Hotels
Pay now
You can pay for your hotel reservation online. Remember that you will pay in full at the time of booking.
Book now, Pay later
Sometimes hotels give you the option to book now and pay later at the hotel (no prepayment needed). Your credit or debit card will be required to guarantee your reservation. The card details will be sent to the hotel in the booking request. You will pay for the hotel at the reception upon check-in.
Pre-authorization
A card with sufficient funds is required to secure Pay Later reservations. Hotels may require pre-authorization where the card provider puts a hold on a sum approved by the cardholder, instead of taking the money out of the card. The bank of the payer usually releases the funds within months automatically if the customer completes the booking transaction.
Card verification by tiny payment
As an alternative option to secure Pay Later reservations, hotels may charge a nominal amount to validate the payment card. This behavior is common practice in the hospitality industry. The paid amount is then either refunded or deducted from the final payment due at the hotel.
Partially or fully non-refundable
Hotels may charge the non-refundable portion when the reservation is entering the partially/fully non-refundable window. The paid amount would be either refunded or deducted from the final payment due at the hotel.
Pay later with a deposit
Some hotels offer the possibility to book a room with a deposit and then pay the remaining amount upon arrival. The amount of the deposit and the deadline for paying it depend on the hotel - you will see this information when you book. The remaining amount you will pay to the hotel directly at check-in or check-out, in the local currency.
Special cases
No-show: In the event that the customer doesn't show up for the first night's stay, the hotel or merchant will charge the payment card for the no-show penalty (up to 100% of the booking value) according to the cancellation policy.
Late cancellation: Cancelling reservations after the free cancellation deadline will incur a penalty. The hotel or merchant charge the payment card for the cancellation penalty according to the cancellation policy.
Good to know
If you pay by credit card, your reservation is guaranteed until check-in.
If you book with the pay later option, the booking confirmation and itinerary will show the approximate amount to be paid at the hotel.
If you intend to make a large payment by card, contact your bank to make sure you don't exceed the daily spending limit. It's also a good idea to let them know in advance so that they don't flag the transaction as a potential fraud.
If your payment doesn't go through, read Payments troubleshooting.