Priceline Credit Card Question

[bond_james_bond]

I didn't want to put this in the Hotel Bidding thread, because it's kind of a different issue.

For a priceline reservation, how much does the hotel "freeze" your credit card for incidentals?

On my last trip, the hotel froze my card for the amount of the PL res. So for the duration of my stay, I was basically paying double. Upon check-out, they restored my credit.

Is this common practice, to ensure that you aren't using a bogus card for the incidentals? If so, is there any guideline to determine the amount that will be "frozen," though not actually charged?

 

[metoo4]

You're not charged whatever is frozen, you are not even charged interests on it so no, you're not paying double. The only thing is, this amount is marked as "not useable" on your credit limit. If your limit is $5000, you paid the hotel $200 and they froze $200, you have $4600 left to your credit but, after you check-out, you won't even see the frozen $200. Unless you're close to your credit limit, it doesn't really matter, isn't it?
If it does matter, you can ask the hotel to lock the phone and pay-per-view. If there's a minibar, you can refuse the key. Doing this, you can at least negotiate a lower amount.
It can get more complicated if the hotel have a in-house restaurant where you can just sign and put room number.

 

[EagerBeaver]

BJB,

What hotel did this?

 

[EagerBeaver]

You don't stay in hotels too much, do you?

"Incidentals" is a very common term used in the hotel industry to refer to all hotel charges other than the room charge - phone, room service, mini-bar, wireless internet, restaurant, parking, etc.

 

[NHBrat]

Something here does not make sense. The charge is made to your credit card by Priceline when you make a reservation and is non refundable. So why then does the hotel need to hold that amount out? The last time I stayed at the Delta, I had made a reservation with Hotwire. When I looked at my bill ipon leaving, there was a charge for $65 on my bill. I asked what it was for and they said they had made a mistake. It was supposed to be charged to Hotwire. So check you bills carefully. I have been using these services every month for several years and I have never seen or heard of this before. Something has definitely changed with the way the hotels are handling this.

 

[chef]

Something here does not make sense. The charge is made to your credit card by Priceline when you make a reservation and is non refundable. So why then does the hotel need to hold that amount out? The last time I stayed at the Delta, I had made a reservation with Hotwire. When I looked at my bill ipon leaving, there was a charge for $65 on my bill. I asked what it was for and they said they had made a mistake. It was supposed to be charged to Hotwire. So check you bills carefully. I have been using these services every month for several years and I have never seen or heard of this before. Something has definitely changed with the way the hotels are handling this.

Check the posts by metoo4 and EB. They essentially freeze some money on your card (usually unrelated to how much you paid for the room), just in case you use the mini-bar, restaurant, etc. I was told by a check-in clerk at a hotel once that (when paying about $130 for a room) they freeze $300 on the card. You never see this as a charge. Of course, as in your case, mistakes can happen.

 

[chowhound]

hotel policy

What you describe is not Priceline's policy, but rather is a hotel policy, which occurs whether or not you use Priceline. Hotels sometimes freeze some of your available credit to pay for incidentals which you might charge to the room; telephone, room service, parking, meals in the hotel restaurant, etc. I think this varies from hotel to hotel, and you would not notice it unless you were low on available credit.

 

[EagerBeaver]

chowhound is correct, this policy is a hotel policy with regard to incidentals and has nothing whatsoever to do with Priceline. I did have it happen to me once but I can't recall which hotel did it.