaign accounts.
Overall, the filings document a consistent pattern of campaign spending on upscale hotels, dining and event rentals across multiple cities and Puerto Rico through 2025, raising questions among political opponents about consistency between public statements on gentrification and the campaign's expenditures.
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