Hotel Arts receipt from 17 February 2014:
I was able to check out of Hotel Arts and avoid the DCC scam Monday morning. I was worried based on my recent experience at hotels in Europe trying to sneak in DCC, but yesterday morning I didn't have any problems. I specified that I wanted to be charged in euros, and the DCC free slip printed for me to sign. Their computer seems to be integrated with the POS terminal because the folio printout had the same transaction ID as the thermal paper receipt, which I embedded in the upper left. You can see the line about DCC as an option:
For your convenience you are able to settle your bill in the currency of your credit card. Should you wish to settle your bill in your local currency (not in EUR), please note that a 2% conversion rate mark-up from the bank is already included in the final amount. All exchange rates are sourced from Banco Santander.
At least they're honest about the mark-up, so it would be 2% above what Santander's rate is. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume their exchange rate is competitive, but why would you want to be 2% more just to be offered the convenience of being billed in your local currency?