This is usually done by small groups who book a tour with a travel agency that books and pays the reservation fee to the hotel for the entirety of the group’s stay. They will only confirm the availability of a room and book you on a first-come-first-serve basis as a Walk-In Guest.įor a four-night stay, for example, the pre-authorization may cover two to three nights plus $50.00 and upwards per night for incidental charges. No reservation fee is required but many hotels may not accept phone bookings during the high season. Upon booking, you pay a reservation fee, which may either be a partial payment or a full payment while the pre-authorization to cover the balance and incidental charges will be done during your check-in. Booking via a hotel website app / 3 rd party app.How much the reservation fees and pre-authorization amounts depend on the type of booking you make and will vary from one hotel to another and from one country to another. After the hotel releases its hold on your pre-authorized amount (usually 24 hours after you check out), it may take perhaps another two weeks for your credit card issuer to update your available balance. Nevertheless, the amount will be locked down in the meantime and will not be available to you. Or if you cancel beyond the free cancellation period (if any) or if you don’t show up at all – then the pre-authorization is processed and converted to a charge. Unlike a reservation fee, the pre-authorization is not an actual charge on your credit card it is but a temporary hold on it until it’s time to settle your final billing upon checking out. It is also standard practice for hotels to require a pre-authorization (or pre-auth in hotel speak) to cover your room charge, plus tax, and additionally, to cover incidental charges you may incur during your stay. It is standard practice today for hotels to ask for an advance payment or reservation fee when you make a booking. If you are a Walk-In guest during the peak high season or if the hotel is hosting a convention, be prepared to be turned away however, the hotel may suggest alternative hotels in the area.Īs a VIP or Repeat Guest, a welcome drink will precede the check-in formalities, which may be done either at the Front Desk or inside your suite according to your preference. You will be allocated a room after you’ve chosen an available one they will block the room as sold and prepare your room key and record your arrival on the guest arrival list. The next step will be the gathering of the necessary documents and personal and trip-related information to be entered into the registration form. Walk-in Guests will check on the availability of a room and suggest the best alternatives if your preferred room is not available. You will then be requested to sign the form. If you are a foreign guest, you will have to provide your passport for additional information, which will be scanned or photocopied. Registration Image credit: CanvaĪfter determining that you are a Pre-Booked Guest who has made a reservation at the hotel, the Front Desk Officer or Receptionist will ask for your identification card or credit card and verify your details and room specifications that have been entered into your registration form. This includes arranging to pick you up should you ask for such service and the relevant staff will have been alerted once the arrangement is confirmed. If you are a Regular or Repeat Guest or a VIP Guest, the hotel personnel goes the extra step to give you as smooth of an experience checking in as possible, so meticulous preparation is done before your arrival. If you are a Pre-Booked Guest, the hotel will have made the necessary preparations beforehand through a Pre-Registration, where your details are printed on a registration form or card and presented to you for your confirmation and signature upon your arrival. The traditional check-in practices in the hotel industry involve a series of steps that can begin even before you arrive. If all goes well, it can lead to a more memorable trip overall for the guest, for all the right reasons. It’s a process governed by standard procedures and rules, written and unwritten, all designed to make it run as smoothly as possible both for the guest and for the hotel staff. Checking into a hotel seems simple enough.
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