How to Avoid Hidden Hotel Holds

If you've stayed in a hotel, you've probably had money held on to cover incidentals. Learn how to deal with these hidden costs and possibly avoid them all together.

In our last article, The Evils of Hidden Hotel Holds, we told you about the secret holds many hotels put on your cards to cover what they term as “incidentals” – phone usage, pay-per-view movies, and other charges billed to your room.

So what can you do to minimize their impact on your trip budget? Here are some tips:

• Forewarned is forearmed. That saying is completely true here. When making your reservation, even if online, read the fine print in the booking terms. If it says nothing about incidentals holds, call the hotel’s 800 phone number and ask if they hold funds at check in and how much per night they hold. Make sure to note the name of the person you spoke to for future reference if there’s any discrepancy. Confirm the hold fees when you check in before handing over your card. If it doesn’t match what you were told over the phone, ask to speak to the manager.
• Pay in cash. Simply tell them you are paying in cash at check in and be prepared to pay a deposit in cash. If the hotel clerk says they can’t do this, speak with the manager on duty. Most clerks simply don't like to work with cash because it's additional paperwork, but until the world says otherwise, cash is still a form of accepted payment.
• Use a credit card instead of a debit card. Often a credit card hold will not impact available funds on the card, but a debit card hold will instantly deduct that amount from your balance, even though the money is still technically still in your account.
• Ask for incidental privileges to be held instead. When checking in, tell them you don’t want to have the phone or pay-per-view turned on and that you don’t want that key to the mini bar. Many hotels should be able to accommodate this request, though unfortunately if it’s packaged as a “resort fee” for use, they may choose to deny your request. But this fee information must be posted in plain view for customers.
• Earmark one card just for hotels. If you use more than one card during your trip, you won't have to worry about being short of funds due to one card being maxed out by hotel holds. Just make sure both cards don't access the same account (as in a joint account with your travel partner).
• Use a pre-paid Mastercard or Visa. If there’s no way around having the hold put on your card, load up a pre-paid card with enough funds and use that to guarantee the incidental holds. That way if there’s a problem with the holds being returned immediately upon check-out (which is common with using debit cards, for the reasons mentioned above), it won’t impact the rest of the money you’ve budgeted for your trip.
• Don’t tie up your entire trip budget on a card. Make sure you keep some of your travel budget in cash or traveler’s checks so that if a card is maxed out or denied due to a hotel hold, you aren’t left completely penniless. We recommend at least $100 of your trip budget should be cash on hand – well hidden, of course.
• Stay in alternate accommodations. Many other types of traveler accommodations, such as bed & breakfasts, hostels, campgrounds and more, do not levy hold charges on their guests. Choose these alternate lodging choices if you wish to avoid encountering the hidden hotel hold.
• Keep tabs on your card balance. Don't just assume there wasn't a hold. Using the bank's website or phone number, verify your your day's charges on a daily basis. If there was a hold taken without your knowledge, it'll show in your balance.
• Politely and firmly dispute any unauthorized holds. If you followed the above steps and a hold was still put on your card without your knowledge, complain immediately to the hotel manager. Be firm and polite,expressing your displeasure and disappointment. Let them know you are not a happy customer and ask what they intend to do about the situation to make things right. If they refuse to do anything, dispute the hold charge with your bank and explain the situation in detail, including all names of people you spoke with and stressing the charge was made without your knowledge. It may not always change the fact a hold was taken, but it may speed up the return of the funds to your account.

Have you ever had a trip ruined by a hotel hold you didn’t know about? Do you have further tips to add to this list? Tell your story in the discussion threads below.

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