Hotel have taken all my spending money ...ridiculous?

[whatshardknock]

I'll currently at a hotel in London (Piccadilly circus )
I'm here for 4 nights (checked in yesterday)
I'm meeting friends who I haven't seen in years.
It's been a bit of a treat it's a lovely hotel and I've spent £1000 on the hotel (which I never do )As a treat after a shit year.
I booked on booking.com
I checked my bank the £1000 has came out and also a pending £800
I spoke to downstairs and the £800 will be refunded after I leave.
That's pretty much all my spending money.
Aibu to think booking.com should have said and also £800 deposit for a 4 night stay is mental surely.

Eh? Aeriated?

Not the slightest!

What a strange thing to say. It's only that people were talking of 'refunds'. Nothing has to be refund because it hasn't been taken. I understand the position

I've never seen such large deposits held by a hotel, but I'm not surprised as this is the kind of bullshit they'd pull in London. I mean £250 a night is really just mid-priced there as it is such a ripoff.

I suspect that for most of their clientele an £800 pending transaction on a credit card is probably not even going to be noticed so it won't even register for most people.

That's standard and will be in the terms and conditions, you did read them didn't you?

Do you try hard to be odiously patronising or does it just come naturally ?

It's not even buried on booking.com.

It's there under: (!) Important Information

Where? I clock on your link and just get pretty pictures?

@Aridane

It's not even buried on booking.com.

It's there under: (!) Important Information

Where? I clock on your link and just get pretty pictures?

You obviously have to go to a hotel page since every hotel has different rules and charges

OP, I had this happen in low angekes at a very fancy hotel and it was six nights X 2 rooms , came to over £2500. In addition to the £3000 I paid up front for the rooms. Like you it about wiped me out and was on my debit card. I remained at reception, made a huge fuss and spoke to my bank- I believe some faxing went between them and my funds cleared off in a day!! In my case when I paid for the rooms they showed me the debit— and then did the ‘deposit’ debit with me not present an hour later. My bank told me that was illegal - they have to tell you before they put the charge through

This is item number 836383 in the list of reasons that using debit cards instead of credit cards is a bad idea. A hotel room booked with a credit card might have a temporary charge placed, but you won’t be out actual money, just available credit.

I'm so glad that the Holiday Inn I stayed in recently with the kids didn't do this as we only had £300 for 3 days. I booked through hotels.com not sure if that makes any difference.

I never stay in hotels so had never heard of this. I hope you have a good time op.

@PopsicleHustler

£1000 for 4 nights, wow are you in the ritz hahaha

I'd demand the 800 there and then. What will you do to food and so on OP. What a palace. It's nice to treat yourself. But if you stuck to premier inn, you could have had more money to treat yourself. I love london and used to go all the time as I'm only 45 mins away by train. And even lived there for a short while. I'd love to stay in a fancy shmancy hotel too but I'd prefer more cash to spend and treat myself too. Have a nice trip but stay firm with the hotel. I can appreciate it could Be in their terms and conditions but that seems like a lot. £200 a night deposit. Bloody hell. Is there gold taps and a fridge rampacked with luxury food and chocolate. Should have stayed somewhere else.

It's only £250 a night which in London really doesn't go that far! Especially if it's over the weekend as well.

Can I suggest this ?
Apply for a credit card. There is an eligibility checker on here, which means that you can check if you will get a credit card and it will not show on your credit score.
It is for people with bad credit (not saying the OP has bad credit, there are all sorts of reasons people struggle to get a CC, my DH had a problem for some reason, because he's now retired)
The credit limit won't be huge... maybe £1,500 max but you could keep it for instances just like this. There really are some times when only a CC will do.

Anyway, here it is.

www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/bad-credit-credit-cards/
My DH applied via here online, card received a few days later.

Your lesson here is never pre- authorise youR payment. It’s not standard procedure and you have every right to decline this.

I just went to the end of the thread so apologies if it's been suggested but if your credit rating is good why not call the card company and ask for a rise in credit limit? I think these days if granted it would be immediate

Suggest they check your room daily and reduce it to £200. They don't need to do these preauthorisations as they could charge your card retrospectively anyway. I refuse to stay at hotels that demand these -it suggests they have poor clientele.

This is normal practice in the hotel industry but 200 pounds per night is a bit steep, I would expect about half of that. It's to cover extras such as meals and drinks etc.
As you have a prepaid booking for accommodation I would be inclined to ask reception if your account can be marked CASH ONLY and you pay as you go for those extras. If they refuse you could use the threat (politely) of taking your business elsewhere for your meals and drinks.

Ring or go.in your bank to ask if it can be taken back by your bank, banks can do this for thier customers. Otherwise just tell your friends.

I’m sorry to say but I would never book a hotel for £1000 if all I had left was £800 and no contingency funds. I don’t understand this idea of spending money for non essential items without leaving anything for a rainy day.

A the other poster said- hotel terms and conditions said £200 a night deposit. Although it’s excessive, you agreed to those terms. You can’t complain now.

OP, I’m so sorry, don’t let this spoil your treat.

I'm 70 and have only recently had my first credit card. Not all of us want or need them. Having said that, I'm a frequent traveller and when that's alone, I do tend to stay in 'better' hotels but have never been charged £200 a night on the off-chance I might drink the mini-bar dry!
Try contacting your own bank. Most will oblige with an emergency/temporary overdraft... Just try and have a lovely time..

I had this in Venice a few years back. It is,frustrating but I suppose they have to protect against theft.

Have to say I ve stayed in many hotels in London over the years of all standards and have never had to do that. I ve always had to give a credit card when signing in and similarly having travelled in lots of different countries I would always expect to give credit card details as security but have never had to authorise that much as a deposit per night, seems pretty extortionate

If you already paid for your accommodation, then hotels usually freeze a small deposit from your card to cover any possible expenses in the mini bar and also in case some customers take things in the room when you leave. It should be showing in the details when you booked it on booking.com

I think you ought to plead poverty to the manager and explain that you dont have this kind of money and that actually you now cant afford food! Explain it was a treat for yourself to stay there and you didn't see the £200 per night thing until now. I would ask him if he could forward at least some of the money to me now....there is a way...or fake a heart attack in reception after some hysterical crying....😱. I am sure you will come to some agreement.....or perhaps all the people on here would kindly put £1 each into your account to see you thru?

I’m sorry to say but I would never book a hotel for £1000 if all I had left was £800 and no contingency funds. I don’t understand this idea of spending money for non essential items without leaving anything for a rainy day.

oh for god sake. you have NO idea what is going on in OPS life. Unbelievable.

perhaps all the people on here would kindly put £1 each into your account to see you thru? Or transfer your own money instead of volunteering other people's for them?!