geo1005

I understand it is common practice for a hotel to put a hold on the credit card you use at check-in to cover estimated expenses.

We checked into the Marriott BRU last Fri (4/25) for two nights. At check-out (4/27) we gave them a different card to cover the expenses for our stay. That card has been charged the appropriate amount for the stay. It's now 4/30 and the card we used for check-in still has a "hold" for about 150% of the amount of our stay. It's a "hold" and not a cleared charge posted to the account.

How long does this hold stick around??? Should I be concerned and contact the hotel via email for a correction???

Thanks!

waltinsocal

I have found that these holds usually drop off in 3-5 business days. And I will take opportunity to comment on these holds. No one disputes the right of a property to authorize an additional sum above the room cost to cover any incidental charges. What is lacking is transparency as to the amount. The following is a true story as related by one of my best friends. She checked in a Marriott in Europe for a 7 day stay. Without telling her, the property authorized an additional $100 per night, a total of $700, for incidentals. I realize that for a lot of people on this board that the additional $700 might have been peanuts, but for my friend it wasn't. It basically locked up $700 for the rest of her trip when she had counted on something like a $100 deposit. And before anyone says anything, my friend is not someone who travels a lot, and did not think to inquire at checkin about the hold amount, as if it would have made any difference. I have found the European Marriott properties to be the worst about the hold amount policy, and for the most part not a single hotel tells you what amount they are authorizing as a hold before they do it. They simply run your card and your money is tied up. So a word to the wise, if the hold amount matters to you, especially if you are on a week stay like my friend was, inquire in advance what amount the hotel plans to hold so you don't have an unpleasant surprise. Email the property in advance, email Marriott customer service in advance, or whatever to get a firm answer as to what is going to be held at a given property.

SkiAdcock

The holds can really be a pain (as I've also discovered unpleasantly at times), but I 'think' the length of the hold is dependent on the bank. Not sure. I've found that for international stays, the hold seems to be on the card for about 7 days. Domestic ranges from 3-7. OVMV.

Cheers.

USFreak

This topic has always been a sour point for me. I travel on trips that usually last 3 or 4 weeks and are continuous and hotel changes along with city changes are frequent. Right now, I am in the same boat with the Richmond Marriott West. They authorized $200 above the room charges which caused my card to decline. I said that was impossible and sure enough, hotel holds are not dropping as fast as they were. I had the front desk agent manually post the total charges (with taxes) and then I had her include internet charges to post. S he did so and the card worked fine. Anyway, I am still dealing with an extra $150 they authorized that is still sitting on my card as a hold 7 days after I checked out. A call to the accounting department yielded no return call and my credit card issuer can't do anything about it. I never utilize hotel extras except for internet so it really kills me that they do this to an exorbetent amount. I understand incidental charges, I really do, but the amounts need to be put on the checkout page when making a reservation so a customer can plan and expect for these types of things to occur.

elll

I have one card that I use only for hotel and rental car charges. There's plenty of room on it, so holds are not an issue. I keep checking my account until the hold is removed - which, as previous poster said, is usually 3 to 5 business days.

My trips though are only a few days in length, and I would probably not be as docile about it if it were several weeks' duration.

Any other travel expenses such as restaurants, shopping, etc. go on a different card so there is not the issue of credit line being blocked.

littlevoices

I think in the UK they do a standard £50 per night, most big hotel chains seem to use that as their default.

Put it this way, in my own view as a frequent traveller - don't ever check-in/out of hotels regularly without a big credit limit, or a backup card for the authorisations. It can be an advantage in using a corporate card (particularly for the check-in part when they take the cash).

TravellingMan

I have never checked to see if there is a hold from rental car or hotels. I travel every week and they do not even give me the spiel of there will be a hold on my credit card anymore. Maybe it is because I never hit the limit on the CC. I spend more time on matching receipts to ensure that there are no "surprise" charges.

calitequilasippergirl

Every year I put together a trip to Tequila. We start and end at the Hilton in GDL. This year, when checking in, as always, I paid for all the rooms on my card but the incidentials are paid by each room occupant with their own cards. So, basically, they should have authorized for 20 rooms, plus an amount for my incidentals. He ran it and asked me to sign it. I refused. He ran it for 2000 more than the total. I made the manager call Merchant Services and reverse the authorization.

jasperJ8

i had the same experience but this time i was using the same credit card. i had to call marriott and had it removed since it has been a week and the hold is still there on my card. what's funny is that they had hold the same amount as the one they charged me when i checked out so it's like double charging.

newbiztraveler

I recently stayed at the Brussels Marriott (awesome property/location, btw) and I don't remember getting any hold for additional money.

TrojanHorse

Tis the reason I use my AX to check in; and whatever card I want to pay for to check out. This has to be the biggest PITA there is

Points Surfer

Bad news is most hotels are slow to pull the hold off & worse....not just Marriott has problems.
FYI....Last year I booked a room for myself and 3 clients for a weeks stay. Hotel said only a hold until the 3 clients check-in then it goes on their cards. Well... after we checked out and moved to the next town I was out that evening with them + guests for an expensive supper and was the host so paying....card declined @#$%. Figured I was hacked or something so paid cash....since the Northeast Blackout of 2003 I travel with as much cash as I can just in case and it paid off once again !
Found out later the Hotel had somehow kept my card active for the clients whole stay + holds and ran me over. Sorted out next day but unwarranted stress in a social setting with clients.

eeprofessional

You guys are either using a debit card (which is a joke given Reg E) or your CC have low limits or you are close to max out your cards

Never had a problem with hotels or car rentals holding even if they put a hold for weeks since I doubt they put a hold of several thousand dollars.

thanks for the idea of 2 CCs: 1 for incidentals and another to pay for the stay...

TravellingMan

The only time I had trouble was with a Marriott in SLC. I had used my Marriott Gift card to pay for the night. They put a hold on it which they never released. Finally after 3 weeks, I got the Gift Card line to release the hold.

Since then I pay with my CC and when I check out I show them my gift card to charge the stay to.

Points Surfer

Regardless of limits its no excuse for sloppy admin at hotels. I'll pay my share due but I get really annoyed when another business holds a penny unneccessarily or overcharges. From an Entrepreneurs perspective it wouldn't be the first time a couple of grand pushed you over the limit...and probably why FT gets so many hits with folks stretching dollars any way they can...thats why I'm here on a Sunday. Thanks again FT & IHG for assisting my self-financed Stimulus Plan as I'm saving _ _ (left intentionally blank) road nights on points I earned last year and leaving $$ money in the bank !!