Booking.com Currency Charges

dj1471

It's the hotel running the scam:

The fixed price is € 132.05. You’ll pay Room With A View Apartment Hotel in local currency (ISK) at the exchange rate on the day of payment. The displayed amount (in GBP) is indicative and based on today’s exchange rate.

If they haven't used the real exchange rate I would chargeback the transaction as unauthorised - as the cardholder you must explicitly authorise the amount and currency.

petgri

Who made that 132 Euro comment you copied in? I can't see that anywhere. I would be interested to know what they mean by indicative.


To my mind the conversion frrom Euro to ISK ought to be indicative, then when I pay in £ sterling I expect to pay a reasonably fee at a decent exchange rate.


I dont think the hotel used an extortionate exchange ratel they use an icelandic bank, which I guess is like me using Barclays which I would never do if I could avoid it. I find credit cards/ Halifax Clarity give a better rate.


I dont think I will be able to query this for real but I do just feel somewhat ripped off - to the tune of about 90 Euros. And I still think they should quote the firm price in the Currency in which it will be charged, either that or show both prices.



They say they will convert to ISK on the day of charging, but I still dont know whether the fixed charge is in Euros or ISK and I am still having to pay two exchange rates which does !!!! me off somewhat.



Heh ho, I am grateful for everyone's comments and input.

dj1471

The Euro price is in small print on the personal details page once you've selected a room on booking.com.



There is no reason for the hotel to be doing what they're doing other than to rip people off. If the price is fixed in Euros then they should bill in Euros.

zagfles

This is very common in countries with a minor currency. The rate you're contracted for is in a major currency (eg EUR, USD), but when you come to pay, you pay in the local currency.

It's a PITA and causes confusion having to think in 3 currencies. Though IME the rates they use is usually reasonable. Not the rip-off mentioned here it seems.

budgetflyer

It is annoying, however to put it into a bit of perspective, 5 Euro per person is about 3 sips of a beer once you actually get to Iceland