Percentage overcharge on Credit Card deposit
Mar 16, 2017, 7:23 am
#1
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,090
Percentage overcharge on Credit Card deposit
I made a couple of reservations at the SLS Las Vegas in anticipation of a forthcoming trip, and (despite being a flexible corporate rate) a credit card deposit was required.
The rate was USD144.50, plus resort fee and taxes.
The confirmation email states :
Looking at my credit card statement, the deposit charged was USD162.56, which is exactly 12.5% more than the confirmed sum.
Another reservation for a different night at a lower rate, also had a 12.5% overcharge.
Are there any legitimate reasons for a hotel to charge more than it promised on the confirmation email ? Why 12.5% ?
This is more than just an academic question : if I cancel, I will incur a higher loss on the buy/sell currency range when the USD amounts are converted to my credit card currency.
An email to the hotel requesting an explanation remains unanswered.
The rate was USD144.50, plus resort fee and taxes.
The confirmation email states :
USD 144.50 deposit is due <immediately> and will be charged to the credit card provided.
If you cancel before <3 days before stay date> there will be no forfeit amount.
If you cancel after <3 days before stay date> the forfeiture amount will be 144.50.
If you cancel before <3 days before stay date> there will be no forfeit amount.
If you cancel after <3 days before stay date> the forfeiture amount will be 144.50.
Another reservation for a different night at a lower rate, also had a 12.5% overcharge.
Are there any legitimate reasons for a hotel to charge more than it promised on the confirmation email ? Why 12.5% ?
This is more than just an academic question : if I cancel, I will incur a higher loss on the buy/sell currency range when the USD amounts are converted to my credit card currency.
An email to the hotel requesting an explanation remains unanswered.
Mar 16, 2017, 7:33 am
#2
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Or, if you prefer, send us the confirmation number and we will open the file on your behalf.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC
[email protected]
Mar 16, 2017, 8:28 am
#3
formerly BackSlash3
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YYZ Realistically, YKZ Aspirationally
Programs: AC P25, Marriott Gold, IHG Diamond AMB
Posts: 455
Any chance 12.5% is the sales tax plus the hotel tax for that area?
Mar 16, 2017, 9:45 am
#4
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,090
Mar 16, 2017, 11:16 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 239
I wonder if this is currency conversion related. It appears you and your credit card are from the UK. Is it possible the $162.56USD has foreign exchange fees embedded in the total (assessed by your bank perhaps)?
-db
-db
Mar 16, 2017, 1:23 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IHG Diamond Amb, Bonvoy Plat (+LTP), VS Silver
Posts: 1,396
Sales + hotel tax in Las Vegas has just (1 March) increased from 12.5% to 13.38% to help pay for the new stadium. I imagine the SLS hasn't quite caught up with this even though the reservation system has.
However, the SPG confirmation emails do remain very confusing to us non-Americans. The deposit section always states the amount excluding sales tax will be taken, but 99% of the time, sales tax is taken at the time of deposit. I've just come to accept the anomaly.
However, the SPG confirmation emails do remain very confusing to us non-Americans. The deposit section always states the amount excluding sales tax will be taken, but 99% of the time, sales tax is taken at the time of deposit. I've just come to accept the anomaly.
Mar 17, 2017, 5:29 am
#7
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,090
Sales + hotel tax in Las Vegas has just (1 March) increased from 12.5% to 13.38% to help pay for the new stadium. I imagine the SLS hasn't quite caught up with this even though the reservation system has.
However, the SPG confirmation emails do remain very confusing to us non-Americans. The deposit section always states the amount excluding sales tax will be taken, but 99% of the time, sales tax is taken at the time of deposit. I've just come to accept the anomaly.
However, the SPG confirmation emails do remain very confusing to us non-Americans. The deposit section always states the amount excluding sales tax will be taken, but 99% of the time, sales tax is taken at the time of deposit. I've just come to accept the anomaly.
I would contend that, rather than being 'confusing', the wording of the confirmation email (and the on screen wording when booking) is somewhere between 'inaccurate' and 'misleading'.
Anyway, having now cancelled these reservations, recent polical at both ends of the GBP/USD conversion have swung the rate in my favour and I've actually made a few pennies profit on the transaction.
