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Incidental Holds on Credit Card ???

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by StuartUK, Jan 28, 2014.

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  1. StuartUK

    StuartUK Low-Roller

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    Hi all,
    Any of you got any experience of saying you don't want a hold placed on your card ?
    Last year at 3 night stay at MBay, I said wont charge anything to the room so they didn't place a hold, and our 5 night comp at luxor said the same thing, and I don't think they placed a hold either.....

    This year, we got 3 nights in the Aria (myVegas)...
    Then 4 Nights Monte Carlo & 4 Nights Vdara....
    Plus Car hire with Hertz (Adrenaline range).... (fully insured, zero excess)

    We never charge anything to a room or use mini bar, etc etc....
    Soooooooooooooo, has anyone got away with not having a hold placed on there card in those hotels ????

    If Aria placed a hold of $300 (£190), then MC held $400, and then Vdara held $400, along with Hertz holding $500,
    then allowing for around 1 week for the funds to return to the card, were gonna pushing over £1000 ($1500) held on a card for no reason and cutting into available funds :(
     
    Show me the money Jerry, show me the money!!!
  2. lithium78

    lithium78 VIP Whale

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    If you don't have a high limit credit card, maybe you could put holds on several credit cards instead. And anybody reading this should know that you never, ever, ever use a debit card for hotel stays (or car rentals) (not that you are doing that).
     
  3. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    For all of the CET properties at least, we have stated that we will not be using incidentals or room charge and they do not do a per-day hold. They still take a card imprint and I think there's something like a $100 hold for the trip.
     
  4. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    Its not "getting away" with anything: thats just how it is everywhere. The credit card hold is done for your convenience so you can charge things to your room, take advantage of the mini bar, use hotel services, etc. If you aren't going to use any of that then when you check in just say "no credit card hold" or "no charge to room"

    The only real catch is: if you are booked under an offer and it comes with some credit or free perks (IE: "$50 drink credit" or "2-for-1 show tickets" or "$200 resort dining credit" or "2 free buffets", etc) then you need to have charge to room privileges enabled.

    However, if you don't want them to put a big hold on your credit card, or you just don't have the space on your card, you will almost always have the option to put down a cash deposit instead. That deposit will be used up if you do charge anything to your room and what isn't used is returned to you when you check out. If you did go this route and used up all your deposit then you either have to go back down to the front desk and add more to your deposit or you will lose the ability to charge things to your room.
     
  5. TIMSPEED

    TIMSPEED Money’s on the way, with CashNetUSA

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    Unless you get really lucky (or are friends with your host) you'll almost always get charged an "incidentals" hold (usually $100-$200) no way around it.
    Some places take forever on "releasing" the funds too.
    Also, on your rental car, use a credit card! They'll only "process" the amount of the rental, with no "hold" (I learned this trick from renting every other weekend; $200 hold with a debit card, but only the amount of the rental if you use a credit card)
     
  6. mrstealth

    mrstealth VIP Whale

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    On a comped room if you do not plan on charging anything to your room you usually don't have to place a credit card "on hold". Otherwise, I think you will have to provide one.

    The reason they do this is to prevent damage and more importantly theft. Because everyone wants to take everything in the room that isn't nailed down.
     
  7. TIMSPEED

    TIMSPEED Money’s on the way, with CashNetUSA

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    From my experience (and it's a lot in vegas)
    It's the other way around...if you have a comped room you'll HAVE to put a card down for deposit.
    However, once we stayed at Flamingo and PAID for it (it was like $20 a night) and they DIDN'T charge a "deposit" (I think only because it was already $100 they were charging for the room; so they had a way to get money from me)
    Like I said, I've stayed at many different places in Vegas and I've beg/borrowed/stole to get the "hold" waived, always told "Sorry, it's company policy." (Only got them to waive it ONCE; and it was because the host was a friend of mine, so she said it was OK)
     
  8. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    They can put a $1,000 hold on our my credit card if they want. I really do not care. It does cost me anything or any harm.
     
  9. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    I don't care as well. This topic seems to get brought up alot and I don't see what the big deal is. As long as you don't destroy your room you're not getting charged anything.
     
  10. RiddickBull

    RiddickBull VIP Whale

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    On comped rooms, a hold will be placed on your card. As stated earlier, a hold of $100-200 will be placed on your card depending on the hotel.
     
  11. LA2VegasTrekkers

    LA2VegasTrekkers High-Roller

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    I think some people either have very low limits on their cards (some by choice, to limit possible fraud) or have a large outstanding balance on the card so they have limited available credit. Holds further reduce available credit during the period of the hold.
     
  12. StuartUK

    StuartUK Low-Roller

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    Some, like myself, don't have a credit card, cant get a credit card, and don't want a credit card....
    I have a VISA Debit (UK, so a bit different to yours), and I also have a pre-paid credit card (although works exactly the same as a normal credit card as no restrictions on it, it will hold funds I want to use, not have held for no reason).....

    Totally understand about a hotel wanting to protect itself against damages & theft (if there is anything to steal ?)......
    If each hotel said they would hold $100 total, then in theory, not that much of an issue.....

    Coming from the UK, I pre-pay for everything using UK brokers, as the amount I pay covers all (room+tax+R Fee), and car hire includes all insurances.... (Alamo/dollar don't hold deposits my previous bookings, just unsure with regards to Hertz..... cheers for the info though earlier..)

    Cheers for the info anyway :)
     
    Show me the money Jerry, show me the money!!!
  13. trooth

    trooth Low-Roller

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    My last 4 trips at CET properties were all comped, and I never had them put a hold on my credit card. They ask me when I check in, and I say no. I have put up $100 for a 5 night stay, and a 3 night stay for incidentals, and other two times I just didn't put anything in. Harrah's Cherokee near me charges $50 a night for a hold, and that is not optional. So for people that tend to go full tilt that is a little insurance from losing absolutely everything. But I would think that the hotels should offer you a cash option rather than credit card holds. Credit Card holds can take weeks to come off, and it is much harder to get the charges removed at that time rather than at check out when you are collecting your cash deposit.
     
  14. Rush

    Rush MIA

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    I think some of you guys might just be wrong about these holds. I always get told there will be a "hold", and I tell them, "I will not be charging anything to the room, I don't want a hold".

    I've never had a hold.
     
  15. RiddickBull

    RiddickBull VIP Whale

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    I have never stayed at a CET property so I don't know their rules.

    For MLife, they have always placed a hold on my CC. I never had the option to say no.
     
  16. Haileylayne

    Haileylayne Tourist

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    I just called Flamingo and the lady on the phone told me I'll have the ability to turn off incidentals upon check in. Great news because I didn't want my credit card tied up while I'm on vacation.
     
  17. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

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    They'll let you. One trip I had some friends with me and I declined to have the incidentals turned on at The Mirage to prevent my buddies from charging to the room without me knowing.
     
  18. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    I totally understand for those that can not get a credit card. Sometimes $hit happens.

    For those that opt no to get one, I just do not understand. We carry multiple cards for many positive reasons.

    * We have money available for last minute purchase, emergencies, hotels, new airfare, car rental, medical, etc.

    * They cost nothing

    * We earn points or cashback when using them.

    * They cost nothing
     
  19. Marky147

    Marky147 VIP Whale

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    The first time I went to Vegas, I had a room at Caesars courtesy of the poker site I won my trip through.

    I didn't have a credit card at that time, so I just gave them $200 when I checked in, and everything was just PAYG.
     
  20. trooth

    trooth Low-Roller

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    If you use them correctly that is true. If you keep a balance and just make minimum payments, they cost you more money than any other financial instrument you will find in your life.
     
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