Currency conversion scam at Marriotts
 

Many non-US Marriott properties quote their rates in US$ only. When you check in the hotels refuse to honor the US$ price and instead convert the quoted price to local currency at a very inflated number made up by the hotel. For example the Fairfield In Aguascalientes Mexico converted my quoted US$ rate at 21.99 pesos to the dollar, 24% more than the official rate that day of 17.76. The conversation rate used is not disclosed anywhere online or in the reservation confirmation. It is not disclosed even when selecting “show all fees and taxes.” The hotel then bills this inflated rate to your credit card which your credit card company converts again back to US$, possibly at another bad rate.

One can find online that this is a very common scam at Marriott properties and others too.

I recommend refusing to book a foreign hotel in anything but local currency. When this is not possible be prepared for big undisclosed surcharges.

The Pennsylvania attorney general is pursuing Marriott to try to force them to be honest about all hotel fees at the time of booking. Please report undisclosed Marriott conversion fees to them here: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov

You are basically naming all hotels (all major brands and independents do this) that quote in USD/EUR but charge in local currency. Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia comes to mind but I’m sure there are others.

This is not a Marriott specific issue, but hotels and ownership groups that do this and don't honor legitimate exchange rates should be called out. I had zero issues at Marriott properties across Turkiye and Egypt. Most Marriotts in Mexico City that I tried were just fine except for two that had common ownership. Colombia also had some issues, but not every property. Chile is great as they all charge in USD directly.

I go twice per year to Mexico and, since one year ago, at check out I ask the currency conversion they will apply.

Normally it is inflated but “acceptable”, nevertheless in the last 12 months, once at a Marriott and once at a Hilton, I had a bitter discussion at the reception with the FDM because the exchange rate they wanted to use it was crazy.
At the end one they accepted to debit my cc in USD and the other they accepted USD in cash.

I haven’t had problems at Marriott, Hyatt or Hilton in Indonesia.

What properties? Ive never had problems at the Ritz Carleton or the le meridian - or hilton. They all charge in USD the rate you booked at.

I've never had a Mexico City property charge directly in USD. Not sure which properties you are mentioning?

JW Marriott Santa Fe

The problem is, at least in my case, that you book in USD but they charge your cc in Mexican pesos and the exchange rate they apply, in some cases, it is inflated, so at the end, you end up paying 5/10% more of the original rate booked.

Me neither. This is an IHG annoyance in Indonesia, def not Marriott (and SPG before it).

I've had this happen at Marriott and Hilton properties in the Dominican Republic, along with a couple vehicle dealers. Hotels and big-ticket items are quoted in USD, partially due to the number of Americans visiting resorts and partially a throwback to the bad old days of an unstable DOP. Card payments are always done in DOP, leaving an opportunity to play with the exchange rate.

In another throwback to the bad old days of an unstable currency, the DOP/USD exchange rate is on the front page of many newspapers. I've had to point out the hotel or shop was using a bad exchange rate when paying the bill but no one ever refused to use the rate in the newspaper when called on it.

I used to be a frequent customer at the Marriott Reforma in Mexico City, and I was always charged directly in USD.

Something similar happened to me but around the points I received. I paid in JPY which is then converted to points using a USD conversion. Of course, classic Marriott IT led to the stay not posting so no points. At the time the stay should have posted, USD/JPY was around 134. Then it dropped down to 128 when I submitted my missing stay request form. So I received ~4.5% fewer points than I should have received if they did it when they should have. 2 rooms too so big hit to my earnings.

marriott Reforma rates are in USD and they convert it to MXN upon arrival. You can then be charged in USD on your credit card but you get hit with DCC. Basically double whammy.

Tell that to hotels, airlines, embassies the list goes on.