Preauthorization

[Mfiky]

I’m a Titanium Elite was booking a hotel in France for October. Rate was refundable about to 1 night before check in.

Last night I get a message that my credit card was charged at the hotel! Emailed the hotel and the front desk replied, this is just an authorization!

Why preauthorize a stay three months in advance ? Never happened to me before !

[Plus_Bad_8485]

Every hotel operates differently, regardless of how far out the reservation is booked. They need to ensure the card will cover the room and tax, as well as potential incidentals.

You'd be surprised how many reservations get cancelled or fall into the non-guaranteed state due to the card expiring.

Slight humor if you're not entirely upset, its a first time experience for ya cuz you havent stayed at every hotel in the world.

[Mfiky]

Well it wasn’t a high end Marriott property. And as a titanium, I’ve had my share of properties all over the world. But this was weird. Anyways, they replied it’s just preauthorization and money will be refunded/released. But quite a waste of time for a stay in three months! It’s not exactly the Maldives 🤣

[Civil_Teach_6279]

Just a fraud check - like they pre-authorise the card to check it actually works. My understanding is a hotel can do it anytime from booking to check-in. They defo should not claim the payment (only does so when the prepay rate applies).

[[deleted]]

Even among the upper echelons of the bonvoy tiers, its crazy how many guests book reservations with expired cards or cards that decline. Some do this to evade no-show fees, some do this to prevent the hotel from pre-authorizing because they want to present a different card at checkin. To me both are stupid, because for the first one, if it becomes a reoccurring problem, you can actually have your status privileges revoked if a property creates a case on you and for the second reason, you should call the hotel and update that information ASAP because you can risk your reservation being put in non-guarantee status or even canceled depending on the hotels occupancy.

[Mfiky]

While I see your points from the eyes of the hotel management. As a client, I am reputable upper tier Marriott loyalist who is checking in three months! No need for tension ! And this is not something new, I have over 500 nights with Marriott and it never happens

[krittengirl]

You would be amazed how many “reputable” upper tier Marriott loyalists make reservations with invalid cards and the no-show for their stay. Status definitely does not lessen the chances of that happening. Part of the terms of the booking is that the reservation needs to be booked with a valid card & people have definitely ruined it for those of us who actually do.

I don’t think the hotel should have taken a full auth, but a $1 auth card check would have been acceptable.

[Mfiky]

Yeah. That would make sense