I will be staying at the Hotel - Pension Theresia-Regina in Munich during Oktoberfest. They require a depost of 1/2 the price of the stay. Has anyone stayed at this hotel? Any comments? How were you able to transfer the money?

I would reccomend you re-post w/ a more specific title. You want to know about a small hotel in Munich but "Pay in Advance" could be asking just about anything about anywhere in Europe.

BTW - have you asked the hotel?? They will normally give you advice how others have managed to pay in advance . . . .

Cashing a personal check drawn in USD from your US bank will cost them between 10 to 15€ per check. But it's quite convenient for you!

Under German law, hotel/pension owners have very generous protection in case the party cancels. I am not quite sure what the exact percentage is now, but if you cancel - even if you do so quite far in advance of your stay - you proably will lose your deposit. That's why it pays to have travel insurance.

As for the manner of deposit, some places will now take VISA, these you can cancel on fairly short notice. Others require a traveller check or other check (NOT personal) deposit.

Germans send crossed checks when there's no possibility of a direct bank transfer. If you have IBAN and BIC numbers, depending on the cost do a bank transfer. That's what people want!
Otherwisse, use an ordinary check. To cross the check, draw 2 parallel lines in the upper left corner of the check. Like you wanted to cut it away. That way it will not be paid out IN CASH to anybody.

Travellers checks have to be signed "in presence of the person cashing the check". Don't send those.

Hi P,

Have you looked up the pensione at www.tripadvisor.com?

For you convenient, you might ask hotel about accept the credit card if you have, some hotel might just authorize and then you can pay at the hotel when you arrive there, some hotel might charge you immediately. It depends on each hotel.

our landlords in munich required a deposit for our week in may. a bank transfer cost approx. $30 on our end and many euros on their end. we finally signed up on paypal, using a credit card. that cost approx. $5 on our end and a nominal amount on their end.