If the merchant weren't getting a cut, they wouldn't exert so much energy trying to rip us off. I'm certain there's a split. And when I insisted in Ireland on paying in Euro, certain shopkeepers were noticeably deflated, even miffed. I think they bake DCC winnings from foreign customers into their business margins.

Again, it is very disappointing that Hilton tolerates this sort of game-playing, which is a definite discouragement to return business. It's right up there with undisclosed mandatory resort fees for which you get nothing in return.