Avoiding the no-show fee at hotels
 

This strategy can be used to reserve a hotel room/rate and avoid being charged a no-show fee in case you don't show up or cancel the reservation before the free cancellation date limit, for example because you are travelling in "last minute" or unplanned mode.

The technique requires a hotel that doesn't charge your credit card at the time of booking. Use a prepaid or virtual credit card with a low balance (ex: 3$) to make the booking, the low balance is required in case the hotel performs a temporary authorization on the card to verify that it is valid before confirming the reservation.

Now if you don't show up or are unable to cancel the reservation before the free cancellation threshold, the hotel won't be able to actually charge the card due to its low balance.

Has anyone ever resorted to this technique before ?
Unfortunately more and more hotels and booking websites charge the credit card at the time of booking :(

And you still owe the bill.

1) Think they'll let you stay there again?

2) They can pursue other means of collecting the money.

Just to remind everyone about the T&C's for posting on FlyerTalk...

This is a high class establishment.

You're serious? Wow.

You will still owe the balance. They'll pursue it.

Perhaps you could use a stolen credit card instead? :rolleyes:

It's the hotel's fault, they shouldn't place such restrictive terms on us customers. Years ago it was possible to reserve a hotel without providing credit card details, now every business is resorting to taking a hold of our money and charging penalty fees in case of cancellation, why ? They want more and more profits at the expense of consumer's convenience. All airline tickets must be fully refundable!

Book fully refundable hotel rooms then. If you choose to book a room with a cancellation or no show fee, you are bound by those terms.

Airlines and hotels both offer discount airfares with restrictions on cancellations and changes. If all tickets/rooms had to be fully refundable the prices would be much higher.

Too funny! Do you have any good techniques to get out of airline change fees?

Another option is to never travel. You will NEVER be charged for a no show or changing a reservation.

I can't afford to pay such rip-off rates for refundable reservations.

Then be very glad you have the option to make cheap inflexible bookings.

If all hotel bookings were refundable, you wouldn't have any cheap rates.

If you want flexibility, pay for it.

On that correct note, I am locking this thread.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator