Esperas Hotel deposit

Old Feb 7th, 2006, 01:39 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Esperas Hotel deposit

Based on recommendations from this site and the beautiful pictures of the hotel, my husband and I have decided to stay at Esperas during our September trip to Santorini. We emailed the hotel to reserve a room. The hotel responded that we need to send a deposit to their bank (credit card not accepted) in order to hold the room.

What is the best way to do this? Do we have our bank wire Euros to their bank? We are interested to hear how others who stayed at this hotel handled the situation. It seems kind of complicated, but maybe not.

Thanks for the suggestions!
Erie03 is offline  
Old Feb 7th, 2006, 03:07 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I suggest you email Esperas again to ask them how to get the money to their bank. Any other suggestion found here might not be the correct procedure. When I made my reservation last year I was required to do the same thing (for another hotel). They sent me a form and I filled it out with my bank info and then faxed it back to their bank which then completed the transaction. In my case there might have been a credit card involved, but truthfully I don't remember. This sort of transaction is becoming more and more common, by the way. Don't think it's unusual.
brotherleelove2004 is offline  
Old Feb 7th, 2006, 03:20 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I stayed at Esperas last spring. I believe I ordered a money order, in Euros, from my bank and then mailed it on to Esperas. This was the cheapest option (wiring costs more money) and it worked just fine...Yvonne wrote to confirm that they received the deposit about 2 weeks later.

One note -- you should ask Yvonne if there is any discount for paying your balance in CASH upon your checkout. We did, and I believe it was a 10-15% discount off the room rate...would have to go back to my trip report to confirm.
beanweb24 is offline  
Old Feb 7th, 2006, 03:22 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just confirmed...we received a 10% discount for paying in travelers checks (USD). She charged a 2% commission, but it was still worth a little savings.
beanweb24 is offline  
Old Feb 7th, 2006, 03:26 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wow am I ever scatterbrained at the moment...

Just found this other thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34600583

I did not send my deposit in Euros -- I sent it in USD. And it was a cashiers check, not a money order.

Phew.
beanweb24 is offline  
Old Feb 7th, 2006, 03:51 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I booked our room at Esperas last Monday. Yvonne had emailed all the info I needed. I simply went to my local bank and told them I needed to wire money to Greece. They called the international branch for the current exchange rate, and sent a little more than the amount Yvonne had requested (To allow for fluctuations in the exchange rate). I had printed out Yvonne's email and that contained all the info that they needed. Yvonne emailed me Tuesday afternoon that the money had been deposited into the hotel's account. Easy enough.

SLKB is offline  
Old Feb 10th, 2006, 12:22 PM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you for all of the information. I got a cashiers check from the bank today and sent it registered mail. Can't wait for our trip!
Erie03 is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 11:27 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I also got a cashier's check (in USD) and just sent it airmail. It needed to be made payable to the owner's name. My bank doesn't charge to do this, but an international wire transfer would have been ridiculous ($40 fee).

We will be at Esperas in July. I wonder if they still have a cash discount. That would be nice.
NYerr is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 11:43 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You realize that hotels that ask for wire transfer, cash deposits, and credit card prepayments are just using your money for the many months you book the room in advance.
francophile03 is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 12:26 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Francophile---what is the point of your comment? If a hotel asks for a deposit to secure the room, how can one be sure of having a reservation without giving them the money as they ask? I routinely have to pay full price, in advance, to book ski area reservations in the U.S. That means they have the use of my money for a long time, but I can't complain about it. I don't see why it is a problem if European hotels ask the same. Perhaps they have had a problem with Americans booking rooms and not showing up.
enzian is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 12:38 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Enzian, not all hotels ask for prepayment. Maybe all of the hotels you've reserved rooms with have demanded prepayment. What I meant is that there are other good hotels that do not require cash prepayment. Have you ever heard of a credit card guarantee? European hotels have been implementing this form of booking procedure for some years now. I 'like' your last comments alot.
francophile03 is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 12:52 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Personally, I wouldn't hassle the procedure BUT if that's where you want to stay then obviously you have to play by their rules.

Every entity that requires some sort of advance uses the money to generate interest revenue so that's nothing new.
Intrepid1 is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 01:20 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I agree---if they will take a credit card deposit that is best. But some don't take CC's, even these days, and want cash instead. I just meant by my post that those hotels that require some kind of up-front deposit might have a reason for doing so beyond avarice, and I don't begrudge them whatever use they get from "my" money in the interim.
enzian is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 06:35 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I guess it depends on supply and demand and how much you want that particular hotel. I have not been asked to pay a deposit to secure a booking since the very early 1990s. These days most good hotels and even 1* and 2* in Europe secure the booking with a credit card No and I am the one who earns the interest on my money.
Faux is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 07:36 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have actually only encountered this problem once in many trips. It was a place in Venice and we very much wanted to stay there, so I sent them a personal check as a deposit as they requested. Otherwise, every place I have booked in many trips has accepted either a credit card or simply my word to hold a reservation. But I have also encountered a good many places, even in Switzerland, that still do not take credit cards and only accept cash payment at the end of the stay. Having been in business myself, I can understand the "no credit card" policy because the cards charge 1 or 2% to the business for the service. Since I get a better exchange rate using my ATM card than with a credit card, I don't mind at all paying cash.
enzian is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 07:58 PM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
To me there is a huge difference in paying with cash at the end of your stay vs. prepaying a deposit.

As mentioned already, if a guest really wants to stay at a specific hotel then, of course, the hotel's policy will have to suffice.
francophile03 is offline  
Old Mar 3rd, 2006, 10:18 PM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I found most of the hotels in Santorini had 'very strict deposit and cancellation policies".

You can ask any of the large Greek travel agents and they will say the same. And charge a fee if you want to use them. They do this by arranging transportation too.

These are very seasonal places and it must help their annual cash flow to get a small percentage up front. I understand that they are independent operators and have a very small inventory. They then have a bit of piece of mind that there will be fewer no shows or last minute cancellations since the deposits will be forfeited.

Don't forget to notify Esperas of arrival times so they can reserve a transfer for you. And you best not be allergic to cats.
NYerr is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ashelybeau
Europe
7
Mar 3rd, 2008 10:33 AM
Kimeryl
Europe
6
Mar 2nd, 2008 04:07 PM
melissa84
Europe
8
May 17th, 2006 02:03 PM
Ljyoung
Europe
7
Aug 3rd, 2005 12:20 AM
mda97
Europe
7
Mar 12th, 2004 08:14 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -