Credit Card to secure accommodation.

This request is common to secure reservations in Europe. I recently provided cc information to reserve a room in an Ireland Guesthouse where I'll be staying in the Fall. If you are fearful of CC fraud monitor you credit card expenditures by signing up for alerts. As far as having a room when an outside vendor says his place is fully booked could be because someone cancelled a reservation with him, NOT with the Booking.com. This property owner isn't going to ruin his stellar reputation by hacking your card. You either want to stay there or you don't. In order to secure a reservation you'll need to provide the information he is requesting.

I agree with Claudia. The booking sites don't always have the availability to book all the rooms. It is also not unusual to request a credit card number to secure a reservation even when requiring payment in cash. That protects them against no shows.

I see a lot of small guesthouses and b and Bs that list with Booking.com, but do not make many rooms available through them. They get the benefit of the advertising and the reviews, and they can always list unfilled rooms with the agency as it gets closer to the date. My guess is that if you checked on Booking.com for other dates around the time of your visit, they would also show no rooms available. Do not worry about sending your card details. It is common and accepted practice. Send by fax if you are worried about email security.

Thanks Claudia, Andrea and Lola, You have given me some assurance - I was thinking about this all night so am going to book the accommodation. I just thought it suspicious that Booking.com said he was booked out and then he wasn't but now I am thinking it probably is best to go straight to the source and book.
Thank you.

Melissa, don't be surprised if room is gone with all the time delay now.. dealing directly with the hotel is almost always the better choice anyways.. I prefer to do so most times. And yes, owner is right, better to fax or phone CC numbers, he was being safety conscious. I email them if I have too, but I do it in two separate emails, first half of numbers in one , second half in other.

Thanks I hope it is still there I've just sent him an email. I would have telephoned him but there is an 8 hr time difference. Fingers crossed.

Your welcome. Hope you were able to book it.

Yesss!!! I have it booked.