Love Shoes Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Just got back from California .... Stayed in Hollywood for the first 2 nights and was asked for $150 a night security deposit which came off my visa debit card immediately, checked out to go to Vegas, my bill for a pull out bed for our son was $60 and two nights valet parking $38 a night, they took payment immediately for the extras whilst still owing me $300 :elvis: It took nearly a week for the $300 to come back to me ... Vegas very reasonable $100 for the duration of the stay ... Came back the day after check out ... a motel $50 cash .... In Los Angeles ... San Diego $100 we stayed for 2 nights, checked out last weekend still waiting for the credit to be made ..... the he agent I booked with stated on their web site that a credit card is needed, but failed to mention the deposits per night, I don't mind $ for the stay, but per night is a bit much, I can't help but think of someone rocking up without prior knowledge of these nightly deposits and on a budget only to find that if they are staying 7 nights they are being asked for $700 ....... has as anyone else come across this ..... Just about to email the hotel from last weekend and see where my $200 is (usd) more in aud $ .... And inform them that I have an arrangement with my bank whereas I don't lend money nor do my bank sell ladies clothing ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 That is terrible. We travelled around Florida staying in a few different hotels about 7 years ago and didn't have one ask for that. I did book a trip through virgin holidays here and the hotel they put us in in Melbourne asked for $150 deposit for 'the mini bar'. We requested they empty the mini bar, but no, they insisted, although virgin holidays never warned us about this. In the end we gave them cash. They left us for a half hour waiting to get the money back... Pretty poor customer services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Most hotels in my experience do an authorisation on the credit card you provide when checking in. The transaction falls off after 5 days so not too much to worry about if you have enough credit limit on your card. This is to protect the hotel obviously to ensure you have funds available on the card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted November 2, 2013 Author Share Posted November 2, 2013 That is terrible. We travelled around Florida staying in a few different hotels about 7 years ago and didn't have one ask for that. I did book a trip through virgin holidays here and the hotel they put us in in Melbourne asked for $150 deposit for 'the mini bar'. We requested they empty the mini bar, but no, they insisted, although virgin holidays never warned us about this. In the end we gave them cash. They left us for a half hour waiting to get the money back... Pretty poor customer services. I can't get my head around it, just a scam, I don't think there was $100 dollars worth of stuff in the mini bar, which we never ever touch, agents should forewarn tourists of these deposits before they travel, I can say with certainty that neither of these chains will ever get our business again, so all in all pretty poor customer care ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted November 2, 2013 Author Share Posted November 2, 2013 Most hotels in my experience do an authorisation on the credit card you provide when checking in.The transaction falls off after 5 days so not too much to worry about if you have enough credit limit on your card. This is to protect the hotel obviously to ensure you have funds available on the card. mine has been longer and two transactions ..... They have taken the money, and I paid the final bill for parking and Internet which is showing on my bank statement .... I get it that they need to protect themselves, but to take it per night is a bit steep ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlhall Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 I can't get my head around it, just a scam, I don't think there was $100 dollars worth of stuff in the mini bar, which we never ever touch, agents should forewarn tourists of these deposits before they travel, I can say with certainty that neither of these chains will ever get our business again, so all in all pretty poor customer care ..... It does not encourage you to recommend a place like that, I have had authorizations placed against my card as a deposit that could be claimed if needed, but never had the money physically taken and then replaced, it all sounds a step to far for me. they would never get my business again..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted November 2, 2013 Author Share Posted November 2, 2013 Got the bill in front of me, no email address, surprise, surprise. Showing $200.59 24/10/2013 deposit applied, Internet x two nights $11.95 parking $22.00 x 2 visa/MasterCard $67.91 total $268.50 balance $0.00 if anyone wants the name of the booking agent or popular hotel chain please pm me , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Just got back from California .... Stayed in Hollywood for the first 2 nights and was asked for $150 a night security deposit which came off my visa debit card immediately, checked out to go to Vegas, my bill for a pull out bed for our son was $60 and two nights valet parking $38 a night, they took payment immediately for the extras whilst still owing me $300 :elvis: It took nearly a week for the $300 to come back to me ...Vegas very reasonable $100 for the duration of the stay ... Came back the day after check out ... a motel $50 cash .... In Los Angeles ... San Diego $100 we stayed for 2 nights, checked out last weekend still waiting for the credit to be made ..... the he agent I booked with stated on their web site that a credit card is needed, but failed to mention the deposits per night, I don't mind $ for the stay, but per night is a bit much, I can't help but think of someone rocking up without prior knowledge of these nightly deposits and on a budget only to find that if they are staying 7 nights they are being asked for $700 ....... has as anyone else come across this ..... Just about to email the hotel from last weekend and see where my $200 is (usd) more in aud $ .... And inform them that I have an arrangement with my bank whereas I don't lend money nor do my bank sell ladies clothing ..... Yep exactly the same in Sydney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Just got back from California .... Stayed in Hollywood for the first 2 nights and was asked for $150 a night security deposit which came off my visa debit card immediately, checked out to go to Vegas, my bill for a pull out bed for our son was $60 and two nights valet parking $38 a night, they took payment immediately for the extras whilst still owing me $300 :elvis: It took