How to pay hotel deposit without credit card?
 

Hello! We have 'booked' a night at Slievemore House in Greystones south of Dublin and the proprietor asked me to send a $75 US cheque as deposit as she does not accept credit cards. I have let some time go by and would like to get the money to her as quickly as possible so I am wondering if there is a better way than simply mailing a cheque? If she has an e-mail account I think there might be some way of e-mailing it directly to her account but maybe this would be too 'out there' for someone who doesn't accept credit cards. Any ideas? Thanks!

Wire transfer would be the fastest, but would require her banking info (IBAN, BIC,etc..)

I've also paid foreign transactions using bank drafts (still mailed, so no better than cheque timewise, but better for her cashing it). Another alternative is Western Union. I know that you can do it over web, not sure if it lists nearby (to her) location.

If she is willing, she can accept payment through an account with PayPal or BidPay.

And offer to pay her Paypal expenses. Another online money transfer service is Moneybookers (wher you pay the service charges)

You ought to be asking her these questions, but if she said that she would accept a check in USD, that surely would be the easiest thing to do. You can mail it fairly cheap USPS Global Priorty mail and it should get there within a week, as I recall. I've done that and it was very efficient.

You can't email money directly to someone's email mailbox.

If I were her, I wouldn't want to fool around with Paypal or other options just to suit you because you procrastinated.

Thanks for the info. I will likely just get a cheque into the mail today. I was trying to get it to her faster, but of course wouldn't want to put her out because I had inadvertently forgotten to send the cheque (long story, crossed wires).

I presume that she will treat your cheque as security rather than as a deposit -- meaning that she will probably not want to cash it and take the hit on foreign exchange and clearing costs.

I suggest that you do what you said you would, and mail the cheque without further delay. Then contact her by email or phone to say that it is on the way, and to ensure that your reservation is still good (which should be no problem outside high season).

Perhaps UPS or FEDEX it instead of mail?

Hi K,

If she doesn't take CCs, how will you pay the full bill?

((I))

I get mail from my friend in a small town in Belgium in 4 days!

I have on several occasions sent a personal check as a good faith declaration of intent. After I arrived, I paid in cash and the check was returned to me.

There was no intent to cash the check UNLESS I failed to show as promised.

&quot;<i>If she doesn't take CCs, how will you pay the full bill?</i>&quot; Presumeably in cash - like at most B&amp;Bs

I've sent US$ checks many times as a deposit for either a B&amp;B or cottage. Works fine - they hold the check until you arrive. Then you pay the equivilent in &euro; and get your check back.

Since she doesn't take cc's and asked for a US$ check - she is used to dealing w/ American visitors. She knows how much a hassle transfers/bank drafts are w/ many US banks/CUs. So just send the check. It sounds like you may have delayed too long. If so, be sure to call or e-mail her that the check is on the way and re-confirm.

I agree, it sounds like she doesn't mean to cash it. If she did, she'd have likely asked for it in Euros at the least. Once there, will likely relinquish your deposit check in favor of cash payment withdrawn from a local ATM. Always been the way we've paid at places that don't take plastic (there have been many).

Send what she's asked, it's the easist thing going and there's no real rush, at least not in her eyes, as long as it beats you there.

&gt;Since she doesn't take cc's and asked for a US$ check - she is used to dealing w/ American visitors. She knows how much a hassle transfers/bank drafts are w/ many US banks/CUs. So just send the check. &lt;

You're right Janis, as a private owner I do the same. It is just to secure the booking with no charge :-)

cocofromdijon: talk about charges -- There is another thread posted this a.m. about a US bank charging $30 to transfer &euro; and the European bank charging the owner another &euro;18 to receive/deposit the transfer. That is a lot of money better spent on other things. Sending a US$ as a deposit is just better/cheaper all around.

I saw it and this is what happened to me the first time my guests wanted to pay in advance. I had about 25&euro; charged on my side (a lot more on the other side)so I offered them but never again, now only personal cheque. Everyone is happy with that.

It is not impossible that she has a USD bank account in the US or overseas.

We had a sterling account for a long time until the difficulty of filing the US income tax forms for overseas accounts finally made us give it up.