Really Frustrated, please help

[momof2intx]

We booked a 2 bdrm villa at the Sheraton Vistana Resort for 7 nights. I was able to get it at an awesome rate because they gave me the Best Rate guarantee. Last week I called the front desk and asked for a fax number so that I could fax over a credit card authorization in order for them to charge our stay before our arrival. They told me that they can do that and sent me over the form.

We like to have everything paid for in advance before we arrive at the hotel. Yesterday I was ready to charge it and I faxed ALL of my info over. Reservation info, credit card copy, drivers license copy and cc number! Then I called to verify that they had received it. After being on hold twice for 15 min at a time, I finally asked for the front desk manager (I used to BE a front desk manager of a Hyatt so I know how this stuff works!) he told me that no, that was not their fax number and he had no idea where that fax number was to (ok, my cc number is now floating around out there somewhere) and that they cannot pre-charge a stay. WHAT???? I have never heard of that. Why wouldn't the hotel want to take our money in advance?

That is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. 7 years in the hotel business, and I have NEVER heard of such a thing. Then he tells me that the reservations office can do it. I call them and lo and behold....nope, they can't do it either. I just want to pre-pay for my room!!!!!!!!!! If I sent them a money order, what would they do with it? Throw it away?

I finally called to speak with their Rooms Director and I left her a voicemail. If she doesn't call me back or fix this issue, then I'm going to the GM. This is just ridiculous. Not to mention that it is a huge pain in the butt. The only thing I regret about giving up my hospitality career is the free nights and stress-free planning!

Have any of you heard of anything like this before???

 

[CarolA]

I travel all the time. I have never heard of faxing a credit card and prepaying...... And even if I did there is NO way I would have faxed all that info. CC# is one thing, but your DL, copy of the credit card????? If any hotel wanted that I would WALK. They can see it when I get there, but they don't need it to process a payment!


Did many of your guests do this? I actually think it's a huge nightmare for the hotel. Just pay the CC in advance and charge it when you get there. Same impact, net zero on the CC.

 

[momof2intx]

Yes, when I worked at the Hyatt...if a person wanted to pay for someone elses room (for example) and the person paying would not be there to check in, we would need a credit card auth in order to charge the card. We could not take the number over the phone. We needed a signature.

When my husband stays places on business, that is how his boss pays for his hotel stays too -- she faxes over an auth. This is actually our bank card visa so there is no way to pay in advance besides putting it into a separate account or something. Which is what we might have to do.

Even when I was going to stay at ASMO, I asked the same question to their reservations person and she told me the same thing. I needed a cc auth faxed over in order to pay in full in advance for my stay.

I have stayed at many hotels, many times, in many different locations and have done this even before working for a hotel chain or when I could not use my hotel benefits due to availability.....worked for Hyatt and Wyndham as front desk management and reservations management....never heard of this being done any other way or even that it could not be done!

 

[rosiep]

I like things prepaid for too. That way, I feel as if I'm not spending great gobs of money while on vacation. I know this is purely a psychological mind game, but it works for me. In many cases I've used hotel cosolidators that require payment in full up front...I usually do this over the phone or computer. However, not all companies require this and when that happens I just set the monies aside in a seperate account so that I'm not overwhelmed when the CC bill comes in.

I hope your fax went to someplace honest. I work in an office and when I receive an errant fax, I try to call the place it was from to let them know it needs to be resent. Knowing they get lost, in the future, please do not sent such info out like that.

Let us know how things turn out for you.

 

[dis-happy]

Since Vistana is basically a timeshare they might have different methods of accounting than a regular hotel. If they took your money before your stay they'd have to post it as a liability and that could make things more complicated for them if month end close comes before your stay. I don't see what the huge deal is (other than your cc info out there someplace), just pay when you check in, which is according to their rules and standards. Otherwise cancel your stay and go someplace else.

 

[momof2intx]

I don't see what the huge deal is (other than your cc info out there someplace), just pay when you check in, which is according to their rules and standards. Otherwise cancel your stay and go someplace else.

Ok guys, I have been a member on this board for a while -- I usually do more reading than posting but I must say that the very few times I have posted I feel more bashed than helped. I was just asking a question and looking for feedback. I know policies and procedures and it wasn't just the policy of them not doing it that bothered me. It was the lack of customer service that I received as well... I can't cancel this stay unfortunately because the Villa really suits our needs and the price is perfect. I am travelling with another party as well so I have to take their needs in account as well.

