I have reserved (with free cancellation) an apartment at Largoin Bayeux. I reserved it on booking.com. I got great reviews (although only 20 of them) and is very centrally located. However, when I read all the info it says it does not accept credit cards, only cash. That raises a bit of a red flag for me. Has anyone stayed here or had an instance where a small hotel does not accept credit cards? Thanks
Posted by
PA
2736 posts
Fees. Every merchant pays a percentage of the transaction to the credit card company, and that percentage varies based on volume. For a small business, this can be a killer. So they deal only cash (which is still legal tender, credit cards are not). Compare for example lodging places in Italy, which are always upfront that while they take credit cards, the additional lodging tax must be paid in cash - becasue it has to be passed in full to the government. And that 4-6% deducted back to the credit card company, while trivial on a couple of Euro per person per night, adds up significantly over the course of a year.
You really need not worry that this is a red flag issue.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11300 posts
Not a red flag. We do it all the time. You may need to load up on Euros for a couple of days in advance, or pay some on arrival and the balance at departure.
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1134 posts
Every small B&B I stay at in France wants to be paid this way, and I don't blame them. As mentioned, the smaller you are, the less negotiating power you have with the CC companies. So unfortunately, the smaller places pay a higher fee.
Posted by
OP
Braintree, MA
139 posts
Thanks everyone who responded. This apartment looks very nice and I did reserve it. I am more comfortable with that after hearing from you all.