Credit cards are mandatory

[lvceline]

Quoth dakhur

This is a case of different rules in different countries again.

I'm in Perth, Western Australia. I verified 6 hotels within a 10km radius that I can walk into, ask for a room, put down cash, sign in, and that's it. At check-out, all I have to do is hand the keys back and say thank you.

This is the norm wherever I've stayed for the last 20-odd years, which is why I'm so confused about the whole credit card issue. I've never met it personally.

How do they track you down if someone trashes the room, steals something, brings in animals when they aren't allowed, etc?

[bhskittykatt]

Quoth lvceline

How do they track you down if someone trashes the room, steals something, brings in animals when they aren't allowed, etc?

Short answer: they don't.

My chain requires ID, but no CC. So we can ban people from staying again, but we can't go after them for money unless they do so much damage it's worth taking them to court.

If they don't even require ID, then they likely don't even have a ban list.

[VenomX]

I have a secure credit card. My credit balance is $200 unless I add more to the account.
How would a hotel manage that if I did $500 in damage? I have always wondered that....

[laborcat]

I have to say, I believe I was pretty convincing, or just lucky, when I took the "me day" back in March. Got a hot tub room room at the Drury for $140 without a credit card, though she did ask if I had one. I had a mastercard branded for my health flex account that she ran for ID but there was no way if I had caused any damage it would have covered it. I did make damn sure to not tear anything up though. Of course, I spent about six hours in that bathtub (I think that tub was bigger than my entire bathroom at home!) and the rest of the time munching pizza in the bed watching old movies. Now I want another "me day"

[XCashier]

Quoth laborcat

Of course, I spent about six hours in that bathtub (I think that tub was bigger than my entire bathroom at home!) and the rest of the time munching pizza in the bed watching old movies. Now I want another "me day"

That sounds wonderful.

[dakhur]

Quoth lvceline

How do they track you down if someone trashes the room, steals something, brings in animals when they aren't allowed, etc?

EFTPOS is pretty wide spread here - even Eagle Boys pizza delivery drivers carry a wireless card reader. So most people would use their cards anyway, I suspect. That would mean they could be tracked if there was a problem.I'm just one of those strange people who prefers using cash.

[CloserToSane]

Quoth VenomX

I have a secure credit card. My credit balance is $200 unless I add more to the account.
How would a hotel manage that if I did $500 in damage? I have always wondered that....

At my previous hotel we would have pre authorised the CC (£50 per night of the stay) and then charged whatever we could back to the card - that's if the GM would let us, it probably wouldn't have happened. Saves a complaint to HQ and so on.

When I've had non-arrivals (and according to the T&C's I can charge) I'd always try the full amount but towards the end I'd go as low trying to charge 30% of the rate. My managers haven't minded if I couldn't get the full amount, as long as I had something to show for it.

[Anglesmith]

I attend a convention near where I live and every year that is the biggest complaint from other convention attendees. Many of them don't realize that all of the hotels affiliated with the convention require a credit card