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Charging Credit Card At Time Of Booking???

Discussion in 'Off-Strip Hotels' started by DOUBLE B, Jun 17, 2012.

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  1. DOUBLE B

    DOUBLE B Tourist

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    I have called 4 times to The Orleans and have gotten 4 different answers. So here is shooting for a answer that makes sense. I have stayed/booked rooms at The Orleans for the past 10+ years and never have I had charges for the room charged to my credit card untill I checked out. I booked four rooms (first time ever booking more than one room) for me and three other friends. I have agreed to pay and put up my credit card to pay for all four rooms and charges to these rooms.

    I made the reservation on 05-25-12 for arrival on 08-02-12 and the charges for these four room (5 days each room) were immediately charged to my credit card...almost $2,000. This is two months before arrival.

    When I inquire about why are charges appied to my CC immediately when this is never been the case before....The response I get is mumbo-jumbo about how I am responsible for all charges for all four of these rooms. Heck! I know that, thats why they have my CC.

    Obviously the fact that I will not be present at checkin for some of my
    friends has a bearing on why I am being charged immediately...not sure why?

    KISS (keep it simple stupid)..... would someone explain to me why it is necessary to prepay for the reservation 60+ days in advance simply because I have agreed to pay for all rooms/charges to these rooms??

    Thanks for any info.
     
  2. SH0CK

    SH0CK Stylin' and Profilin' Quasi Tech Admin

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    Was this an offer you booked online? Some offers you have to pay everything up front and it is non-refundable as well. I'm not sure if Orleans has these types of offers, but I've seen other hotels in Vegas do that with special offers. There is usually something in the fine print that states it though.
     
  3. Vegas Dave

    Vegas Dave Newbie

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    Definitely check the offer as stated above. In my experience I have always been charged a deposit (usually the first night's cost no matter how much or how long the stay is) which is refunded if I cancel within the allotted time frame (usually 24-72 hours prior to arrival). I think they do that to make sure you are serious about the reservation and not just charging up a bunch of fake reservations with unsure plans.
     
  4. wigwam_salesman

    wigwam_salesman VIP Whale

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    Generally I find with hotels that if you book a special offer you pay up front, non-refundable. If you book rack rate then they will either pre-auth or charge the first night to your card on reservation.
     
  5. jukie

    jukie Low-Roller

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    Not with the Orleans, I have never had my card charged like that before and have stayed there many times.

    My guess is its because you have booked more than one room and you may not be there at check in?
     
  6. jr7110

    jr7110 VIP Whale

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    I think the reason they charged you upfront is because you are booking four rooms and they want to guarantee the reservations (if a whole bunch of people rented multiple rooms and didn't show they would end up with a half-empty hotel).

    But they should have told you at the time of the reservation that they would be charging your card in advance. I have made reservations at hotels that sometimes did charge the whole thing in advance for a special offer and some that charge the first night only but I have never heard of them doing it without disclosing it up front. The only thing I can think of is that they put the charge through to make sure that the cost of the rooms is covered by your credit limit (even if they have your credit card information, if the card is maxed out the charges will be declined).
     
  7. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    There's no reason why they should have charged you the whole thing upfront unless it was a special offer that required you to pay everything in advance.

    Otherwise you should have just been charged the first night deposit for each of the rooms. The regular rules should apply, which is that for any room you don't check in on the appointed date (or don't cancel in time), you forfeit that night's deposit and the room gets released.

    It's been a month; you better get someone's email soon and find out what the story is.
     
  8. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    I am just guessing but....

    I don't blame the hotel for charging you for all of the four rooms in advance because none of your non-paying guest will be responsible for any hotel
    charges. Your guests can just show up and the clerk will see that they are fully paid on your credit card on file. They will not have to worry about how each quest is going to pay for their hotel room since it is pre-paid.

    The main concern is that one of your guest may change their mind about showing up at the last minute. That means the hotel doesn't lose any money
    because you have allready paid for that guest.
    It will be your loss and not the hotel.

