How should I pay hotel bill in Italy?

leekaz73

Our hotel accommodation will £4000, paid on checkout in July.

What is the cheapest way to pay this?
Was thinking of my Nationwide Debit Card - which says on here spending charge is none but exchange load is 2% - what does mse mean by a load? Does this mean if I pay with my debit card, I will be charged another £80?

ATM withdrawal is £0 - but can't obviously withdraw that amount.

Travellers cheques?

Prepaid card?

Any advice?

Thanks, Leekaz73

Bob_the_Saver

That's not your accommodation bill you just bought the hotel.

PS. The chef has just walk out

Itismehonest

leekaz73 wrote: »

Our hotel accommodation will £4000, paid on checkout in July.

What is the cheapest way to pay this?
Was thinking of my Nationwide Debit Card - which says on here spending charge is none but exchange load is 2% - what does mse mean by a load? Does this mean if I pay with my debit card, I will be charged another £80?

ATM withdrawal is £0 - but can't obviously withdraw that amount.

Travellers cheques?

Prepaid card?

Any advice?

Thanks, Leekaz73

It would be quite unusual if they don't want to run a credit card through their system on arrival to check you have available funds before they even give you a key.

zagfles

leekaz73 wrote: »

Our hotel accommodation will £4000, paid on checkout in July.

What is the cheapest way to pay this?
Was thinking of my Nationwide Debit Card - which says on here spending charge is none but exchange load is 2% - what does mse mean by a load? Does this mean if I pay with my debit card, I will be charged another £80?

ATM withdrawal is £0 - but can't obviously withdraw that amount.

Travellers cheques?

Prepaid card?

Any advice?

Thanks, Leekaz73

Do you have a Nationwide credit card, if so which one, it could be better value some of them have 0% markup for payments.

Note that the 2% charge for Nationwide Debit is on the VISA rate which is almost interbank, so it doesn't compare to rates at the post office etc. Even with the 2% charge it'll be better than cash rates.

Watch out for dynamic currency conversion - DO NOT let the hotel change the currency to GBP when you pay. Insist on paying in EUR when you hand the card over or this could be a very expensive mistake on that sum.

leekaz73

We've been at this hotel 6 times over the years (4 through TUI, so had to pay in advance) - paid on Debit card the last time we went - just not sure what 'load' means in reference to charges on mse card's abroad advice page. It's costing enough without thinking about another £80 being added, if that's what load means?

Bob - lol - we've been saving for 2 years for it!!!

Karen

leekaz73

Thanks Zagfles - yes it's a Nwide Debit card - it seems to be better than their credit card for atm withdrawal. Yip, it's definitely euros we pay in - which is looking good at the moment eh?

Have checked out our credit cards on the card checker thingy on here - think the debit card will work out best.

zagfles

VISA rate loaded by 2%. Go here and put 2 in the bank fee% for today's rates.

http://corporate.visa.com/pd/consumer_services/consumer_ex_rates.jsp

budgetflyer

leekaz73 wrote: »

Yip, it's definitely euros we pay in - which is looking good at the moment eh?

It doesn't matter they tell you the bill is in Euros, Ive never known a hotel not to try a DCC.
Its at point of sale when they rattle you. They probably wont even tell you they are doing it.

zagfles

budgetflyer wrote: »

It doesn't matter they tell you the bill is in Euros, Ive never known a hotel not to try a DCC.
Its at point of sale when they rattle you. They probably wont even tell you they are doing it.

I was pleasantly surprised in Italy - not a single attempt at DCC even in hotels. Mind you the last holiday there was 3 years ago so things may have changed...

TakeThis

leekaz73 wrote: »

Our hotel accommodation will £4000, paid on checkout in July.

What is the cheapest way to pay this?
Was thinking of my Nationwide Debit Card - which says on here spending charge is none but exchange load is 2% - what does mse mean by a load? Does this mean if I pay with my debit card, I will be charged another £80?

ATM withdrawal is £0 - but can't obviously withdraw that amount.

Travellers cheques?

Prepaid card?

Any advice?

Thanks, Leekaz73

If you have one of the older Nationwide CCs, then use it; as they will have no loading in Europe.

Otherwise a Metro Bank DC is the cheapest and best for both cash withdrawals or direct payments

Metro Bank or Halifax Clarity CCs also levy no charges whatsoever for payments.

If you are considering a Prepaid card, then the Kalixa Card via TopCashBack will also cost you nothing. Though you should choose to fund the card via Bank Transfer.

Paying an extra £80 on top of your hotel bill is simply not acceptable.
I can't believe that no one has kicked up a stink over it. They are slacking. especially that zagfles.

zagfles

TakeThis wrote: »

If you have one of the older Nationwide CCs, then use it; as they will have no loading in Europe.

Otherwise a Metro Bank DC is the cheapest and best for both cash withdrawals or direct payments

Metro Bank or Halifax Clarity CCs also levy no charges whatsoever for payments.

If you are considering a Prepaid card, then the Kalixa Card via TopCashBack will also cost you nothing. Though you should choose to fund the card via Bank Transfer.

Paying an extra £80 on top of your hotel bill is simply not acceptable.
I can't believe that no one has kicked up a stink over it. They are slacking. especially that zagfles.

Pure laziness. I knew you'd be along soon;)

The OP had read the guide on the main site so I presumed was already aware of the various options and that there are better options than Nationwide debit. That's my excuse anyway:)