Originally Posted by
NewToTraveling
I’m still pretty new to traveling internationally and I was hoping to hear from others regarding incidentals charges. I just booked an advance purchase reservation at the Hilton Tokyo for 14 nights next month. The full amount has already been authorized from my account. My question is, will there be an incidentals amount held on my card when I check in and more importantly, how much? At other Hilton hotels here in the US, it has varied from no extra hold to $100 over the total rate. I realize this is something that may differ according to each property, but has anyone else stayed at the Tokyo Hilton? I just want to have an idea of how much extra will be authorized on my card. It is a debit card also.
Guessing if 14nights at Japan hotel that is very pricey as usual maybe approaching usd6-8k, thus I suspect/hope you have a corporate card, often diners/amex, also if you book too far ahead (or just before CC bill is closed for statement date) by the time you get expenses signed of on return to work, wait 4-7days for company to credit ones bank account, one could be hit with interest which ones company never pays ?
I hope you can bill for the International flight straight away and not have to wait until trip completes and claim flight+hotel+per-diem-expenses(dinner etc) on return home to work. Heck most new CC accounts have relatively low limits and never offer limits above gbp2000 unless one already has a healthy credit (and CC use) history... Hence need for corporate cards. Then of course per-diem for meals etc would on a CC be cash advances so burning interest immediately on withdrawal so easier to eat in hotels to avoid that by charging to stay, but be aware, Japan is one of costliest places to eat+drink worldwide!
Totally agree with some earlier replies regards ....one never wants to provide hold with a foreign bank account debit card. It is not the same as blocking us$nnnn on a CC that gts lifted within 2-5days of a checkout.
Regards f+b/phone/minibar incidental holds, hotels do many different things, expect higher holds if hotel has pricey Michelin *'d restaurant etc eg
o Basic $50-200 or so hold for stay, and excess charged immediately during a multinight stay
o Basic $50-200 hold for stay , not recharged once exausted during stay as hotel knows CC is good and will charge the excess at checkout (less common now)
o Fixed $50-200/night x nn nights of stay, quite common (eg IC Amstel in Amsterdam is Eur200/night ! ).
o If a 2week stay, possible to pay 1weeks f+b hold, and top up for second week as necessary
o
WARNING - Some hotels (owners rules not HH/IHG/MR chain rules) will not allow checkin without a valid CC (Debit cards will not be accepted for checkin at some )
NB
If one is a high elite in chain (IHG/HH/MR etc) eg HiltonHonors Diamond/Gold, one can sometimes negotiate a lower hold, though some hotels computer systems don't allow checkin staff to
i)let you checkin without a CC
ii)checkin without full deposit