    You also stated you will not be there when your guest arrive. You will not know who showed up and who didn't.

    I am sure the hotel has had this type of situation many times and found it
    easier just to put all the hotel charges on your credit card.
    I think your guests will also be able to charge food and drinks to your credit card..... I am guessing....

    If it was me.... I would make all of my guests put their credit card on file so they are responsible for any charges they make.

    You can also just cancel your reservation for those four rooms. There is still time if it is possible. Your guests can pay for their rooms with their credit cards and you can just write them a check for what they paid. That is another way of avoiding the $2,000. hotel charge.
     
  9. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    More advise

    I really think you should cancel the reservations.

    This is what I do with friends..... I tell them to call the booking agent and pay with their own credit cards.
    I never use my credit cards for FRIENDS.
    Yes, it is so easy just to put everything on your credit card but when it comes down for paying.... your friends may decide not to go with you and
    you are stuck with a pre-paid hotel.

    It happens all the time with FRIENDS. Some friends flake out on you.

    I also flake out on friends but at least I paid with my own credit card.

    The hotel doesn't want to tell you the real reason that your friends may
    not want to pay their share of the hotel bill so they just prefer to charge it
    all to your credit card. They will not have to deal with your friends.

    These friends of yours must be wonderful, great, nice, and responsible friends and will pay their share of the hotel bill. But the hotel doesn't see it that way. They don't want to get into a big discussion about your friends and turn you off to their hotel. They do want your business. Lucy
     
  10. Candy Apple

    Candy Apple VIP Whale

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    You're right, Lucy. I watch Judge Judy and on a daily basis people are bringing their friends and even relatives to court. There are always misunderstandings or excuses why people didn't pay.
     
  11. heatherlovesvegas

    heatherlovesvegas VIP Whale

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    Yea, could be because of the number of rooms. Also check the e-mail confirmation and stuff you got. If it was non-refundable they charge you the whole thing usually.
     
  12. K-9treatbaker

    K-9treatbaker VIP Whale

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    I agree with Lucy, have your friends pay with their own credit cards.

    Too risky in my opinion, to put up that kind of money and rely on friends to pay their share.

    I have been stung too many times in the past and have finally learned my lesson.LOL

    Good luck.

    K-9treatbaker
     
  13. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    I have seen it happen many times too with friends

    I belong to a cruise message board and I always see how a friend will put a deposit down on a non-refundable deposit cruise for their friends.

    A friend decides not to cruise after all not knowing that they owe their friend
    the deposit of $150. - $300.
    The problem is that the person who paid the money deposit feels the friend will really be going on the cruise and doesn't tell the friend that the deposit will NOT be returned if they change their minds to go on the cruise.

    So.... who ends up with losing the deposit money? The friend who booked it.
    The friend or relative will claim they don't have any money.

    Cruise ships will allow people to move their deposit to a future cruise BUT...
    it costs $50. to make the change and $50. administrative fee. The lose is
    $100. It happened to me when my grand-son chose not to cruise with me.
    I lost more than that because we were cruising to Alaska. His deposit was
    $300. and I lost it because we never re-scheduled it.
    I made the mistake of booking a non-refundable deposit in order to save some money but it back fired.

    I learned my lesson and decided to never do that again. LucyR.



    Judge Judy will most likely blame the victim who paid the money because they chose to take the risk with their credit card.
     
  14. jr7110

    jr7110 VIP Whale

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    Lucy - it is my impression that the original poster intended to pay for all of the rooms for everyone without expecting reimbursement - just not up front all at one time (I may be wrong, but nothing was stated about being reimbursed for the rooms or that the others did not have the ability to reserve the rooms on their own. It sounded like a gift the way it was worded - "I have agreed to pay" - it doesn't sound like they are paying him back).

