Booking UK hotel via Expedia - VAT included?
Mar 16, 2017, 6:37 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,731
Booking UK hotel via Expedia - VAT included?
If you book a hotel in the UK using the US Expedia site, would you expect the rate shown to include VAT?
I've been looking at a certain hotel in the Hand Picked Hotel group. I found it via Expedia, then looked at the hotel website where I found their Best Rate Promise which says the hotel's own website is guaranteed to have the lowest rates. The hotel site shows a considerably higher rate ($40/night) than Expedia, so I emailed to ask about the rate guarantee. Their response is that the guarantee doesn't apply because Expedia doesn't include VAT in their quotes, which is the opposite of my previous experience booking via Expedia.
On Expedia: If you click on "Reserve" the next screen does show a total rate including "taxes and fees" which slightly higher than the first screen, but the difference is $8/night on a rate of $132/night, which is well under what the VAT would be.
I was also under the impression that for the UK displayed/advertised prices were required include VAT - is that correct?
So would you expect the rate shown on Expedia to include VAT?
I've been looking at a certain hotel in the Hand Picked Hotel group. I found it via Expedia, then looked at the hotel website where I found their Best Rate Promise which says the hotel's own website is guaranteed to have the lowest rates. The hotel site shows a considerably higher rate ($40/night) than Expedia, so I emailed to ask about the rate guarantee. Their response is that the guarantee doesn't apply because Expedia doesn't include VAT in their quotes, which is the opposite of my previous experience booking via Expedia.
On Expedia: If you click on "Reserve" the next screen does show a total rate including "taxes and fees" which slightly higher than the first screen, but the difference is $8/night on a rate of $132/night, which is well under what the VAT would be.
I was also under the impression that for the UK displayed/advertised prices were required include VAT - is that correct?
So would you expect the rate shown on Expedia to include VAT?
Mar 16, 2017, 6:45 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,746
The final amount you see on Expedia (ie total including taxes) will include VAT. As you note that final amount may be higher than the price initially shown on the search page.
You won't get stung for VAT at the hotel which isn't shown on the final Expedia price.
You won't get stung for VAT at the hotel which isn't shown on the final Expedia price.
Mar 16, 2017, 7:06 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,731
My experience with booking a hotel in Canada via the US Expedia site is that all taxes were included on the second screen, which is why the claim that Expedia rates don't include VAT for the UK surprised me.
After further correspondence with the UK hotel, I am forced to conclude they are somewhat sleazy and their rate promise is rubbish. After I challenged their statement that Expedia rates don't include VAT they came back with the $40/night difference on a $132/night (Expedia) is due to differences in the exchange rate.
After further correspondence with the UK hotel, I am forced to conclude they are somewhat sleazy and their rate promise is rubbish. After I challenged their statement that Expedia rates don't include VAT they came back with the $40/night difference on a $132/night (Expedia) is due to differences in the exchange rate.
