One night stay - hotel is asking for wire transfer
Oct 21, 2016, 11:39 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
I booked a room through a hotel reservation service, which had my credit card. On check-in, no credit card was required. The night before I was to leave, I stopped by the front desk to settle the account. I was told to do so the next morning. The next morning there was no one present at the desk. A few days after I returned to the U.S., the booking service sent me an email indicating that the hotel had told them I had left without paying.
Unfortunately, this did not work for me.
Oct 22, 2016, 2:24 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
Not sure why you are letting their problem be your problem. Easy to find the checks. Easy to mail. Their decision to accept or not. This is a low tech solution that works for all, although you may be unfamiliar with the process.
Oct 23, 2016, 2:24 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: mostly not far from AMS, otherwise NUE
Programs: FB Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,381
Except traveler cheques are not legal tender in Germany and they therefore don't have to be accepted.
Oct 23, 2016, 4:46 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: KSU (Kristiansund N, Norway)
Programs: SAS EBD/ *G
Posts: 2,163
"Der Reisescheck wird nicht von einer Zentralbank ausgestellt und ist daher kein gesetzliches Zahlungsmittel, sondern lediglich ein Geldsurrogat. Aus diesem Grunde besteht bei Handel und Kreditinstituten kein Annahmezwang; die Akzeptanz beruht auf Freiwilligkeit."
It is thus up to the hotel whether they want to accept the travellers cheque, but if I were the OP, I would contact the hotel and ask whether they would accept a travellers checque, and if positive: send one by registred mail.
Oct 23, 2016, 2:28 pm
#23
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
That's Germany. I've had on numerous occasions the problem of not being able to pay by card (either because they simply refused cards or because they only accepted specific German cards).
France has a similarly strange situation. While France is very open to credit and debit cards, I encountered a few situation, where I was required to pay by cheque. I did have to order them at my bank and it took over 3 weeks to make the payment.
Wire transfers are quite common in Europe. We're not talking about those Western Union wire transfer to some Nigerian prince, but simple SEPA transfers.
Oct 23, 2016, 3:03 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: SK Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 180
Oct 23, 2016, 11:08 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
Oct 24, 2016, 7:16 am
#27
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Most Germans would have to think for a minute or two before they understood what a cheque is. Then they might remember that their parents or grandparents used those things once.
Oct 24, 2016, 7:19 am
#28
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
The concept of a cheque is, in most of Europe, outdated.
Oct 24, 2016, 9:10 am
#30
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
I transfer money between my various accounts in Europe all the time (SEPA). Costs me nothing and takes a day or two. Within the UK it's instantaneous (and free).
My US bank account (which comes with a chequebook, how cute) has stupidly high charges to wire money both domestic and international. I can see why all these money transfer apps exist in the US but not in Europe.
My US bank account (which comes with a chequebook, how cute) has stupidly high charges to wire money both domestic and international. I can see why all these money transfer apps exist in the US but not in Europe.