Several people recommended the Nicholas Inn in Rome and they have a room available for me in October. I am curious, though: they ask for my credit card info in email as a way of securing the reservation. They said they would not process it, that payment should be in cash upon arrival. Is this usual and safe? Does anyone have experience with this kind of transaction? Thanks.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
That's a very common way of doing things. I can think of several places we stayed in Italy that did the exact same thing. We never had a problem. The challenge is always the "cash on arrival" part. You have to anticipate that with your ATM usage. Happy travels.
Posted by
OP
novato, CA, usa
23 posts
Thanks, Michael. It's always helpful to have confirmation from another experienced traveler.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2304 posts
Hi Marcia
We did that twice. In both cases, Rome and Venice, sent one night deposit with credit card and paid cash when we got there. We thought about cash question and decided to get our euros here at our bank (about 500 euros), instead of hunting for ATM"s in Rome. Worked great, no worries. you may also read some dilemmas that people are having about withdrawals with debit cards. enjoy your time there and have fun
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I have no experience with this hotel, but it's quite common for a hotel to ask for your credit card info to guarantee the reservation, then to want payment in cash. More common is payment upon checkout, but I've also had payment required at check-in. As said above, you have to prepare for how you will have enough euros for this - getting your withdrawal limit raised, bringing debit cards from multiple accounts, or, as a last resort, getting some euros before leaving home.
Posted by
Sammamish, WA
403 posts
Reserve with CC, then pay in cash is not uncommon. The part I would be concerned about is emailing my credit card number. I either fax it, or send the number in 2 parts in 2 separate emails. Never had a problem with a hotel accepting it that way.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Marcia, I wouldn't worry too much about having cash when you arrive - I've been able to drop my luggage before checking in, the hotelier directed me to the nearest Bancomat, and I withdrew the money and paid before checking in. The glitch might be if the amount you need to pay is higher than your daily withdrawal limit. Before you leave, ask your bank to raise your daily withdrawal limit for a specific time period if necessary.