nearly a week for the $300 to come back to me ...Vegas very reasonable $100 for the duration of the stay ... Came back the day after check out ... a motel $50 cash .... In Los Angeles ... San Diego $100 we stayed for 2 nights, checked out last weekend still waiting for the credit to be made ..... the he agent I booked with stated on their web site that a credit card is needed, but failed to mention the deposits per night, I don't mind $ for the stay, but per night is a bit much, I can't help but think of someone rocking up without prior knowledge of these nightly deposits and on a budget only to find that if they are staying 7 nights they are being asked for $700 ....... has as anyone else come across this ..... Just about to email the hotel from last weekend and see where my $200 is (usd) more in aud $ .... And inform them that I have an arrangement with my bank whereas I don't lend money nor do my bank sell ladies clothing ..... We travel quite a bit and I`ve never encountered anything like that, maybe it`s different because I live here though. I usually pay online for bookings and they take about 60 % of the cost off my card right away as a sort of deposit - in case I didn`t show up. When we arrive to the hotel, they just tell us they charged the rest of the amount to the same credit card. Forgot to say that the 60% is off 1 night cost. Some hotels take 1 night cost off the card as a deposit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted November 3, 2013 Author Share Posted November 3, 2013 We travel quite a bit and I`ve never encountered anything like that, maybe it`s different because I live here though. I usually pay online for bookings and they take about 60 % of the cost off my card right away as a sort of deposit - in case I didn`t show up. When we arrive to the hotel, they just tell us they charged the rest of the amount to the same credit card. Forgot to say that the 60% is off 1 night cost. Some hotels take 1 night cost off the card as a deposit. we we had pre paid the hotel with ************.com emailed the hotel last night! not heard back yet. its quite odd ...... Fortunately we had been saving for this trip since forever, but not all people have $150 or $100 to spare for each nights stay .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Still not sure I totally understand the issue. Presumably you will pay the hotel bill with that card anyway won't you. So they are taking the money you will be paying anyway ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic1171 Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 It happened to me at Niagara Falls. I had had to give visa details to secure room, paid cash on checking out but they kept secured amount for approx a week before it went back on my visa! That was with a big chain, they were quite obnoxious about it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted November 3, 2013 Author Share Posted November 3, 2013 Still not sure I totally understand the issue.Presumably you will pay the hotel bill with that card anyway won't you. So they are taking the money you will be paying anyway ? Ok the issue is we paid the bill for the room prior to our arrival. On the visa debit card I provided the booking agent with, payment was taken four days before we arrived, so apart from an authority and extras such as Internet and parking we were _fully _ paid up ....... upon arrival they asked for a card for incidentals ..... They failed to inform either of us that we would be paying $100 USD per night as a deposit ...... and take ages if at all to return to my bank account, which incidentally is still showing as two payments to The ......... When we checked out we were given a bill, the bill was for two nights parking and two nights Internet plus a movie which my husband had ordered advertised at $4.99 but we were charged $19.99 for, I ? This and they refunded me the difference. they asked if they could use the card we provided at check in for the incidentals, we said yes, checked the account later and saw that payment had been taken for incidentals, but we were still owed two nights deposits. ETA... My qualm isn't about someone taking a security deposit, this has been happening since Adam was a lad, the issue is that they take it per night, as I said we were in a fortunate position that we could afford to loan them money, but not everyone has that luxury. They also failed to inform us at check in that the charge of $100 per night would be deducted from my visa debit, which is not a credit card, but a visa debit card which I use for travel as Eftpos is not accepted outside of Australia. Which means the deposits were deducted with immediate effect from my current account, I was also charged currency conversion rate too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Still not sure I totally understand the issue.Presumably you will pay the hotel bill with that card anyway won't you. So they are taking the money you will be paying anyway ? Haven't read all the thread so can't comment on Love Shoes situation. We have come across this situation a lot and totally agree with LS in that its not on. Numerous times we have paid in full for accommodation only to be told they need to hold a certain amount off my credit card for incidentals, this has varied from $100 - $1000. I remember my mum going ape when they tried to take $1000 off her card despite the accommodation being already paid in full. My mother is very stubborn and created quite a scene, they told her it was for the mini bar or pay TV, in the end she got them to back down but not before they removed everything from the mini bar and turned off the TV. I can understand in a apartment but not in a hotel. The largest security deposit I have heard being asked is $5,500 this was for a Britz camper van. It was an elderly couple who had flown to Alice to pick up their van and because they didn't have a spare $5,500 they were refused the camper. It is outrageous its not as though they aren't covered by insurance if something goes missing. Some people save very hard for their holiday and can't afford a $1,000 placed on hold, especially if you are staying in the same hotel for the full length of the holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I suppose these hotels have been bitten in the past by tourists running away after staying at the hotel and then not paying their bill. It is a risk to the hotel in people only paying when they are checking out in case they do a runner. If you have paid for the room in advance it should be a different story, as you say, and only a small authorisation required on the card. I was annoyed in Rome at a hotel when I wanted to check out and pay in cash, and they had already charged my card and so I was stuck with more Euros than I needed on my last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.