Is it ok to use a Debit Card to pay for hotel stays? Will there be problems?
Oct 15, 2013 | 8:29 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MCO
Programs: DL-DM/1MM, HILTON-DIA, .HYATT-DIA/GLOB , IHG-PLT,HERTZ 5*, NATIONAL ES
Posts: 8,691
As one who used to work the Front Desk at a Hilton family property:
The debit card will be "charged" immediately when you check in, for the amount of the stay AND up to $100/day of your stay. That amount of money will be totally unavailable to you during your stay and some time after. When you check out, it can take up 14 days to get the money back to your account (it depends on the financial institution, not the hotel).
I had a honeymoon couple check in on a Saturday - gave me their debit card for their 5 night stay. When they went out to dinner that night, they discovered their card was refused at the restaurant. Poor kids had NO money left on the account!!! The only place they could eat was at the hotel, where they put the bills on their folio. They couldn't go shopping or do anything that cost. They had to get one of their parents to deposit more money in their account after the weekend...
What I always recommend after that: If you have a credit card, use it for the reservation (unless a pre-pay) guarantee and when you check in. It only does an authorization, not an actual charge at that time. When you want to pay, feel free to change over to the debit card for the actual payment. The authorizations will fall off your CC and no charges occurred.
The debit card will be "charged" immediately when you check in, for the amount of the stay AND up to $100/day of your stay. That amount of money will be totally unavailable to you during your stay and some time after. When you check out, it can take up 14 days to get the money back to your account (it depends on the financial institution, not the hotel).
I had a honeymoon couple check in on a Saturday - gave me their debit card for their 5 night stay. When they went out to dinner that night, they discovered their card was refused at the restaurant. Poor kids had NO money left on the account!!! The only place they could eat was at the hotel, where they put the bills on their folio. They couldn't go shopping or do anything that cost. They had to get one of their parents to deposit more money in their account after the weekend...
What I always recommend after that: If you have a credit card, use it for the reservation (unless a pre-pay) guarantee and when you check in. It only does an authorization, not an actual charge at that time. When you want to pay, feel free to change over to the debit card for the actual payment. The authorizations will fall off your CC and no charges occurred.
This.
Working in hotels, I assure you I would NEVER check into a hotel using a debit card. It is ok for a prepay deposit or to use as payment at check-out. But the bank authorization proccess is brutal on debit cards and funds can be held for 3-15 business days...
I train clerks to treat debit cards as cash for the guests' protection.
Oct 15, 2013 | 9:41 pm
#17
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I did it for a number of years when I was in college and right out of it, I never had a problem. Occasionally it would take a while to get the deposit back so if you don't have too much in the way of funds in there be prepared for it to be tied up for a few days.