B&B credit card policy...
 

Maybe I'm just being dense, but I don't understand why there would be a surcharge for GBP? (I'm American)
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CREDIT CARD SURCHARGE (International only)
You may pay in Sterling or Own Currency - where your card payment is processed in your own currency, no charge is levied.

If you opt to pay in GBP sterling, a surcharge of 2% is applied to Final Bills.

~Liz

If I were cynical....

You say: Oh, I better pay in my own currency then. And then they do what we call dynamic currency conversion. For the convenience and 'clarity' of paying in your own currency they will pick a worse exchange rate than if you paid in local currency.

They will show you a US$ price, but they have chosen their own rate of exchange to get to that price.

Or...

Or...are you booking via an American website? In that case, they may charge you more for a GBP transaction.

If you are physically in GB, at a B&B, there should be no way they should charge "less" for a foreign payment. Caveat...in a country that needs foreign reserves.

I have never seen anything like that. Very strange. Which B&B is is?

Is there no extra charge if you pay in cash?

well, if GBP is the currency at the location, it appears to me it is a charge for using a credit card, that's all. It doesn't surprise me that small B&Bs would charge for the use of a CC.

I think the reference of paying in sterling is in relation to a CC, not just paying cash at the desk. They want you to use DCC as they make a lot more than 2 pct on those payments.

Paying in cash should get you a discount, since you are not paying the merchant fee to VISA/MC

Christina: >><i>it appears to me it is a charge for using a credit card, that's all. It doesn't surprise me that small B&Bs would charge for the use of a CC.</i><<

I don't think your take on it is correct.

>><i>where your <u>card payment is processed in your own currency</u>, no charge is levied.</i><<

The policy makes no sense -- I quickly looked at the website and didn't find the terms/conditions. A cc charge is straightforward and the B&B doesn't get hit for a higher fee if it is processed in Sterling. So it is just their way to squeeze a little extra out of their guests.

I'd either pay in cash, or stay somewhere else. If you pay in your "home currency" there will be an even higher DCC charge.

And I'd maybe even contact them and tell them WHY I chose to stay elsewhere. There is a small possibility they may not know their webmaster/designer worded it that way.

Hi elb,

Unless this is an amazing place at a terrific price, I would go elsewhere.

If they are going to try to gouge you on the nightly rental, where else will they try it?

((I))