    In any case, hotels do have a cancellation policy. He will not be out any money at all if someone does not show as long as he finds out what the cancellation policy is and cancels the room(s) well in advance (some hotels have a 24 hour cancellation policy, some have 48 hours etc).
     
  15. HAWJOHN

    HAWJOHN Tourist

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    I had the same impression. If I was to speculate, I would think the person is treating his “friends” on a five day vacation. He agreed not only to pay for all four rooms, but also pay for ALL charges to these rooms. The Ops question was why he had to prepay 60 days in advance.

    Room rates for Orleans Hotel during that time frame are less than 40 dollars per night. Total cost for the rooms would be about 650 dollars, yet he was charged $2000 up front. (assuming he did not reserve suites). He was not going to be there on check in for some of his friends.

    My belief is like jr7110 posted “ The only thing I can think of is that they put the charge through to make sure that the cost of the rooms is covered by your credit limit (even if they have your credit card information, if the card is maxed out the charges will be declined).”
     
  16. DOUBLE B

    DOUBLE B Tourist

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    You "nailed" it HAWJOHN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  17. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    OPPS!

    Sorry, I went and read it again and he did say he wanted to pay for his friends including all charges they wanted to make at the hotel on his credit card.
    I get it now! The hotel decided to protect themselves by making sure that all charges to his credit card is limited to $2,000. Once the limit is reached
    his friends can't charge their drinks or food to the OP's credit card unless
    they have a talk with the OP at the hotel and make new arrangements.

    I made a serious mistake by not carefully reading the question.
    I saw the words FRIENDS.

    My advise is still good for people with FRIENDS who expect their friends to
    pay for their own hotel and other charges.

    The OP is being very generous with his friends and that is okay. Lots of people do that for others.

    My dad used to spend a lot of money buying drinks for everybody at a bar
    when he was young and had money. It used to be a fun thing to do in the old days of the 1950's when drinks were cheap at Bars. I wish my dad had not done that because I had to go work as a teenager to buy the things I
    needed because he was always broke from being a big spender with his
    friends. Lucky that he didn't have a credit card. 'WHEW"....

    I am not implying that the OP is being foolish like my Dad was. It is his money and he can spend it anyway he wants.

    Trivia info: Credit cards didn't show up until the 1950"s. The first credit card was the Diners Club card. I think that was the name. Lucy
     
  18. HAWJOHN

    HAWJOHN Tourist

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    Thanks for the feedback. As mentioned, jr7110 came to the same conclusion. My first thought was that you were treating your employees for a vacation in Vegas. Regardless, it is a great gesture on your part. Enjoy and have a good trip!
     
  19. earth-3

    earth-3 VIP Whale

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    This idea of charging the whole stay when booking, is catching on all over. I have rooms booked for August in Philidelphia (4 days), Dallas in early October (5 days) and Las vegas in Mid October (5 days). All of them are now paid in full and were processed at the time of booking. I asked the Crown Plaza in Dallas why this is and they said to prevent multiple bookings. We all know from this forum that this is probably even more abused in Las Vegas. The benefit is: they can use your money for thirty or more days before they need to issue a credit. If you notice, credits are not charged back to your card as quickly as debits. I think legally they can take the full 30 days without it being an issue. This also gives the credit card company time to charge you interest before you cancel. It appears that people who book well ahead, will need to make sure they are really planning to stay at the hotel of first choice.
     
  20. Shelbymae

    Shelbymae Low-Roller

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    I called Imperial Palace and asked about a rate I had found, and asked if it would be a one night charge put on my card, or the whole 4 nights as Total Rewards didnt have it in writing what would be charged. They told me it would be just one night plus tax that would be charged. So I went ahead and went back to the Total Rewards site...and booked. The whole amt plus tax was charged....which was fine because it was only $128 but I was not expecting that. I called Imperial back and asked why...and told them who I had spoken with...They informed me that since it was a promotion/pkg that the whole amt was charged. It is refundable tho. So that might be one reason why you were charged the whole amt.
     
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