Hotel Deposit Question
 

Hello All!

I have a question about hotel deposits when checking in.. I just got a job where I am to be staying in the Westin hotel for a month and a half. The company paid for the room but told me I need to show a credit card upon arrival for incidentals.. sure no problem however I only have a $300 limit on my credit card.. will I be able to check in with no issues or will this be an embarrassing issue before I even start my training for my new job!?

Any advice would be great..

Thanks in advance,

Max

I would give the hotel in question a call and ask them how much they will 'authorize' from your card when you check in. If it's less than $300, you'll be ok. If it's more, have a word with your card issuer and ask them to consider an increase in your credit limit.

I think you should be ok most hotels only need 100 to 200

I assume your company is paying for the travel? Are you able to get them to issue you a company credit card?

You also might want to look into other SPG properties in town. There might be an advantage if you hop around a bit...say there is a promotion where you get something for different stays. That could be one night at Westin, the next night at Sheraton, etc. Might be something to investigate and consider.

It depends on what the hotel's agreement is with your company.

If the hotel bill is PRE-PAID by your company for just the lodging expenses, then yes, you provide a credit card for anything else that may be charged to the room that the company doesn't cover (meals, phone, internet, etc.).

If the arrangement between your company and the hotel is that they will pay the bill AFTER the stay begins, the hotel theoretically would not need a credit card at all. In this case the entire hotel bill would be paid, and any reimbursement would be an issue between you and your company.

The hotel is more likely to agree to the first scenario because that way they get their money up front.

You very much need a better arrangement. How will you pay for food, local transportation, basic necessities & laundry? Your credit limit amounts to $10/day for your stay.

Guessing he has cash or debit....

IMO this would be a very bd way to begin a new job. The company decided on the hotel to be used and might have contract rates or a direct billing arrangement there. Moreover, OP should stay where other trainees in his/her new company stay.

Moreover, if OP makes own arrangements, he/she will need to pay for the entire stay and, at best (if doing so doesn't violate company policy) get reimbursed for the receipt after checking out. This would require far far more than a $300 line of credit.

OP should simultaneously try to get an increase on the credit line and ask hotel about their policies for what amount will be pre-authorized on the card at check in. (If it's a debit card, the amount will be actually charged to the card at check in according to most USA hotel policies.)

All good points. I was not sure how much say this person had as to the location of the stay or whether or not the company would care. Obviously they shouldn't rock the boat too much...

On the other hand, it's a bad sign that a company doesn't consider that new hires may have poor or no credit. Maybe meals are provided and there's some form of cash advance. But, it's never a good idea to be out of town without access to cash and a means to deal with emergencies without having to depend on others.

Some companies won't hire people with poor credit ratings, although they should understand that young people or those who have just finished their educations probably won't have an extensive credit history or access to a large line of credit.

I've heard of new hires being fired if they cannot qualify for the company's credit card.

True. But, there's a significant difference for entry level positions between someone with poor credit and someone with unestablished credit. The former can be a very bad sign. The latter is just that and is to be expected if that is the pool from which recruiting takes place.

In the hotels in which I worked, the requirement of presenting a credit card was waived for anyone who had their room/tax being paid via direct bill. We simply blocked any incidental charges. In the unlikely event that there was room damage, we always could track down the guest via the employer.

To OP Max:
First, ignore the snide comment about your credit limit. It was not appropriate in this "flame-free forum where all FlyerTalkers can seek answers and advice without fear of unfriendly responses".

Second, it's a great idea to contact the hotel prior to your arrival. Call the main hotel number (not the toll-free reservations line) during normal business hours and ask to speak to the "on-site Reservations Manager". Explain your situation. Chances are very good that the problem will be a non-issue for the hotel. Be sure to write down the name of the person with which you spoke.

Note: The credit card authorization issue is a bit of a gray area. Where I worked, all pre-arrival questions were directed to the Reservations Department. In some hotels, however, that would be a question for the Front Desk. So, don't be alarmed if you get transferred to a different person.

My instinct would be to speak with the front desk supervisor/manager rather than someone in reservations/sales.

Do you have a debit card that you can use instead? I know they hold the funds but you wont be limited by your small credit limit.