Sending credit card info for guarantee

[marcortez]

How do you feel about sending your credit card information, using normal email, to a hotel for booking guarantee?

Sending via a fax is not an option.

[El Jesus]

Depends on how much you trust the hotel. I did it recently when I stayed in Tokyo. Nothing bad came from it.

[17hrs2freedom]

How do you feel about sending your credit card information, using normal email, to a hotel for booking guarantee?

Sending via a fax is not an option.

 

 

for me, i found a lot of hotels not responding to emails. dunno why that is, but 3 that i wanted to make reservations for, the emails seemed to go to a black hole, never hearing from them.

 

in low season, i wouldnt care, but if youre going for high season, i think its a must to get a reservation ( at least ive been told that).

[supertony]

Hi All

 

The general (obvious) advice is NOT to give CC details on an email via an unencrypted website. If you do & it goes tits-up, you may have a problem reclaiming any loss from your CC company.

 

Having said that, I took the plunge earlier this year booking an Amsterdam hotel for my friend & I via normal email. They did say in their email that if I didn't feel happy about this arrangement, I could settle on arrival. Did not experience any dodgy transations. However, for Asian bookings, if there is no encrypted option, I don't give CC details via email.

 

Indeed, my forthcoming Pattaya booking is based on trust, that I will (a) arrive on said date; & (b) pay in cash (baht).

 

Although one can anticipate problems with this approach, my gut feeling is that there won't be a problem on my next visit. I'll let you all know once I arrive.

 

I do have a Plan B, though, if the promised accommodation goes tits-up, but I've stayed there before & I believe it is the same management.

 

Tone x

Edited August 21, 2008 by supertony

[gogo dog]

How do you feel about sending your credit card information, using normal email, to a hotel for booking guarantee?

Sending via a fax is not an option.

Do not send you card details unencrypted. Best to give them a quick phone call.

[Hardeep J]

the majestic suites in bangkok asked me for my credit card details, so i gave them a number which was completely different from the one i have, and when i got there, i paid cash.... so nobody loses out this way.

 

they say they do it for 'guarantee customer pay' wtf?

[Parkwahn]

Just book via one of the websites r24 or wa==sawasee, why put a lot of shit as an option,.............. whio needs that garbage dont be a victim

[nus01]

the majestic suites in bangkok asked me for my credit card details, so i gave them a number which was completely different from the one i have, and when i got there, i paid cash.... so nobody loses out this way.

Edited September 30, 2008 by nus01

[Hardeep J]

When I am staying at a hotel and they ask to swipe the credit card as a deposit, i say I dont have one and pay 1,000 or 2,000 baht as a deposit.

 

this is something i do as well when i arrive they ask for my credit card and i do what you do, and tell them i haven't got one. and considering i don't book up more than a few days in a hotel, i pay the total amount all upfront in cash, rather than use my credit card where potential problems might arise.

[marcortez]

Just book via one of the websites r24 or wa==sawasee, why put a lot of shit as an option,.............. whio needs that garbage dont be a victim

 

Not always possible......some hotels do not contract with a travel/booking agent.

And.....now your faced with the prospect of paying for the entire stay up front.

Trying to get a refund if you bail out early for cause....well....... it's a tough nut to crack, not to mention a long delay, if even granted a refund.

[whitespider - RIP]

Agoda.com guarantees lowest prices but doesn't cover every hotel.

 

I assume their CC collection is encrypted.

 

Part of the problem is very wants the best of both worlds and unfortunately one of the ways "online" bookers can offer such low rates is because they take payment up front.

[Scumbag]

Unless it was via a secure well known website I would never consider handing my credit card details to a hoteel to hold a booking. Certainly do not send the details in a single email. If you know the hotel you may consider ssending the card number from one email account and then the expiry date from a completely different email address at a diferent time. Still not 100% secure though.

[LaaMok]

Agoda.com guarantees lowest prices but doesn't cover every hotel.

 

I assume their CC collection is encrypted.

 

Part of the problem is very wants the best of both worlds and unfortunately one of the ways "online" bookers can offer such low rates is because they take payment up front.

 

yes they certainly do

 

"Agoda uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt all information. To check our site's authenticity and to verify the validity of our secured communication and information exchange lines, please click here"

[marcortez]

What does it cost for a hotel to set up and use an online booking agency such as Agoda?

[Scumbag]

What does it cost for a hotel to set up and use an online booking agency such as Agoda?

I suspect that Agoda takes a cut of the payment for the room.

[7-Eleven]

What does it cost for a hotel to set up and use an online booking agency such as Agoda?

 

Agoda will buy the rooms in bulk much like ebookers etc do with seats on flights. Because they buy in bulk they will get discount and will be able to take a cut of the sale whilst still passing on a saving to you. The end result is you still get quoted a price less than that quoted direct from the hotel.

 

I think thats how it works anyway!

[supertony]

The end result is you still get quoted a price less than that quoted direct from the hotel.

 

Hi All

 

The above can sometimes be true, but I would always advise in favour of also checking direct with the hotel if possible to compare against an online price.

 

I did that last Nov when I enquired about booking 4 days at The Nana hotel, Bangkok, & I got a more competitive (ie cheaper) quote direct from Nana.

 

Indeed, some online sites were replying that The Nana had no vacancies for my preferred dates, whereas The Nana informed me direct that they had.

 

Tone

Edited August 22, 2008 by supertony

[Daveo]

Sounds a bit dangerous to me, a lot of cloning and fraud in the world at the moment.

[iballooka]

the majestic suites in bangkok asked me for my credit card details, so i gave them a number which was completely different from the one i have, and when i got there, i paid cash.... so nobody loses out this way.

 

they say they do it for 'guarantee customer pay' wtf?

 

I am amazed you actually made a booking, we tried to book two for a total of 12 nights and they nevr replied to a single e-mail, there online system didn't work...

 

What was the place like and how far off the beaten track is it???

[Tang]

Every hotel i have booked through Agoda was cheaper than actually walking into the hotel and booking a room. Plus you get a percentage of what you paid back as tokens for free accomodation in the future...kinda like how airmiles works but with hotels.

[Ron Rat]

I was asked for cc for Sandy Springs. Like scumbag I had issues with unen crypted stuff so I sent 3 emails from 2 sources over 2 days with a bit of each. They were ahppy with that.

[Hardeep J]

I am amazed you actually made a booking, we tried to book two for a total of 12 nights and they nevr replied to a single e-mail, there online system didn't work...

 

What was the place like and how far off the beaten track is it???

 

i know the hotel owner, an indian/thai guy really well, and when i call them direct i always ask to speak to him and never had any problems with booking.

 

if you want to book up for the hotel PM me and i will give him your details for reservation.

[Hardeep J]

by the way iballooka, you might wanna check out the review that some people including myself have wrote on the majestic suites

 

here is a link majestic suites