I have my own ways of how I would rather organize my vacations which includes payment. Some of us don't get to go to Disney 4+ times a year, we just can't afford it. So when we work hard and save up to go every 2 years or so, then I do expect things to go smoothly.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Paying for someone else's hotel stay & paying for your own in advance is two different things. My niece & her new husband were short on money for their honeymoon, so I paid for their 1st nights hotel stay before their flight. I had to fax in all the things you listed. They needed a signature verifying my intent to pay, & a photo ID that I was indeed the card holder. If I was actually the one staying in the hotel, they would only need the card number & name on card. They check ID & get a signature when you arrive at the hotel. I've paid for hotel stays in advance & have never been asked for anything other than the card number & name. I too think it's odd that they would have asked for that info. I would probably close the bank account & open another. It would be horrible if the wrong person got that info & wiped out your account.

 

[CarolA]

I am still not faxing a hotel all that info. Sorry, maybe it's just me, but they do NOT NEED that process a credit card payment. When I check into the Marriott, they take my credit card and off they go. They don't ask for any other id etc....(Heck I just reserved a room in Paris France, they "charge" the card at the time of reservation. All they needed was my credit card number.) I would not fax my DL etc... Having to stop one cc is enough of a hassle, the OPs post about the fax going who knows where reminded of what a hassle.

 

[Detailor]

Somebody once said "you can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes you might just get what you need."

No bash, just my suggestion that you go with the policy while realizing that the company isn't as flexible as you'd like. Vistana is a really nice resort. Please go and enjoy yourself there.

Dick Taylor

 

[disneygal2007]

this might be a dumb question but isn't disney stays paid for inadvance anyway like when u have the didnin plan it has to be paid for 45 days before your stay. SO why couldn't this be any different. Can't u call and give them your info. Thats how I have always done it at Disney and other places.

 

[Detailor]

this might be a dumb question but isn't disney stays paid for inadvance anyway like when u have the didnin plan it has to be paid for 45 days before your stay. SO why couldn't this be any different. Can't u call and give them your info. Thats how I have always done it at Disney and other places.

As someone else mentioned, this isnt' a tradtional hotel. As a timeshare the vast majority of people who stay here are either exchanging through a timeshare exchange company or own a timeshare week either at Vistana or within the Sheraton system. Generally, the front desk people take a credit card to ancillary purchases while at the resort and not for payment of lodging - at least for most people who are using the timeshare system. For the small population of people who rent here, they'll experience a non-traditional type of lodging and make payment at the time of their check-in.
Vistana is more like Disney's DVC timeshare resorts rather than the more common Disney hotels.

Dick Taylor

 

[FayeW]

I don't understand why you would want to pay in advance with a bank card visa...you are losing the interest on that money in your bank account. It's not like you were actually incurring a debt by using your visa to make payment, it was just coming out of your account.

Be that as it may, if is plain that this particular resort can't accomodate your needs. It sucks that they would tell you that they could, and then recant after you had already sent the info...especially since they apparently gave the wrong fax number as well. I would cancel that visa and get one with a new number, if you have time before your trip.

 

[dis-happy]

I'm sorry you took my response as a bash, the first thing I wrote was a reasonable explanation of why Vistana, as a timeshare, may not be able to accomodate your request. I still don't see what the big deal is in feeling that you have to prepay, as others have stated you have several other options (prepay the funds into your cc, write a check or money order at check-in) and I don't see how if you are paying by cc anyway, you still have to send a check to them in 30 days (or whenever) so it's not really paid. Unless you are trying to pay a couple months in advance here, in which case I can honestly say that it could be an accounting issue with the way their system is set up. Just because the Hyatt does it, doesn't mean that everyone else does it or even has the system in place to do it and since the manager and room people have told you it's not possible I don't see how demanding it from the GM is going to help you. In the example of the fax being sent in for someone else's room charge, I wouldn't be surprised (again, from an accounting point of view) if the cc wasn't actually charged until that guest was checking in. While Disney does let you (or make you) prepay your package, they also guarantee that they will not give your room away, even if you don't show up until 3 am---other hotels will often give away your room when you show up late w/o notification (and even w/ notification!). As CarolA mentioned, the Marriott only requires a number, while at the same time you can cancel up to 5 pm that day (as is the case with most hotels I've stayed at). Disney charges a $200. cancellation fee depending on when you cancel. Maybe Vistana doesn't do prepay because of problems (and the extra expense) of issuing credits if someone has to cancel last minute (and as an aside several people have posted at the unfairness of Disney NOT re-crediting their cards fast enough in those situations and their money is held hostage for up to 2 cc cycles).

Again, not trying to bash, just pointing out that there might be 2 sides of the story (that Vistana doesn't do it for a reason), someitmes you might have to take no for an answer, and if prepaying is that important to your whole vacation, just stay somewhere else that does it.

