Settling hotel bill in Euros or Sterling?

Seminole

I couldn't find a thread answering this question so forgive me if its been asked scores of times before...

I have booked with our Majorca hotel direct and paid the deposit. When we depart on June 2nd we will have the option to settle in £ or Euros. I know they will apply some exchange rate if we settle in Sterling so assume it is always best to pay in local currency and let my Nationwide Debit Card apply its currency conversion rate???

All answers and guidance gratefully received!

NiftyDigits

Seminole wrote: »

I couldn't find a thread answering this question so forgive me if its been asked scores of times before...

I have booked with our Majorca hotel direct and paid the deposit. When we depart on June 2nd we will have the option to settle in £ or Euros. I know they will apply some exchange rate if we settle in Sterling so assume it is always best to pay in local currency and let my Nationwide Debit Card apply its currency conversion rate???

All answers and guidance gratefully received!

Correct...

Roger1

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Correct...

Er, no, not necessarily. It depends on what alternatives Seminole has. Using a Nationwide debit card abroad for purchases costs 2%.

See http://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/going-abroad/cards-abroad and http://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/going-abroad/fees-charges and compare.

The FlexAccount, FlexDirect and FlexDirect debit cards all charge a 2% non-sterling fee for purchases. Cash costs an extra £1 for the first two.

Using the 'right' Nationwide credit card - the Nationwide Select Visa card - is fee-free for purchases.

If there's time to apply (unlikely, I guess), the Halifax Clarity MasterCard mentioned in many MSE threads is useful for purchases and cash.

benjus

Roger1 wrote: »

Er, no, not necessarily. It depends on what alternatives Seminole has. Using a Nationwide debit card abroad for purchases costs 2%.

Paying in GBP is likely to add a cut of more than 2%. Can't say for sure without seeing the actual amounts, of course.

paddyrg

Last place I stayed at offered to pay in local or GBP - the official exchange rates were 6.1, the hotel did the conversion at 5.25 - quite a big difference in rates - 13% in fact. Generally pay in local currency and accept the bank fees will still be a bargain :-)

traineepensioner

Post office platinum credit card is also good for overseas purchases....Make sure you pay in the local currency.

dnpark38

Seminole wrote: »

I couldn't find a thread answering this question so forgive me if its been asked scores of times before...

I have booked with our Majorca hotel direct and paid the deposit. When we depart on June 2nd we will have the option to settle in £ or Euros. I know they will apply some exchange rate if we settle in Sterling so assume it is always best to pay in local currency and let my Nationwide Debit Card apply its currency conversion rate???

All answers and guidance gratefully received!

I have Nationwide cards be very careful using them.
( Same may well apply to other cards.)
First you have to inform them you are going abroad or your transaction might be declined and/or your card stopped.
I informed them of my visit from which I have just returned to find my hotel bar bill which I used my Nationwide Card for is not on my statement.
I have enquired of Nationwide and they tell me they declined payment because the hotel and a chip and pin machine but did not ask me to input my PIN.
Now I guess the hotel have me as a bad debt.
So make sure you use the chip and pin machine or the old fashioned paper swiping thing.

Warning over, back to your question yes ask the hotel to show your purchase in euro, same when using ATM's, be aware all these transaction want to default to Sterling.
As regards other charges I think it is best to upgrade to the FlexiPlus card to avoid those gives other benefits as well such as Insurence and car breakdown cover.

Have a good holiday it is just a shame Nationwide's security is so good our honest genuine transactions fail, I guess they see all the bad ever day.