Flamingo credit card hold at checkin

I will be staying at the Flamingo in a couple of days on a comped reservation (except resort fees). Does anyone know how much credit card space is needed at checkin?

I tried calling to ask, and the rep told me that they would hold $50 per night for incidentals in addition to $29 per night for resort fees, so this would be like a $400 hold for something I will ultimately owe nothing for (I will have enough Reward Credits to cover my resort fees at the end). I don't remember ever having that much held in previous visits. In fact, I'm pretty sure there was one trip in the days before resort fees where I was on a comped trip and I did not even need any credit space--I was able to sign off on the incidentals hold by agreeing that I would not be able to charge things to the room if I did so. I asked the rep if that was possible since I never charge anything to the room and he acted like I was speaking a different language. He said, "well, that is not our policy but maybe you can check with someone upon checking to see if they can find a way to accommodate".

This wouldn't be a big deal since I won't end up paying anything in the end, but, like a true degen, I have maxed out my credit cards while trying to save up cash for the trip. I will need to make a payment to free up CC space, so I just need to know how large of a payment I need to make.

 

Credit card holds are a common topic here. Lots of varied answers. Personally, they can charge anything they want, but I usually just see a couple hundred, if anything.

If you have maxed out all your credit cards, does that mean you are paying 20% interest or something terrible like that? If so, that makes 6:5 BJ a pretty good deal.

 

No, I don't have bad interest rates or anything. In fact, the main card I use is a no interest charge card that I have to pay off every month. I just need to make a payment on it again before I go to have enough space on it at the time of checkin.

 

I would expect if they are willing to waive the hold, they would then want the RF's paid up front. If you don't have enough RC's at start of trip, then you will have to pay for those out of pocket. To keep yourself from any potential problems in an emergency situation (from a mom whose college kid just did an ER visit a couple weeks ago......), I would suggest paying $1000 on that CC that you want to use, just to be safe.

 

At Flamingo, when I've been on personal trips, I've paid the room in full at check-in and declined room charge privileges and had no additional hold placed on the card.

 

$50-$100 a night hold is pretty typical.

 

I've had them say $50 per night, then they never charge the card, then again they have charged the card $100 and it doesn't go back on the card till days after I leave. Doing cash from now on, that way I'll have $500-100 at check out

 

I'm pretty sure that is what I remember doing on my last trip, too. The rep I talked to the other day sounded like he had never heard of such a thing, though. I could probably call back again and talk to someone different and get a completely different explanation, though.

 

Maybe get another card with no usage on it for just this sort of thing?

 

Do you have a debit card attached to a checking or savings account? My first job at the bank I currently work for was in Business Banking Customer Service. Almost every day I would receive calls from card holders who had hotel/rental car incidentals pending on their account. With a quick hit of a button, I was able to reverse the pending authorization and place the money back in their checking account for them to use. However I did always warn them that the funds could still post to their account i.e. if the room was trashed, etc. It was a very common call however I am sure all banks are different.

 

This isn't 100% on the topic of holds but LVA is addressing prepaid cards in their QOD today and tomorrow. Here is todays

http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/qod.cfm

 

With a PREPAID card, there is set amount of funds. When those funds are gone, they are gone. Unlike a credit card where you have the funds and often they can even charge over your limit. (not their problem).

Stupid prepaid card could have lots of money on day one of your stay and be empty by time you leave.

 

I just back from vegas. If you do not want incidentals there will be no hold, but there will be no charging to the room priv. If you do want charging priv, then they put a hold on the card for $50 a night. It is only a hold. NOW from experience, if you use the online check in...they WILL charge your card 50$ a night. When you check out it takes a few days for them to credit it back to your card. Because of that, I will never do online checkin again. It was a hastle and not a help. If you do it in the evening there is still only one line to get your key.