 

[momof2intx]

Just to clear the air, we don't have regular credit cards...well, I have a small one but we are trying to improve our credit rating after some serious issues when I was out of work when having my kids. When places want a credit card, using my bank card visa is my only option. When we travel, like I said we usually prepay our hotel and always use cash for spending money.
If they had told me in advance that I couldn't do it then I would've just gone a different route and it wouldn't be a big deal. That is the point I would try to make by contacting their rooms director....the fact that I was told one thing, sent my info and now can't.
Yes I don't know who received my cc info....I am hoping nothing happens with it because cancelling a card attached to my bank account that I use for EVERYTHING is a huge hassle, especially having to wait for a new one.

 

[snowbunny]

I commend you on the discipline it must take to prepay and use cash instead of running up credit card bills. I pay off my credit cards in full every month and that alone is hard sometimes.

That said I agree there is no reason they need your driver's license. A doctor's office gave my MIL the wrong fax to send up ALL her personal medical information to a cancer specialist. I don't think she ever found where it actually went.

 

[Ladybison]

I usually lurk but I had to comment on this one. Call your bank and get a new card!!! Some banks have cards they will issue immediately that you can only use at their atm but with all that is going on with identity theft AND they have your dl- all it has to do is fall into the hands of an unscrupulous employee.

 

[*disgal*]

momof2intx..........................

I guess you could say I'm a little like you because I love having the money ready before the vacation. That way, I know we won't go into debt over a vacation trip.

We have stayed many times thru Skyauction, which is how we have stayed twice at Vistana Resort. That is an auction we win and pay for ahead of times (often months). Other times, it's been WDW so that is also payed ahead.

In your case, the resort is just not set up for that, I guess so what you could do is either just have it in your debit card account or get one of those American Express cash cards and put in on there and use that to check in. We used two of these last trip instead of bringing lots of cash or traveler's checks. We just got them at our bank. We loved them.

Don't let this spoil your trip or start it off on the wrong foot. I'm telling you, we LOVED Vistana and would stay there every trip if I could get it.

They shouldn't have told you that you could do it and then you fax things and then they tell you that they can't. Someone dropped the ball there. But I would not be comfortable at all with sending my cc# and driver's lic. # over a phone/fax line. Maybe corporate America does this, but I wouldn't do it with my personal #'s. Especially a debit card number, which is also how we pay for everything (basically no cc's for us either).

Hope everything works out for you.........here's some pixie dust ......let us know how it turns out.

 

[CarolA]

I usually lurk but I had to comment on this one. Call your bank and get a new card!!! Some banks have cards they will issue immediately that you can only use at their atm but with all that is going on with identity theft AND they have your dl- all it has to do is fall into the hands of an unscrupulous employee.

I agree. I did not realize the OP had faxed a DEBIT card with all of thier identification to anyone. Sorry, but you may have just given a thief all he needs to clear out your bank account amoung other issues.

CALL NOW and report the card as "potentially comprimised" Do NOT wait until Monday, there is a 24 hours/7 day number you need to be on!
"hoping" is NOT a good policy here.... Who cares if it's a hassle? It's going to be A MUCH bigger hassle to discover there is NO cash in your bank account! (Yes, nothing may ever happen, but what if it does. And the truth is, a "good" thief will actually wait a few days to see what happens before they start using the 'account" info. You have given them EVERYTHING they need to clean you out!)

For anyone else doing this, please think long and hard. Just because someone works at the front desk at a hotel does NOT mean they are honest. In this case a dishonest person has more then enough info to create havoc with your life (and I am not an alarmist about identity theft, my cc # is all over the place LOL!)

 

[disneymom3]

I can see how you are frustrated by this OP. We also do not use credit cards as a general rule. I have found though that for travel they really are necessary. For instance, in renting a car--they put an extra hold on your card in many places so that ties up a good bit of your money. And some car rental places won't even take a debit card. I have also had NWA accidentally charge my card three times for the same flight. Not a big deal on the credit card as it eventually backs it out using the same date as the charge date, but it took about 5 days to happen. And on these boards people are often complaining about WDW charging them twice.

I would kindly suggest you get a regular credit card just to use in these cases. And personally I wouldn't fax my # in the future. I have paid in cash for a hotel room upon arrival before. Perhaps you could do that?

Good luck workign this out and I agree with some other posters--dont' let this ruin your trip. Vistana is a great resort and I am sure you will have a wonderful time and enjoy the beautiful resort.

 

[CarolA]

Heck I had the Grand Floridian charge me twice (and then tell me that "we don't make errors" LOL!) Considering how long the item was in dispute. (GF management was non-responsive LOL!) I am glad it was on a credit card and not my cash!