Hotel with no credit card

[bogforce]

Anyone know if you can check into a hotel without a credit card just paying cash. I think they may want a credit card in case you damage something?
Thanks.

 

[BevL]

My son has done this in his younger years, most hotels required a $250 cash deposit or would run his debit card through for $250. He would always call ahead.

YMMV.

Bev

 

[Talent312]

I'm sure that they'd insist on a substantial cash deposit. But you might find some flea-bag, no-tell motel, on a highway that time forgot, where you might get by without. Motel 6 perhaps.

 

[Jimster]

hotel

I have worked for a hotel and the answer is: if you don't have a cc you may need a cash deposit. The CC is for incidentals and basically a security deposit. I do NOT encourage using a debit card because your bank will essentially freeze those funds and they may not thaw for up to two weeks depending on the bank. The same is true for a car rental. Look they are giving you a car worth probably $20,000. Do you think they are going to let you out the door without some assurance it is coming back? Hotels have TV's, DVD's, furniture, etc and often sell products and even allow phone service. Do you think they want to pay for your 2 hour call to Germany? You need a credit card in most reputable hotels. No CC, be prepared to pay alot of cash as a security payment.

 

[bogforce]

Thanks for the help. I'll call ahead about paying cash for a deposit.

 

[dwsupt]

Debit/cash route

Thanks for the help. I'll call ahead about paying cash for a deposit.

I often guarantee the room with my MC debit card and then advise them I want to pay cash at check in. Never had a problem.

 

[bogforce]

I booked with Motel 6. They don't require a credit card or cash deposit. One thing I've found out is that I often get a better price calling the hotel directly than I do using the online discount websites. Thanks again.

 

[LisaRex]

Some hotels have a minimum rental age of 21, especially in big Spring Break areas (because high school kids were able to rent out the places and trashed them), so be sure to ask.

Both of my minor daughters have credit cards in their name that are linked to my primary account. The downside is that the banks cannot lower the credit limit on just these secondary cards (to something like $500), so that means that they have access to $25k in theory. So you have to impress upon them the need to be careful with them.

Another option is also via your bank, where you pre-load a Visa branded card with however much you want to put on it. You can't rent cars with this card, but as long as you load enough to cover whatever the hotels put a temporary hold on, they should be able to secure the room with the card and then pay cash.