Originally Posted by
slowly
Apologies then if you didn't mean about inflated exchange rate. However quoting in one currency and charging in another is a non-issue IMHO and besides the point of the thread. The issue is fraudulent currency conversion, as indicated in the subject. So you see how your post can be misunderstood.
how it works is on Marriott’s website they list a non-US hotel in USD (this isn’t the case in every country) and instead of using the daily conversion rate they use an inflated rate when you check out.
here’s an example that’s happened to me:
Marriott website quote: $100 USD per night
W Bogota’s currency conversion was 3500 COP to $1: 350,000 COP
actual currency conversion was 2,000 COP to $1: 200,000 COP
So the hotel is essentially charging $175 per night instead of the $100 quoted on the Marriott site and what was confirmed at booking. Seems pretty fraudulent. At the time when I checked out, the COP had never been as high as 3500:1. So basically a BS rate.
The ability to toggle rates on the Marriott website is using the daily conversion rate and not whatever inflated rated the hotel wants.