Reserving Rooms for May travel in Germany - prepayment?

You typically must pay a deposit, a minimum of one nights fee. If booking online, they should have credit card processing. If you are emailing a hotel directly, they may ask for your credit card info by email. While some people are paranoid about sending credit card information over cyberspace, it really poses no more risk than giving your card to a waiter and watching them walk off to the back room with it. FYI - Many special rates come with a no cancelation clause. Those are strictly enforced no matter what your reason is. Always check the fine print.

Thank you Douglas. I appreciate your comment and will proceed with our reservations.

You ask what does the hotel/inn need to reserve. They will tell you what they need. I have found different requirements from hotel vs B&Bs. Should you send them credit card information via e-mail? When requested, I send them a credit card number broken up into two e-mails although I have been told by others here that that is unnecessary. If you encounter any difficulty in using e-mails, I have, just give them a call being mindful of the time difference between wherever you are and Europe. I also let my CC issuer know that I am going to be using their card for transactions in Europe so that they do not reject the charge. I spent part of Aug and Sept in Germany this summer and visited Berlin for the first time and loved it. Happy travels.

Actually about a 1000 times safer than giving it to a waiter. Advance reservations are not critical especially at that time of year. However, if you want a specific place at a specific time then a reservation is necessary. The policies vary so check the fine print on the web sites carefully.

Hi Leslie, They will let you know when you ask for a room. We stay in B&B's, Pensions, etc. and have never been asked for a CC# or any kind of deposit. The only 2 places that wanted a CC#/deposit for our roughly 75 nights in Bavaria, Austria and the Italian Dolomites the last 10 years were both by hotels near Munich airport... a Moevenpick and a Best Western. Paul

I returned recently from the second trip to Switzerland and Germany in a couple of months and at the chain hotels I was not asked for a deposit except when we had non refundable special rates which took the full amount before arrival. We also stayed at several non-chain hotels, none of which required more than a promise we would arrive and let them know if we were cancelling. At two places we didn't even have to sign in. It was all as good as a handshake.

My experience mirrors Paul and Nigel. A few years ago, I booked a 3* lodge in the Harz online. I don't normally stay in 3* accommodations, but they had a five night package that was hard to pass up. The online form wanted a credit card number to hold the room for late arrival, and since I was arriving late, a gave it to them. None of the other twenty-some places I have stayed at since 2002 have required a credit card deposit. Admittedly, where I stay is usually a "cut below" Rick's recommendation - and usually no stars. Specifically, I find one of the least expensive places listed on the town website, consistent with - a private bath, close to public transportation, with breakfast. I have never had a bad room this way; the Germans have such a high standard. I have saved a lot vs booking websites. And no one has demanded a deposit.

Hi Leslie, We typically pay 50 to 60 Euro for 2 w/buffet breakfast. Never had a bad room or a bad place, actually, they've all been very nice, and we've been back to a number of them. I'd go as far as saying that all were as nice as places that would have cost twice as much. In my experiences, when staying at B&B's, Pensions, Gasthofs, etc., you pay when you are leaving. Never had to pay (except the 2 hotels of course) in advance or even upon arrival. The honor system still seems to be the normal. Paul

Leslie - here's the link to Rick's form for making hotel reservations. It contains all the info the hotel will need from you. Just cut and paste it into an e-mail. I've used it on several occasions with no problems. http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/reserve.htm

I've reserved B&B's and apartments all over Germany and never been asked for a deposit. You can reserve on the phone with your name and adddress. For email reservations, you are normally asked to send an email with this info. and to confirm your dates and accommodations. I would encourage you to look into more options than the ones in Rick's book too. Rick's places are often crowded with North Americans who read his book, and I've noticed in several cases that these places also charge more than others for comparable lodgings. Many towns and local tourist offices operate their own websites to attract visitors, often in English. Have a look at the Host Directory on the tourism pages at www.st-goar.de , just as an example. You can usually find similar pages in other towns with www.(town name).de.

Be sure to always ask for the cancellation policy if it is not spelled out on the website. Some hotels allow you to cancel up to the day of arrival; some require cancellation at least 7 or 14 days prior to arrival or you pay a penalty. I have made many reservations for Germany by email over the last 10 yrs and when requested, I have had no problems providing my credit card number by email.