Exchange Rates for Certs & Gift Cards
Mar 22, 2015, 12:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 491
Exchange Rates for Certs & Gift Cards
Is there a consistent Fairmont policy in respect to rate conversions?
Mar 22, 2015, 3:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: Accor ALL Diamond, AC Aeroplan 25K, Nexus/GE
Posts: 2,735
Gift cards, yes. It's handled automatically by the electronic GC terminals, and converts to the local currency using the exchange provided by Oanda.
Certificates, no. There is an official policy, but it doesn't seem to be consistently applied. Certificates are generally in USD, and are to be converted to the local currency using the posted exchange rate (normally not a very favourable rate) by the hotel on the day.
Certificates, no. There is an official policy, but it doesn't seem to be consistently applied. Certificates are generally in USD, and are to be converted to the local currency using the posted exchange rate (normally not a very favourable rate) by the hotel on the day.
Mar 31, 2015, 3:37 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Posts: 223
Real world example from Whistler last week: I redeemed a Plat dining cert and they only gave me the hotel posted rate of 1.19. I also redeemed a $50USD e-gift card, but it was processed at the payment terminal and came through at $62.37CAD (for a rate of 1.2474).
Mar 31, 2015, 3:57 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: BAGold; AA3MMPlat; UA1MMGold; FBGold; MarriottAmb; AccorPlat; HHGold; ICPlatAmb; HyattDiscoverist
Posts: 4,378
I was going to redeem a two $25 certs at the Savoy recently, but when they told me they'd credit them for a total of 24 GBP, I decided to save them for US usage.
Mar 31, 2015, 9:27 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Quebec and Ontario, Canada
Programs: AC*E50, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,917
Apr 6, 2015, 9:00 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 491
I'm not sure what you mean by payment terminal. Did you apply your cert at the restaurant when paying your bill, rather than the hotel bill at check-out?
Apr 6, 2015, 9:02 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 491
[QUOTE=laner;24596778]Real world example from Whistler last week: I redeemed a Plat dining cert and they only gave me the hotel posted rate of 1.19.
I had a similar experience at the Queen Elizabeth. The exchange offered by the hotel was $1.20.
I had a similar experience at the Queen Elizabeth. The exchange offered by the hotel was $1.20.
Apr 6, 2015, 1:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
I noticed that the Princess Acapulco took 2 certs from my profile and 4 days later, I still have yet to receive a folio showing the transactions and certs exchange rate.
According to Oanda today, I should get 370 MXN per 25 USD certificate. With the terrible service at the property, I would not be suprised if they screw me on the exchange rate. That would be icing on the cake with them.
I will post the update when I find out as a datapoint.
According to Oanda today, I should get 370 MXN per 25 USD certificate. With the terrible service at the property, I would not be suprised if they screw me on the exchange rate. That would be icing on the cake with them.
I will post the update when I find out as a datapoint.
Apr 6, 2015, 4:40 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: Accor ALL Diamond, AC Aeroplan 25K, Nexus/GE
Posts: 2,735
I noticed that the Princess Acapulco took 2 certs from my profile and 4 days later, I still have yet to receive a folio showing the transactions and certs exchange rate.
According to Oanda today, I should get 370 MXN per 25 USD certificate. With the terrible service at the property, I would not be suprised if they screw me on the exchange rate. That would be icing on the cake with them.
I will post the update when I find out as a datapoint.
According to Oanda today, I should get 370 MXN per 25 USD certificate. With the terrible service at the property, I would not be suprised if they screw me on the exchange rate. That would be icing on the cake with them.
I will post the update when I find out as a datapoint.
Apr 7, 2015, 9:04 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Posts: 223
I applied both at the front desk while checking out. For the e-gift card (not the platinum dining certificate) they actually entered the certificate number into the debit/credit card terminal behind the desk, and the $50USD was converted at market rates. As CanadaDH noted above, this is in contrast to the platinum dining certificates, which are converted at the hotel's posted exchange rate.
Apr 7, 2015, 10:00 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
25 US Dollar equals
372.94 Mexican Peso
(today's exchange rate)
If the hotel offers a poor exchange rate, not all but many do, then I will get something along the lines of:
25 US Dollar equals
295 Mexican Peso
I will post once I receive my actual folio.
Apr 19, 2015, 2:17 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YEG/SFO
Programs: AC, UA, HH, MR, and the other usual suspects
Posts: 360
Front desk woman at the Presidents Club counter at the Royal York today insisted backwards and forwards that the certs were $25 CAD. I showed her the Fairmont Presidents Club website where it says "$25 US" clearly; she printed out my certificates page and it only says $25 and no currency is specified. She refused to apply the exchange and said that they're worth $25 CAD in Canada
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I don't think I've ever had the exchange rate applied at a Canadian Fairmont. I didn't think about it until I saw this thread. In the not so distant past, with CAD close to USD, it wasn't a huge deal, but there's more of a difference at the moment.
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I don't think I've ever had the exchange rate applied at a Canadian Fairmont. I didn't think about it until I saw this thread. In the not so distant past, with CAD close to USD, it wasn't a huge deal, but there's more of a difference at the moment.