No means no.

[Skittles88]

This is my first post so I'll start with a little bg: I work full-time afternoon (check-in) shift at a 75 room branded motel. We only have 4 different room types, with our most expensive room being a kitchenette. We also have a strict policy of not taking debit or cash deposits because of, well, idiots. /bg

Me: Super awesome desk clerk, call me Skittles
SC: They never fail to surprise me
GP: Greyhound passenger. There is a Greyhound Station close by and for some reason people like to come straight to us for anything and everything. And most times they are annoying, especially since they aren't guests.

No credit card? Not my problem

*phone rings, opening spiel*
SC: Hi, I'd like to make a reservation for tonight for 2 people
Me: *takes info* Ok may I please have your credit card number to guarantee the room?
SC: Oh umm I was going to pay cash for the room.
Me: I'm sorry, but we require a credit card for incidentals. I can not take a cash deposit.
SC: Whaaattt? Are you seeerrriiouuus?Whiiinnneee!!!!!

oh no not one of these...

Me: I'm very sorry I do not make the rules. May I suggest another hotel that will take cash?
SC: no that's ok *click*

3 minutes later...

*phone rings, spiel*
SC's Boyfriend: Yeah hi we just tried to book a room. I have a Visa debit can we use that?
Me: I'm sorry, but those do not ring in as credit in our system. Unfortunately we need an actual credit card.
SCBF: But it SAYS Visa!! It should be able to be used as one!!
Me: They won't work properly, and I can not take a debit deposit. I'm sorry I didn't choose the machine we use.
SCBF: garblegarble*click*

3 minutes later...

*phone rings, rinse repeat*
SC: Hi it's me again...
*yippee*
SC: and I'd like to use my mother's credit card. I can get her to phone you
Me: Miss we can't take a credit card number over the phone for that. If I were to let you do that I'd need your mother to come in and show me ID and sign for the room.
SC: But she lives in [bumfooknowhereville] and that's not possible!!
Me: Once again I am sorry, however it is illegal for me to take a card without verifying the owner. As well I can't send you a credit card authorization form, as we only take those from reputable companies (that's another story as to why we have that policy).
SC: You are making it VERY difficult to stay at your hotel tonight!!

Yeah, and you are making it very difficult to end this conversation. Was it THAT important that you stayed with us instead of any of the 4 hotels in town that do take cash?

No.. I'm really not lying to you sir

This guy was just... strange.

Me: Hi how are you tonight, sir?
SC: *mumble mumble* suite... yes?
Me: I didn't catch that sir
SC: I need a suite. Or a room with a sofa bed.
Me: We don't have suites here sir. I have a room with 2 queen beds, or a room with 1 queen bed, a double pull-out sofa, and a kitchen unit. Though that is all in 1 room.
SC: Whats the price on the second room?
Me: How many people are in your party?
SC: Me and my wife and my son
Me: How old is your son?
SC: He is disabled! He has [some sort of disorder I do not recall]
Me: *Wtf buddy just a number not your life story* What's his age?
SC: ... 18.
Me: Ok for 3 adults the price is $1xx.xx plus tax, includes breakfast, parking and wifi (yes we are an expensive motel. It's because of the location)
SC: *stares at me hard* THAT's the price?
Me: Yes sir.
*I haggle him down 10 percent, but refuse to go lower as he was being a pain and demanding a better rate*
SC: Can I see the room?

So I make him up keys and show him on the map which room it is. 5 minutes later he comes back to the lobby and wants to know the price of the double queen, and to see it. He checks the second room, and comes back to the desk this time with a weird look on his face.

SC: I'm VERY sorry I offended you, please I do not think we can stay here tonight.
Me:... what?...ok?
SC: I'll be going now you have a nice night *scuttles out of lobby as fast as he can*

Out of curiosity, and of course because I'm supposed to, I go to both rooms to make sure he didn't shop at a five finger discount, and to see what offended him so much. Both rooms were perfectly fine. Maybe he was used to staying in suites with more room, but it was still really weird.

