:( deposit for hotel room- I'd rather not

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

I am trying to find a hotel in Florida ( orlando.Kissimee.anywhere), That does the same thing Disney does.
With Disney (calling in ) for a Room-Only reservation you don't need to put anything down, same way with Buena Vista Suites(are these the only ones in orlando area??) . Are there any other hotels/resorts out there that do the same kind of reservation??
This would be great as we like to travel all over Florida. TIA.

P.S. I know that if I want "That" hotel I would have to pay a deposit, but I really would like to stay where a deposit it not required.


Tigger2ntinkerbell

 

[marlynnp]

If it's a 'chain' hotel, become a members of their rewards program. I've never had to pay a deposit - just hold with a cc that is only 'run through' if I don't cancel within 24 hours.

 

[vicki_c]

You are incorrect - for a Disney room only reservation, you have to put down a deposit of one night's room rate, the balance due on arrival.

 

[purvislets]

You are incorrect - for a Disney room only reservation, you have to put down a deposit of one night's room rate, the balance due on arrival.

I agree! We usually only do room only and we always have to put down a deposit.

 

[tzolkin]

You are incorrect - for a Disney room only reservation, you have to put down a deposit of one night's room rate, the balance due on arrival.

This is what I've experienced and read too.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

You are incorrect - for a Disney room only reservation, you have to put down a deposit of one night's room rate, the balance due on arrival.

 

[mom2faith]

Yup - we have always had to put down deposits. I do not know anywhere where you do not have to. But as long as you cancel in time, you get your money back.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I have never NOT had to put one night's deposit-at WDW or other. Even the Buena Vista Suites. In our experience, most places other than WDW and US have a 24 hour cancellation policy.

 

[Crystal824]

We are staying at CSR at the end of the month. We had to put down a deposit of one night's stay when booking.

 

[maraki527]

Just made a reservation for room only we had to put down one night as well.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Actually, WDW is the only place I can think of that I have had to put down an actual deposit.

We don't stay many other places, but I have only had to give CC info and it wasn't run until check in. I did have 1 hotel that ran my card for $1.00.

Suzanne

 

[howlongtildisney]

Most hotels don't require a deposit if you book directly with them. However, to get the best rates most of the time you have to put down a deposit. For example, I'm traveling for work in a few weeks and staying at a Clarion Inn. They had a rate of about $25 more a night if I wanted to pay no deposit.

 

[maggiew]

I've never had to pay a deposit to stay in offsite type hotels. I typically stay at Marriott brand hotels and only need to give a credit card guarantee. For most places the cancellation policy is before 6 pm the day of check-in. But watch the cancellation policies carefully. The only other thing I have seen is that some places offer some cheaper rates if you prepay. But those are non-cancellable. I usually don't book those. AAA rates are usually comparable.

I did reserve a room at the Dolphin for this fall, and I had to pay a one night deposit. Although I have since cancelled that reservation and got my money back.

Maggie

 

[Miss SD]

Actually, WDW is the only place I can think of that I have had to put down an actual deposit.

Same here. Disney charges one night's stay as a deposit. It wasn't always this way. I think they changed the policy within the last couple of years.

 

[pixie921]

Same here. Disney charges one night's stay as a deposit. It wasn't always this way. I think they changed the policy within the last couple of years.

We've been visiting WDW as a family for 12 years and we've always had to put a night's deposit down.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I have always had to put down a 1 night deposit at every hotel we have ever stayed at. Maybe it's because I always go for the lowest rate and it's required then?

Holiday Inn, Hyatt, any Choice Hotel, Days Inn, every WDW hotel, every Marriott Hotel we've stayed at.

If you cancel most of them within 24 hours of staying there, you would get the deposit back. WDW you have to cancel before 5 days to get your deposit on a room only ressie back.

 

[maggiew]

I have always had to put down a 1 night deposit at every hotel we have ever stayed at. Maybe it's because I always go for the lowest rate and it's required then?
Holiday Inn, Hyatt, any Choice Hotel, Days Inn, every WDW hotel, every Marriott Hotel we've stayed at.

I have stayed at all of those brands of hotels (except maybe Days Inn) and have never had to pay a deposit. I don't understand why it would be different. yes. You have to give a credit card number, but it is not charged then. The fine print also says that they will charge you one night stay IF you don't show up. But they don't charge it at time of booking.

In fact, I made a hotel reservation today for one night pre-cruise and didn't have to pay deposit (Marriott in Tampa). There wasn't even an option of a rate that requires deposit (super saver type rate).

Maybe if you book through some place like Book It or Travelocity or Hotels.com, maybe? I don't know. I have never booked through those type of sites.

Maggie

 

[bookgirl]

I agree! We usually only do room only and we always have to put down a deposit.

This is what I was required to do with my room only reservation. First night up front. But only at Disney.

Every other hotel (from budget 2 star to 4 star resorts) in Florida, Vegas, California, Tx, OK, etc has only required that I give them a cc to hold the room and no charges until I either completed my stay or if I canceled with less than 24 hours notice. Heck I've been known to reserve with a cc then pay cash upon check out and it never showed up on my cc even as a hold.

 

[Miss SD]

We've been visiting WDW as a family for 12 years and we've always had to put a night's deposit down.

Really? I've been going to Disneyland for years and could have sworn I didn't start putting deposits down until recently.

 

[Local_Girl]

Up until TODAY we have only had the experience of having the hotel take the CC info to hold the room (with the intent to charge 1 night's stay if you didn't show/cancel in time). The actual charge was made at check in, with the hotel having your info on file should you incur extra charges. TODAY, DH told me that a local HI Express charged our account in full for 3 rooms for 2 days (we made the ressies for his family to visit next weekend)!! The plan was to use the CC to hold the ressie, and his family would be paying in cash upon arrival. We had no idea they would do this...fortunately, the $$ was there (actually a CC tied to a debit card) but I'm not happy that they did this. Wonder if this is what the future holds for hotel reservations. Airlines seem to be changing their terms to annoy customers, maybe hotels are doing the same.

Edited to add: I need to retract my angry faces...just researched and discovered that we got an advance pay rate for the rooms. Instead of blaming the hotel, I need to give DH the for not knowing what he booked. LOL