What to do when European hotel insists on charging in US dollars
 

Checked out of the Clarion at Dublin Airport this morning. Was staying on points but had 5.24 Euro in incidentals. Handed over my Hyatt Visa with no foreign transaction fees. Got back a charge slip showing I was being charged $7.91 US dollars at an exchange rate of 1.49.

Asked them to redo it and charge it in Euros. He said that he didn't know how and that this was the way it had to be done. I really didn't want to spend 30 minutes with them arguing about it and then having to wait for them to figure out how to charge my card in euros. Had to get to the airport to catch flight home.

So I just signed it. Got back the receipt and of course it says that I have agreed to be charged in dollars at exchange rate 3.5% above interbank rate. Granted in my case it was only about 25 cents. But its the principle that bothers me. I was more or less forced to sign the thing. Even when I asked to have it done in Euros, I was told it couldn't be done.

I'm inclined to dispute the charge over the stupid 25 cents. It shouldn't matter but I didn't pay cash because I had purposely spent all foreign currency before coming home.

I've learned to always state it as I hand over the card; perhaps the issue was cancelling and redoing the charge.

On a recent trip, both in the Dubai airport and in India if I said nothing the charge was always in dollars, with the blurb saying that I had a choice (I think I had to initial that?). Those were incidental amounts, so I didn't care much, but when making larger purchases, and at the hotel, I made sure to clearly state "Charge in Rupees, please" as I handed it over. Never had a problem with that.

Why get worked up over a quarter?

Do you regularly file complaints if you lose 25 cents in a vending machine? Just wondering.

Well, it isn't exactly a quarter if the bill is hundreds of dollars. That happened to me in Ireland and I made them rebill it in Euros. I agree, it is the principle of the thing. Well, maybe it's really the thing. It happened to me in Switzerland recently but I do think it's more common in Ireland than in other countries.

Bobette

Pay with American Express as they are a closed system and the currency conversion is done by them when issuing your monthly bill.

Don't use Visa or Mastercard as more and more credit card processors are introducing what is called Dynamic Currency Conversion or "DCC" where the currency conversion is done at the Point of Sale (if the store clerk does not know how to override the system to not do the conversion) at less favorable exchange rates.

Not only do you get less competitive rates but the card may still charge you a foreign transcation fee. Having the charges in US dollars will always give you a worse exchange rate. The merchant does this so the rates are in their favor.

No. But I may pound on it, kick it a few times and swear at it a little.:D:D:D:D

A refund would be subject to another 3.5% exchange fee.. So 7% out the door as a result of paying and getting a refund:(

I think not.

AFAIK.. When I get charged a foreign transaction on a purchase.. I get charged foreign transaction fee..

When I get a refund, the cc charges me another foreign transaction fee on my refund.. the full amount doesn't get charged back to the card..

So two transaction fees.. my Visa and Plat Amex is at 2.5% US transactions..

If refunded immediately after the transaction, then the transaction is basically voided, and nothing is charged. I regularly have tickets priced in other currencies refunded (airplane tickets, usually). Other than actual currency fluctuations, I get back what I paid.

Paying anything above 1% forex seems a bit foolish. I travel outside the US more than 7 months a year, and even these little 2-3% ripoffs add up big time after awhile.

Ok.. I can see if the original transaction was "voided", there wouldn't be a charge..

Just that OP was thinking of obtaining a refund.. and relented to the fact that his cc was charged in US dollars.. so indicates that the original transaction would stand..

I 100% agree that anything above 1% forex is foolish.. but being Canadian and stuck with no competition.. I've been trying to find an alternative for us Canadians that would lessen the forex fee.. so CIBC aerogold Infinite, and Amex Aeroplat both have these foreign exchange fees.. maybe you can direct me to a product as a Canadian I can capitalize on minimal forex fees?

Posted several threads in the Amex forum to no avail:(

I think the title is a bit misleading. The hotel chap may have been too stupid or lazy to redo it in Euros, but no hotel has a policy to charge you in dollars.

Anytime and every time a merchant (hotel, restaurant, whoever) pulls a DCC on me and tries to charge my cc in dollars, I refuse to sign and ask for another charge in local currency. Sometimes the business accepts this and promptly re-does the transaction in local currency. Since I haven't signed for the one in dollars, it's nice if they reverse that one but in the end, I won't be responsible.

Other places are ill equipped for the decline/reversal/rerun in local currency. This can really screw them up as they don't know what to do and fumble with their machine. I stand firm-I'll sign in local currency only. I make no offer of cash, even if I have the cash on me. The longer it takes, the more upset they get, the better the lesson to not pull this scam.

I had a foreign transaction refunded to my Amex, a month had passed between the purchase and the refund, and they refunded the original transaction and the original transaction fee. In fact, because of differences in the exchange rate at the time of purchase and refund, I made a whopping 5 cents on the deal, I better be careful not to spend it all in one place! ;)