Freeloader? Go away

I had a guy tonight wander into my lobby from the parking lot, so I thought he was a guest at first. We're gonna call him Hockey Guy

HG: Hi, yeah, is the hockey game on? *points to TV that is off in our breaky area*
Me: Oh yeah it's on I just don't know what channel?
HG: Well could you turn it on for me? I'd like to catch the end of the game.
Me: Oh yeah I guess so *reaches for remote*
HG: Yeah I've been all over town looking for a place to watch the game
Me: Oh, you're not a guest here?
HG: I've stayed here before, that counts right??!!
Me: No, sorry, TV is for guest use only. You can't stay in the lobby if you are not a guest at this time.
HG: aww really...
Me: Next door is a pub and they have the game on *points* it's right across the parking lot over there...

Like really buddy you expect me to just let you chill in here to watch the game? I have work to do this is a place of business. I don't mind when guests want to watch something (though it's not very common they go to their rooms) but not just randoms off the street. I doubt he's ever stayed over, either.

To bread or not to bread

*guy comes over from the bus station next door while I'm outside smoking*
Greyhound Passenger: Hi can I ask you a weird question?
Me: Uhh sure I suppose? *Oh god what do you want*
GP: Me and my buddy are taking the bus and we have a lot of stuff to make sandwiches, but no bread. Can we get like an old loaf of bread from you? I mean I know you guys have breakfast here.
Me: Yeah no sorry we can't just give away bread to someone who is not a guest. And old bread gets thrown out for health safety reasons.
GP: But we neeed bread! Where is there to get bread around here? Would the gas station have some?

WHY WHY WHY are you berating me with these questions? and why are you NOW only looking for this, 5 minutes before your bus comes?

Me: Well you can try the gas station, or there is a grocery store down that road. It would be about a 5 minute walk there.
GP: 5 minutes?? Are you sure? I have a bus to catch. Ugh I really need bread!! Tell me the gas station has some.
Me: I'm not sure if it does, and in fact I doubt they do. The closest place would be the grocery store.
GP: I'm going to try the gas station.
Me: Yup you do that *escapes inside as he starts to leave*

I hope he never found any. Dumbass.

[emax4]

For the last person I would have presented an ultimatum, "well what's more important? Getting bread or getting a bus?"

[aulocksmith]

I have to be a bit of a devils advocate about the Visa Debit card. They were created specifically to be non-credit version of credit cards so that people who either didn't want credit, or couldn't get credit, would still be able to have something that acts like a credit card.

If your system is able to tell the difference between them, and and not accept the debit version, then it's your system that needs to be updated. I understand there would be a risk in that there not being enough funds, but most sensible people would ensure the funds are there.

I actually have two debit Mastercards, and have previously had Visa as well, and have never come across a place not accepting them.

[Skittles88]

Our machine can ring through Visa debits but only if the are from out of country (I am in Canada). I know they work online as Visas, but i have never at any til been able to ring through one as a credit. I think most tils in Canada can only ring them through as debit. Our machine needs updating yes, but i think most places do, as this is a newer technology that Canada hasn't caught up with yet.

[Pixilated]

I understand why hotels need credit cards even if you're paying cash ... I've paid cash in the past and I've always assumed the cc info was in case I trashed the room or helped myself to "freebies".

But I'm curious: if you can't take a cc number over the phone, how would the guy have been able to book the room, if he'd had a credit card? Would you have held the room for him, but he'd have had to present the cc when he checked in?

(Yeah, it's been a LOOONNGG time since I've stayed at any motels or hotels. )

[mathnerd]

In my experience they take the CC information over the phone or internet only to be able to hold the room. They don't actually charge it until you get there and present it, along with proper ID.

[MoonCat]

I've used my debit card many, many times as a credit card. When asked debit or credit, I just say credit, and it's always gone through. I haven't used it to book a hotel room for a long time, though, so I don't know if things have changed.

But honestly, if they tell you you need a credit card, and you don't have one, it's best to just call another hotel.

[aulocksmith]

Our machine can ring through Visa debits but only if the are from out of country (I am in Canada). I know they work online as Visas, but i have never at any til been able to ring through one as a credit. I think most tils in Canada can only ring them through as debit. Our machine needs updating yes, but i think most places do, as this is a newer technology that Canada hasn't caught up with yet.

Damn... Canada does need to get with the times. Here in Australia, our machines make no distinction whatsoever in regards to actual CC or Visa/Mastercard debit.

The card still say debit on them, but as far as I know, they are required to be treated the same as credit cards for transaction purposes. The only time I know of where the credit option is refused is at our supermarkets. And that is only if they are swiped, and the same happens to normal credit cards as well. If you use the chip, then you can use whatever option you like.

