Prepay hotel in euros?
 

If you were taking a trip to Europe on May 10 and the hotel would let you prepay, would you prepay to protect yourself against the euro getting stronger or would you just risk it? If we have to cancel they will give us a full refund.

Risk what...a 1% rise in the exchange rate between now and then? I don't know how much your room is but on a $250/night room we're talking about "risking" $2.00 and some change?

No, I wouldn't give my money up early to the hotel. YMMV.

I agree. No reason to give money up front.

One variation, if you can find such an offer in your destination, is to book a "guaranteed dollar rate" - these are promotional rates in which the hotel locks in a rate quoted in (and payable in) US dollars. To me, the one advantage would be absolutely certainty of what you will be paying.

I wouldn't do that without first calculating what they are using to convert their current euro rate to the "guaranteed dollar rate"....too easy to get a 3-5% conversion fee added into your cost without knowing it.

Kind of a moot point since few properties offer this type of rate.

I agree with most of what's been posted in this thread, but, if bluewatersail is going to a destination where Accor have a presence (that'd include most major cities in Europe), he should be able to get a "hot deal" prepaid rate in the hotel's local currency. As these rates are prepaid and inflexible, they usually represent a saving over normal rates, so that's money saved either way (assuming the hotel does offer a competitive rate for your dates).