Originally Posted by
xenole
Whilst Revolt has been mentioned.
I've got a couple of US hotel stays coming up that will be paid in US$ on arrival or checking out.
Does Revolut require funds to be loaded, or will it work straight from my bank? Just wonder because if thr hotel cost say $100, how am I supposed to know the total cost with fees etc. (and they might take a $50-$300 security deposit as well, or I use room service).
Ok, this is exactly what I have done with Chase UK debit card at two different hotels in US (but also done at the Intercontinental in Sofia when I first got the card last November). Chase UK MasterCard is a Debit Card linked to a current account with no overdraft facility so you need to have funds before it gets charged.
-hotel one, I had booked on a prepaid rate that was actually not charged until I arrived. I used a Santander Zero Credit Card to make the booking and again present at check in for them to put the security deposit block on it as well. At check out, however I asked to swap the card, as I already had the exact details of what I would be charged (minus the security deposit), I did a fast payment from my main UK account via mobile app to my Chase UK account. Funds arrived within 30 seconds and the transaction got approved fine. Please bare in mind that this is possible with any credit card as no money actually get charged and refunded (as otherwise you are at risks of different exchange rates between check in and check out) but I would still recommend the use of a forex fee CC like Santander Zero or similar.
second hotel (part of Hyatt), I did not book a prepaid tariff and there was no pre-authorisation before check in, so I asked and was told that I could also use a Debit card for the pre-authorisation, so I asked what the total amount was that they were going to put a “block on”, roughly divided that by 1.308 to get to the GBP figure, and then logged into my main UK mobile banking, made the GBP Fast Payment to Chase, and 30 seconds later received the Chase App notification of funds received (I also always kept a buffer float of £100 in there to allow for slightly different exchange rates), and presented the card that was successfully accepted.