[Skittles88]

Hmm they may work as credit if one were to not swipe and instead use the chip and pin, but like I said before, our machine does need updating.
Tho to the person who said find another hotel... Yeah thats probably the best plan. A lot of hotels take debit and cash transactions, but it's not mandatory. We have had far too many people stay on a cash deposit that trash the room, far exceeding the $200 dep. in damages. We had to put a stop to it somehow.
People are far less likely to cause damage when a hotel gas your credit card number.

[Skarredmind]

LOTS of hotels have issues with debit cards. The reason usually boils down to when you're checking in a hold is placed against the card (to make sure you can actually afford the room). When the hold goes against a debit card it usually appears to be a withdraw, AND after you charge the card and release the hold the hold itself can stay on the debit card for up to a week after its been released.

Needless to say, when we have issues with "double charges" and such its almost always because someone on our end either authorized a credit card (instead of just charging it) -or- the guest thought they were being clever and told us their debit was a credit card.

We take cards over the phone, but the issue is if they aren't swiped or imprinted its FAR easier to challenge the charge (and win). We charge no-shows, but a good sized number of them do a chargeback, and because we don't have a swipe or a signature we usually lose.

[sms001]

Kitchenette w/ 2 Queens, breakfast AND parking? Uhm, to me, something starting with a 1(XX.yy) for that seems pretty INexpensive, no matter what the location. And I'd think that if you had a disabled son, you'd want him in the same room if suites weren't available. I wonder what spooked him - that exit was VERY strange.

Welcome aboard Skittles.

[wolfie]

We take cards over the phone, but the issue is if they aren't swiped or imprinted its FAR easier to challenge the charge (and win). We charge no-shows, but a good sized number of them do a chargeback, and because we don't have a swipe or a signature we usually lose.

Is yours a "one location" hotel, or a corporate (including franchise)? If the latter, why doesn't corporate adopt a policy where if someone does a chargeback over a legitimate billing (such as a no-show charge), that credit card goes onto a chain-wide "do not rent" list? Oh yes, that would make sense, so it isn't allowed.

[BroSCFischer]

But I'm curious: if you can't take a cc number over the phone, how would the guy have been able to book the room, if he'd had a credit card? Would you have held the room for him, but he'd have had to present the cc when he checked in?

Yeah, we can take the CC over the phone to HOLD the room, but when you show up, you need to be able to present the card to ensure that it is under the same name as the ID you present (and that the room is under).

With OUR CC Authorizations (this is not Skittles88's hotel) you need to copy both sides of the CC and provide a copy of state issued ID in order for us to accept it (which I think is fairly standard.

Anymore, with all the Identity Theft issues, this is for our protection, as well as yours.

Hope this answers your question.

SC

[Skarredmind]

Is yours a "one location" hotel, or a corporate (including franchise)? If the latter, why doesn't corporate adopt a policy where if someone does a chargeback over a legitimate billing (such as a no-show charge), that credit card goes onto a chain-wide "do not rent" list? Oh yes, that would make sense, so it isn't allowed.

We're a small (less than 5 properties) company, so no dice. Of course, management won't say no to anyone even if they've given us a bad credit card or something before... Its frustrating to say the least.

[Skittles88]

Is yours a "one location" hotel, or a corporate (including franchise)? If the latter, why doesn't corporate adopt a policy where if someone does a chargeback over a legitimate billing (such as a no-show charge), that credit card goes onto a chain-wide "do not rent" list? Oh yes, that would make sense, so it isn't allowed.

We're under a brand name, but each location is independantly owned, so we follow corporate rules, but we can also make a lot of our own rules too.
A lot of people will walk in and go "well I just stayed at so and so property I should be in YOUR system. I then have to explain that the only way I can pull up their info is if they have [chain rewards card]. If not then I have to create a new guest file (no biggie). So I don't think a chain wide DNR would not work very well, since not every guest has a rewards card.
As for the "no cash/debit deposits", we had far too many "shady" types that would stay on cash and cause more damage than the $200 deposit covered. We actually had 2 seperate instances of people overflowing their tub and flooding not just their room but the room below them. It just started getting out of hand.
That being said, we are lenient on our regulars. There are people that stay all the time and if they didn't have their credit card handy I would gladly accept cash.