When booking a hotel in Europe (particularly Germany, Switzerland and France) do most hotels/pensions require a night's deposit or do they only ask for a credit card to hold the room.

I know it may vary depending on each place .. but wanted to get input from Fodorites who have traveled to Europe recently.

Thanks

I've never had a hotel request a night's deposit.

I've come across a few hotels asking for personal check to hold a booking. I pass on those. However, I did go through with it once (and it was the only time) because I really wanted to stay at the hotel. It was for the Hotel d' Angleterre in Paris, St. Germain. I did not like doing that but like I said, I did it because that's their policy and I really wanted to stay there. I don't like the idea especially since all the hotels I checked with accept credit cards as payment. So I don't see why they won't accept a credit card guarantee to book a room.

Many of the smaller establishments require a deposit that is non refundable if you don't cancel within their specified time frame. Most larger hotels will just accept your credit card to "hold" the reservation for you. Some hotels require neither.

I don't know about most hotels requiring a one night deposit but I know some do. I just paid such a deposit (by credit card) for a one week reservation in Paris in June. This will be our third time at this hotel.

Most of the time I've only had them ask for the credit card number to hold the reservation. However, a few have asked for a one night deposit (they charged it to the credit card). I don't think it was necessarily "non-refundable". I think if you canceled within their cancellation time you'd get it refunded. I don't know for sure because I havn't canceled in those cases. I do know I just booked a hotel in Barcelona that did want a one night deposit. The hotel I just booked in Paris did not require anything other than the card number.

The only places we've stayed that required a deposit were a couple of private chateaux in France - understandably since they had only 4/5 rooms each and if we didn;t show they were out the money. In each case we sent a check in $ for the first night's stay - which they returned uncashed when we arrived (neither took credit cards).

Hi K,

You will find many hotels that ask for a 1 night deposit.

Of those, some will charge a cancellation fee.

It depends on the hotel.