407. I made a hotel reservation, and guaranteed it with my credit card. When I showed up, the hotel denied my reservation. Have I any recourse?
Description
This article is from the Credit cards and Consumer Credit FAQ, by adams@spss.com (Steve Adams) with numerous contributions by others.
407. I made a hotel reservation, and guaranteed it with my credit card. When I showed up, the hotel denied my reservation. Have I any recourse?
That depends. Most hotels and motels (but not all) subscribe to the
"Lodging Services Addendum" in their merchant agreement with Visa.
If the hotel is one that participates, and they have no room for you
when you arrive with a guaranteed reservation, their agreement with
Visa requires them to:
- Provide the cardholder with at least comparable accommodations for
one night at another establishment.
- Provide transportation for the cardholder to that establishment.
- If requested, allow the cardholder to make a 3-minute local or
long distance call.
- If requested, forward all messages and calls for the cardholder to
the alternate establishment.
(source: Lodging Services Addendum to Visa agreement of First Bank
System, as quoted in a Usenet posting)
However, your unsupported word is not exactly proof that you had a
reservation. Next time, write down the date and time you called,
the rate you were quoted, which credit card you used for the
guarantee, and the confirmation number. (You may have to ask for a
confirmation number.) You need that info if there's a problem with
your reservation, or if your plans change and you have to cancel.
Some state laws may protect you when you have a guaranteed reserva-
tion, whether you guaranteed it by a deposit or by credit card.
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