Le Club Accorhotels - Prepaid rates now only payable using MasterCard or Visa?

I've just made a booking through the accorhotels.com site for dates in January 2013 at the Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge. They have quite an attractive "Pay for 2, get 3" nights promo running.

When booking a prepaid rate, I normally use one of my Amex cards. However, tonight, I was only given the option of using MasterCard or Visa... (No Amex or Diners). I also note that Accor have implemented the hated (well, by me anyway) Verified by Visa / MasterCard SecureCode systems.

I wonder whether this is a permanent change? I would much prefer to use Amex when booking prepaid rates.

I've just made a booking through the accorhotels.com site for dates in January 2013 at the Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge. They have quite an attractive "Pay for 2, get 3" nights promo running.

When booking a prepaid rate, I normally use one of my Amex cards. However, tonight, I was only given the option of using MasterCard or Visa... (No Amex or Diners). I also note that Accor have implemented the hated (well, by me anyway) Verified by Visa / MasterCard SecureCode systems.

I wonder whether this is a permanent change? I would much prefer to use Amex when booking prepaid rates.

Sounds like bug unless they are not accepting some cards in certain markets. It would make a mockery of their partnership with AMEX if they refuse to accept the cards for payment.

(got the same choice when trying a test booking, however when booking a hotel in the UK and I get all the usual cards)

Sounds like bug unless they are not accepting some cards in certain markets. It would make a mockery of their partnership with AMEX if they refuse to accept the cards for payment.

(got the same choice when trying a test booking, however when booking a hotel in the UK and I get all the usual cards)

Just tried some further test bookings myself. Got offered the opportunity to pay using Amex for hotels in the US, as well as UK. No Diners Club offered for US bookings though.

For bookings in France, I was offered the full range (MC, Visa, Amex, Diners).

It does seem odd if they're now offering limited payment options for prepaid rates depending on the market, as the hotels themselves tend to accept the full range of cards. I settled my bill at the Mercure Budapest Buda using American Express only four weeks ago!

I also noticed this issue back in July when booking Novotel Budapest Parlament and seems to happen on all of the Accor properties across Hungary, however paying with AMEX at the hotel is fine. At the time in the hotel they were unaware of the issue as they didn't get any notice of changes.

If your bill is less than 100 euros and you reserve from the hotel site at novotel.com seems it goes through a different online payment provider which will allow you to use AMEX so back in July what I did was to book three one-nights stays instead of a single booking of 3 nights.

I booked with Amex on Accor's website only 3 days ago!

It appears to depend upon which country you are booking for, as noted above. Just did another test booking for a Mercure in Hungary and it still only offered me MasterCard or Visa.

So far, I haven't found any other country that doesn't give the option to pay using Amex.

I've already used my MasterCard to secure the booking I wanted at the Budapest Sofitel.

I booked with Amex on Accor's website only 3 days ago!