Hi all - I hope some folks here that have traveled to Europe can help me with this question and please let me know if I've dropped this in the wrong forum.

I'm traveling to Germany in the fall and I'm in the process of securing the hotel reservation. On the hotel's website, it states that they will accept a cashier's check in Euros to secure and pay for the reservation, but after emailing the hotel to confirm availability, they asked for my credit card number to secure the reservation.

Obviously, this throws up all kinds of red flags so I wanted to check with some folks to see if this was common before going that route. I talked to three users that reviewed the hotel on TripAdvisor and all three said that they did the same process (secure reservation with credit card via email, then paid the room charges by cashier's check).

Can anyone tell me if this is common or are the red flags going off in my head correct? It seems to be a reputable hotel from the information I've found online, but some more input on this would be greatly helpful.

Thanks

I've done this in the UK, Spain and here in the US. They want a card to charge if you don't show up/cause damages but if you settle the bill in cash/cashiers check they're more than happy to take that at the end instead of charging the card.

Credit card = SOP. Why is a check more appealing to use?

Welcome to FT iwutitan49.

Although not completely unknown this is far from "normal" practice and if it causes warning bells then you cannot go wrong by heeding the instinct and booking elsewhere.

It is also poor practice to send CC details in an email - so unless you can complete the reservation entirely on-line with a reputable hotel, perhaps an alternative would reduce your stress and concerns. Booking entirely online also gives you the terms and conditions eg with respect to cancellation etc - all in one neat and printable and proveable place. Telephone calls (particularly where English is not the mother tongue for one side of the call!) often leads to misunderstandings and disputes about what was said and which will rarely be concluded in your favour without hassle.

Is it worth the agro?!

Much lower transaction costs for small businesses, and no need to maintain expensive chip-reader hardware.

Is the hotel listed on Expedia, Orbitz, etc? If so, just book it that way.

Thank you all for your replies.

hangpilot: sending a check is more desireable than sending credit card info via email because if for some reason there is any usavory element on the other end, I've only lost the value of the check. I'm far more exposed if I were to send my credit card information in an email.

I understand using a credit card to secure the reservation and to have on file in case of any damages. My hesitation is with the method with which the credit card information is sent to the hotel.

In that case I would just call the hotel. Maybe email them in advance explaining that you will be doing so and at what time, and they can ensure that there is an English-speaking employee available.

My previous suggestion would still be my preferred method though, if available. I've booked hundreds of local hotels all over the world this way, often the same day I was planning to arrive. It makes the transmission of the necessary details to secure the booking the responsibility of the agent, rather than you.

If you want to be on the save side use HRS.de. This is one of the largest hotel reservation websites with a lot of hotels on it (not only chains or high end hotels but also local family run businesses).

Yes it is common that a hotel wants a credit card number for confirmed reservation. If you don't want to send it via email just call the hotel. They probably speak English.

My experience is that many small, non-chain hotels in Europe prefer cash or cashier's checks, but will hold a room with a credit card. No red flag here for me.

However, I agree with the OP in not wanting to email a CC number. I usually email the hotel, get their fax # and send it that way.

Some of our nicest hotel stays in Europe have been the small, private places that still survive with a cash preferred policy.

They were talking about for the customer not the merchant.
[And foreign cheques can be just as expensive as cards for merchants.]

I wouldn't send it in an unsecure e-mail either, and I imagine if you did and there was a problem your card company would give you short shrift. But it it IMX common for smaller European hotels to ask for this. The easy answer is to email back saying you will telephone with your credit card number.

If you do this, it's normal practice. If it was misused, you'd get it back from your bank.

Neil

Yes, I realised that after I posted, and hoped nobody noticed

...and I also seem to have failed to notice that it's a thread about Germany. Off to the Germany folder we go.

stut
Co-Moderator
Europe

At least in Germany I have not used cheques for a very long time now. And I still remember the horrors of cashing in US cheques which (i) burdended me with tons of charges and (ii) left it unclear for a month or so whether the cheque would be finally (and not preliminary) honored.