Important Info For those Staying at the Desert Inn & Suites

[Lollipop's Mom]

If this has been put out there before, I apologize, but just a heads up.

We check in tomorrow night (got that amazing $59 rate!) for 2 nights before our cruise.

I noticed that $75 was charged to my credit card last night by the desert inn and suites.
I have never had a hotel charge anything to my card until I show up at the hotel (unless it was a pre-paid reservation).
I often will use a 'dummy' card when booking hotels, as you never know who has access to that number in a hotel system. I will use a card that is full, or almost full, or even a fake number when I can (just for security for myself).

I used my paypal master card to secure the room for the DI& Suites, and was a bit shocked to see them take $75 last night!

I guess this is their way of enforcing their no-show policy, and I am NOT COMPLAINING - just warning you to make sure you have a card on file with room for your first night's stay on it when you book, or you might lose your reservation if the charge doesn't go through!!
__________________

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

They were very forthcoming about this on the phone with me when I called to ask if I can give them a new card number. He was grateful (my card expires two days before we arrive LOL) and said that we would've lost our reservation.

Good advice for anyone who doesn't know!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I've had two problems that Desert Inn corrected recently. We had a January reservation and my credit card expired at the end of January and did not go through. They called me and asked for a new number to hold my reservation. Until this happened I never knew they took a first night payment 24-48 hours before your arrival.

The second problem was I had made an initial reservation online, but called and changed my dates months before our trip. Two days after we returned they called to get a new credit card for my old reservation. They seemed pretty ticked off that it was a mistake on THEIR part. I had the email confirmation and the name of the person who changed my reservation. Plus I had stayed there a week just two days before. I had to talk to several people who kept demanding a new card. I finally had to say I was refusing since this reservation was changed/cancelled. The manager finally came on the phone and just said "fine" and hung up.

I know they would have changed me had my credit card gone through and I never would have been notified. I probably would have had a very tough time getting a refund as well.

I enjoy our stays there, but I'm always going to use a one time card in the future.

 

[starshine514]

That's odd.I don't remember them doing that before. Our last stay there (in January), I paid with a different card than I had reserved with. I was planning on doing that for our trip next week as well. I guess maybe I need to call them and change the card then?

Also, the Travelodge in La Mesa charges your first night before you arrive as well. They told me this when I wanted to change my card last time.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I'd totally change the card starshine.

 

[Mommy26]

how did you get the 59$ rate?

 

[Minuet888]

Mommy, I found a $59 rate on Orbitz and one of those types of websites

I've stayed at a lot of hotel in my lifetime traveling with my choir and that and I have NEVER even heard of a hotel charging a card before hand.

I am pretty sure this is illegal due to a number of reasons espeically with pre-charge of services

Basically you haven't been given services, you haven't been given a room, you haven't been given merchandise, you haven't no showed yet and are still within the time to cancel your reservation, so therefore they have nothing to charge you for.

I would really honestly look into this.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I got the rate when I booked about 6 months in advance - you have to be quick with that hotel. I bet there is a disclaimer in my reservation or online that I missed. Its not a big deal to me, but could be to someone else!

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

This is on the reservation - Deposit / Cancellation

Must cancel 48 hours prior to arrival in order to avoid a fee of one nights room and tax. Your credit card will be authorized for one nights room and tax within 48 hours of the arrival date. If your credit card is not approved the reservation will be cancelled. If the reservation is not guaranteed with a credit card, a deposit in the equivalent of one nights room and tax is required within 30 days prior to the arrival date

 

[jilld11]

I am a travel agent and book hotels for clients every day. I can tell you that it is absolutely legal to charge a credit card before you arrive. Most hotels don't, only have a cc to hold the reservation, but many take a one nights deposit. They will refund that one night if you cancel before their cancellation date, but if you don't, they keep that deposit. Every hotel has their own policy, so you just need to check, but it is totally legal.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Also...
* Resort Fee $4.00 daily.
* Tourism Improvement District Assessment 2% will be added to your reservation total at check in.
* Parking Fee $8.00 daily will be added to your reservation total at check in.
* Reservations are subject to availability and must be made in advance.
* Check in time is 3:00 and check out time is 11:00 a.m.
* Must be 21 years or older.
* No pets allowed.


THEY BETTER NOT CHARGE ME PARKING!! I don't have a car - I am not paying for an invisible car! lol

 

[Ariel224]

Also...
* Resort Fee $4.00 daily.
* Tourism Improvement District Assessment 2% will be added to your reservation total at check in.
* Parking Fee $8.00 daily will be added to your reservation total at check in.
* Reservations are subject to availability and must be made in advance.
* Check in time is 3:00 and check out time is 11:00 a.m.
* Must be 21 years or older.
* No pets allowed.


THEY BETTER NOT CHARGE ME PARKING!! I don't have a car - I am not paying for an invisible car! lol

The parking fee is waived if you don't have a car. Just mention it when you check in. When I stayed there, I didn't even have to mention it; they asked me first whether we needed parking.

 

[Vala]

Yes, the parking fee is definitely waived if you don't have a car. We only had a car for a couple of days during our November stay - going from no car to car for to nights to no car for three days and then car for the rest of the stay - and the paperwork was exactly correct about that. We were quite impressed.

 

[alicia1506]

we were aware of the pre-stay charge on the card, and coming from australia, i certainly didn't mind that as that is how our hotels over here operate...

we stayed at DI&S in november 2011 and they didn't actually charge against our card until we checked out... we didn't have a pre-stay charge or authorisation... i only imagine that this was because we booked directly through their website, and not through a third party discount website.

we mentioned when we checked in that we didn't have a car and there was no parking charge added to our final room bill. we also made 3 x local telephone calls and they didn't charge us for those either. we found their front desk staff really friendly and helpful to deal with and we're planning on staying there for 8 nights in december this year when we return to disneyland

 

[Ariel224]

Just want to say hello to Vala, who I briefly met when checking out of DI&S last November, and to Alicia, who I met on the DCL board.

Alicia, I'm happy to see that you'll be getting some Disney fun in this year afterall.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

The Park Vue did the same thing to me. They charged my credit card for one night before we arrived. I wanted to pay for the entire stay in cash, and only gave them the credit card number to hold the room. I asked if they would reverse the charge and accept cash for all 4 nights. They said no. They would be leaving one night on the card. I was standing right there, obviously not a no-show. I had cash in my hand and wanted to pay for the entire stay. They wouldn't budge. They also charged me for a one night in a room that I did not book, but that horse has already been beaten to death in another thread!

 

[ter-moo]

No one here has mentioned that all three Disney hotels charge for the first night's stay upfront, too!