Parents declined hotel check-in for not having a card...

[Countdown]

uber said:

Happened to me once when they thoguht my girlfriend was a prostitute which I blame on my pleb like clothing lol. Spoke to the manager and all was fine they even gave us a free night and a meal in the restaurant.

Sorry but I have to ask.... how do you know they thought your girlfriend was a prostitute?

It just seems quite an awkward conversation to have..

[uber]

Countdown said:

Sorry but I have to ask.... how do you know they thought your girlfriend was a prostitute?

It just seems quite an awkward conversation to have..

We are at a conference and drove down which resulted in us getting in pretty late. My GF was dressed pretty well and is 10 years younger than me whilst I had made no effort to look smart. After the standoff and talking to the manager it was him who told me they had a real issue with hookers due to it being so close to the conference venue. I think he realised after he told me that he should have kept his mouth shut

[Countdown]

I see Ive had similar when people have assumed I was my wife's dad... there's only a 7 year gap but one of us hasn't aged well

[interstellar]

Otter Smacker said:

simoid said:

Tell your credit card company?

The money has already gone from my account. Would'nt be sure if they can do anything now.

Edited by Otter Smacker on Saturday 1st October 00:09

They can do something. Ask for a charge back to the agency for the £71 as you never authorised for it to be taken. They will be able to see "customer not present and pin not entered"

[craigjm]

interstellar said:

Otter Smacker said:

simoid said:

Tell your credit card company?

The money has already gone from my account. Would'nt be sure if they can do anything now.

Edited by Otter Smacker on Saturday 1st October 00:09

They can do something. Ask for a charge back to the agency for the £71 as you never authorised for it to be taken. They will be able to see "customer not present and pin not entered"

Credit cards give you various protections against the quality of service and standards and you should make full use of it in situations like this.

[blueg33]

Most hotels only want a card swipe if you plan to charge things to the room.

[Du1point8]

jules_s said:

craigjm said:

I guess in the future best option is to use somewhere like booking.com and pay for it online so that nothing is needed when you get there.

IME the hotel still want card details when checking in

No they don't always, went to Fiji and paid at the end with no credit card taken... strangely enough as I was expecting them to do so, but nope.

[shirt]

uber said:

Happened to me once when they thoguht my girlfriend was a prostitute which I blame on my pleb like clothing lol. Spoke to the manager and all was fine they even gave us a free night and a meal in the restaurant.

Lol. I have had similar happen before.

For the OP's parents situation I would not have left the hotel with just the receptionist's decision to go on. This was a discussion for the hotel manager and one of the things they are employed to smooth over.

[DocJock]

For future events, why doesn't one of your parents get a pre-loaded card such a Kitti? http://www.kitti.co.uk/

It gives the same protection as a credit card and would prevent any similar situations.

[Dr Jekyll]

Could the OP give one of his parents a supplementary card on one of his CC accounts?

[hairyben]

Its crap by the hotel given their age and offer of cash bond, and they should probably just refund and take it on the chin but TBF whats the T&C on booking say? A lot of card online/collection transactions require the card to be presented, eg trade shops like screwfix, proves identity and TBF with so much scammery about theres only so much you can blame receptionist drone for going "computer says no"

[The Mad Monk]

Sit on the floor in reception and refuse to move.

Phone local paper ask them to come round straight away.

Phone BBC/ITV/A.N.Other TV company and ask them to come round straight away.

Phone police and tell them elderly couple are being assaulted and thrown on street*.

• This may not be STRICTLY accurate or relevant, but so what?

[uber]

DocJock said:

For future events, why doesn't one of your parents get a pre-loaded card such a Kitti? http://www.kitti.co.uk/

It gives the same protection as a credit card and would prevent any similar situations.

Pre loaded cards will not normally work for car hire, hotels, cruise credit etc.

[surveyor]

I travel a lot, using hotels 2 nights a week most weeks.

Most hotels will ask for a credit card. If I'm not intending to charge to the room I will usually decline and settle there and then - although I suppose I would settle by Debit Card. If I'm going to order room service then stick the credit card on the account.

I'd be tempted to stick a bad review on facebook/tripadvisor. A receptionist should not let customers just leave, without at least referring to the manager IMO.

[C Lee Farquar]

We had this with a Premier Inn booked via Booking. Desk clerk was very rude,said they needed one for ID even though I'd secured the booking with a card via Booking. I had a car tax renewal letter, that wasn't good enough (even though I had the car with me),

I tend to only use a card for online purchases and didn't have one with me.

Fortunately OH had a debit card but haven't used a Premier Inn since. To be honest it was more the attitude of the clerk than the issue with the card that caused offence.

[The Mad Monk]

C Lee Farquar said:

Desk clerk was very rude,said they needed one for ID even though I'd secured the booking with a card via Booking.

Could you describe how the "rudeness" manifested itself? If the clerk said 'no', that isn't 'rude', is it? Or do you think it is?

[Trabi601]

The Mad Monk said:

Sit on the floor in reception and refuse to move.

Phone local paper ask them to come round straight away.

Phone BBC/ITV/A.N.Other TV company and ask them to come round straight away.

Phone police and tell them elderly couple are being assaulted and thrown on street*.

• This may not be STRICTLY accurate or relevant, but so what?

So what?

You'd be wasting police time over something trivial that was covered by the T&Cs of the booking.

Maybe it's just because I travel on business, but I find it very unusual for anyone not to expect this at a hotel.

[blueg33]

audidoody said:

toastybase said:

I'd have cancelled, driven to the nearest town phonebox and booked a room over the phone

You still need to present a cc at check in.

It's fairly common knowledge that hotels and car hire requires a cc physically presented at check in/collection even if you have pre-paid

Edited by audidoody on Saturday 1st October 17:59

I stay in hotels 2 or 3 times a week. if you have pre paid and don't want to charge extras to the room they dont require your card at check in.

I cant think of s single one that insists, that applies from London to Stockholm, Manchester to Madeira. In fact in Madeira i could charge to the room anyway.

[surveyor]

blueg33 said:

audidoody said:

toastybase said:

I'd have cancelled, driven to the nearest town phonebox and booked a room over the phone

You still need to present a cc at check in.

It's fairly common knowledge that hotels and car hire requires a cc physically presented at check in/collection even if you have pre-paid

Edited by audidoody on Saturday 1st October 17:59

I stay in hotels 2 or 3 times a week. if you have pre paid and don't want to charge extras to the room they dont require your card at check in.

I cant think of s single one that insists, that applies from London to Stockholm, Manchester to Madeira. In fact in Madeira i could charge to the room anyway.

Same here, but I reckon I've booked on the internet so they have your card details on-file from that....

[blueg33]

surveyor said:

blueg33 said:

audidoody said:

toastybase said:

I'd have cancelled, driven to the nearest town phonebox and booked a room over the phone

You still need to present a cc at check in.

It's fairly common knowledge that hotels and car hire requires a cc physically presented at check in/collection even if you have pre-paid

Edited by audidoody on Saturday 1st October 17:59

I stay in hotels 2 or 3 times a week. if you have pre paid and don't want to charge extras to the room they dont require your card at check in.

I cant think of s single one that insists, that applies from London to Stockholm, Manchester to Madeira. In fact in Madeira i could charge to the room anyway.

Same here, but I reckon I've booked on the internet so they have your card details on-file from that....

Many of mine are booked via our travel desk (that's what my PA does) unless I book it myself. Travel desk works through an agent who pay upfront, and invoice us monthly with a £10 charge