Currency Conversion
May 30, 2010, 5:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: PHL
Posts: 158
Currency Conversion
Does accorhotels.com bill US residents in US$ for prepaid reservations made through their website? The EUR-USD exchange rate they use on their website appears less than favorable. Thanks in advance for your replies.
May 30, 2010, 11:59 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 22,145
Whatever your country of residency, they bill you in the local currency. There are a few exceptions with some developping countries billing you in USD or EUR. Hotels in the USA are an easy case : bill in USD.
May 31, 2010, 8:14 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240
2000 points get us 40Eur OR 60USD.. so EUR- USD is @1.5 which is much more than 1.25 approx
May 31, 2010, 8:34 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver, IHG Gold, RH VIP
Posts: 3,045
May 31, 2010, 9:15 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240
Not quite right (well right that you can choose either EUR 40 or USD 60 vouchers). When you want to pay with the actual voucher at the hotel the rate varies as well... If you have a EURO voucher that you want to use at a hotel which operates in USD you will get the daily rate as set by Accor...
say I need to pay a hotel in Europe in Eur.., Accor USD-EUr rate @ appx 1.25
say the room rate is Eur 90..
If i take eur vouchers, i need to redeem 4k points and pay eur 10 in cash/cc.
If i take usd vouchers, I get usd 120 vouchers,.. they convert @ 1.25 or even 1.30 so usd 120=eur 92.. it pays the total thing ..
Wht i mean to say is since they r applying a fixed rate for redeeming vouchers (1.5) and since the invoice is based on a variable current excng rate between USD-EUr is between 1.2 - 1-3 , it makes sense to take USD vouchers and pay even in Eur invoice..Accor cannot take a exchg rate of 1.5 if the inter bank rate is 1.25.. they will keep a good margin but more like 5% I guess, so this is profitable..
I did tht personally on a recent trip and was happy to save some euros..
Jun 9, 2010, 3:58 am
#6
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,621
The A-Club T&Cs might explain the currency conversion issue:
Labeled in euros or US dollars, A|Club rewards vouchers may be used outside the country or zone of issue.
The currency exchange rate used is that rate on the last work-day of the month extracted from the Natixis Bank "Multidevises" database (establishment with 1,955,268,310 euros capital and headquarters at 30 avenue Pierre Mendes France in Paris, France 75013).
The currency exchange rate used is that rate on the last work-day of the month extracted from the Natixis Bank "Multidevises" database (establishment with 1,955,268,310 euros capital and headquarters at 30 avenue Pierre Mendes France in Paris, France 75013).