Booked Hotel Before Brexit in Pounds But Have Not Paid

dgradon1

So a week before Brexit, my partner and I booked a hotel in Italy for a week.

Which at the time was 742 euros, which equated to around £570. At the time we wanted to lock in the currency exchange rate at the time, in case the pound suffered in the weeks and months to come (which it did) rather than gamble on it increasing - so we chose the option to pay in pounds.

However, now I'm getting anxious that as we didn't pay - the hotel will still charge us the price in euros. Does anybody know how the system generally works? Can hotels do this - even though it means us paying an extra £60-100 for our stay which we technically speaking didn't agree to at the time.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

NiftyDigits

They'll likely charge you in Pounds...at whatever the current price is in Euros. if you wanted to lock the price in, you should have paid.
I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Italian currency is Euros and the price is 742 of 'em.

Westin

Did you book with the hotel direct and have something in hand which confirms that payment will be accepted in GBP£,

Or

Did you book on the web via a intermediary, if so which one?

However, now I'm getting anxious that as we didn't pay - the hotel will still charge us the price in euros. Does anybody know how the system generally works? Can hotels do this - even though it means us paying an extra £60-100 for our stay which we technically speaking didn't agree to at the time.

It will come down to the terms and conditions of the hotel/booking site.

budgetflyer

Normally the GBP is just a guide based on current XE rate. You will almost certainly be charged local currency,-€ . I was the same. Had the chance pre brexit to lock in @ 1.29 but didn't think we would be mad enough to leave. Lost 200 euro overnight !

comeandgo

You will be charged the euro amount and I suggest you pay in euros as the hotel will use its conversion rate which will probably be lower than your banks rate.

jpsartre

dgradon1 wrote: »

so we chose the option to pay in pounds.

How did you choose this? Who did you book with? Who will you be paying?

dgradon1

Thanks everyone for your responses!

I booked the hotel room directly from the hotel itself. I have an email confirmation from June (when I booked) which specifies the GBP price but also the Euro price - so it's very clear what I agreed to pay. I felt at the time that this was in effect locking in the price.

But the hotel could hypothetically turn around and expect the euro price at the exchange rate of today to be paid. I personally think it is terrible practice to say no "now you have to pay an extra £70" on top of the agreed price because the rate has gone up but I can also understand them not wanting to lose out on the money.

I'm considering sending the hotel an email before I go firmly suggesting that I hope they honour the price in GBP which was agreed. Is there anything anyone can suggest on top of this?

SW17

The fact that there was a GBP price as well doesn't necessarily mean much if you didn't pay. Is there any reference to currency in their booking terms? Individual hotels don't normally play the currency markets, the odds are that they will charge in EUR, but of course that is speculation to some extent without knowing their terms.

dgradon1

What's the point of offering to pay in pounds though if that's true, if ultimately they'll only accept the exchange rate of the day you arrive?

There's no clear policy on their website - So i will obviously contact them. But surely without a clear policy, it means hotels can choose whether to honour it or not depending on when it suits them. E.g. if the pound had shot up after the referendum, they could have said "no you agreed to pay X amount of pounds".

richardw

The GBP figure is only a guide.
The hotel's currency is EUR and that's what they'll charge.

budgetflyer

Its probably " display price in GBP" which as you have been told is the conversion on that day. All you have done is lock in a rate in local currency. The Euro to GBP will be what ever it is on the day.