Originally Posted by
LoneTree
Nope. Just handed over my passport and credit card. I told the clerk to charge in Euro and she said "we'll see if it asks." At no point did she press any buttons after the swipe.
Edit: I'll add that they're pretty hostile to CCs in general at this place. They tacked on a CC surcharge and tried to get me to pay cash several times.
Was this a relatively large hotel or a smaller Rick Steves for lack of a better term type of hotel? Was it part of a large chain (you know Marriot, Sheraton or the like?) Well actually, I don't visit German (or the Netherlands) nearly as much as I do the UK and France, but I have read that both of those countries simply have a tradition that cash is king. I mean in the UK, you can walk down most any street and merchant after merchant has credit card decals plastered in the window. It's really rare in the UK to come across merchants who don't take credit cards or really pressure you to pay cash although some are reluctant to take plastic for small purchases. Germany and the Netherlands are completely different matters.
It's simply the way it is; not that I'm trying to defend the hotel.