Hotels in Wales - 20% tax?

Bogof_Babe

I've been booking a couple of hotels in Fishguard via booking.com, and notice that they give a price for my stay as usual, but underneath it says "20% tax not included".

I've never seen this before, so I'm wondering whether I will have to pay an extra 20% for my room when I check in. I haven't paid anything yet, both hotels say pay on arrival.

I stayed in Llandudno a few weeks ago and didn't have any extra added then, but this line about tax seems to have appeared recently.

gettingtheresometime

Sounds like the VAT is added to the price being quoted.

Bit sneaky as you'd normally assume the headline figure includes VAT so when you compare prices you're not comparing like with like

paddyrg

Which booking site? All the proper ones will include VAT

theonlywayisup

paddyrg wrote: »

Which booking site? All the proper ones will include VAT

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I've been booking a couple of hotels in Fishguard via booking.com, and notice that they give a price for my stay as usual, but underneath it says "20% tax not included".

OP, I can't see this when doing a dummy booking. Can you post a screenshot.

daveyjp

Ensure you are going through the UK portal of booking.com.

Bogof_Babe

I've had a booking.com account for ages, so I doubt I'm suddenly going in via a non-UK portal.

I'm not very good at screen shots, but I've just gone into my booking for tomorrow night and c&p'd the "price details"...

Total room price:
£56.70
20 % Tax is excluded.

ManAtHome

Looks like they're trying to make the place look cheaper than the competition. Was rife in the 80s and 90s with computer suppliers, excuse was that 'most of our customers are businesses who can reclaim the VAT'.

Strange wording though 'Tax' instead of 'VAT' - only time I've come across this kind of thing with Booking.com is when city taxes (a quid or two a night) have been levied.

Jake0307

Sneaky tactic. I tend to stay away from companies who try to deceive their customers.

Bogof_Babe

I will report back later!

Bogof_Babe

Nice surprise . Nothing extra added, apparently it means that the hotel is not big enough to be registered for VAT. The proprietor explained that because booking.com is an international website they feel it necessary to state that, although I haven't seen it before so perhaps it's a new thing.

ManAtHome

Good news, still very ambiguous though. Would be better to have something like 'includes sales tax at 20%' or 'no sales tax payable' They'd just need the appropriate VAT/Tax rate for whatever country and would be obvious if you couldn't reclaim any tax as a business expense.