Hi
I've booked a room at the Signature and, while booking, there was some small print about needing to authorise your credit card, on booking in, for $200 for incidental expenses. Does this mean that, if you don't spend anything (which we don't intend to do!), we get the $200 back?? Sorry if I'm being even more dense than usual.

yes

You don't get anything back because it never gets charged. The hotel puts a "hold" for $200 but if they don't follow up with any charges then the "hold" goes away after few days. You will not see $200 charge and a refund on your CC statement.

AAFrequentFlyer's answer tells it all!

Thanks everybody!

It took a resort 5 days to clear a HOLD on my credit card last time we were there. They addeed the additional hold at midnight the night before we checked out. But it never showed up on the statement. I only know because we tried using that credit card for a six day stay else where and I didn't have enough credit left on the card. I had to call them to find this out. Be careful

I'm planning a stay there in a couple of weeks ... anybody stayed there, and how'd you like it? Thanks!

At all hotels, it makes a difference if you are using a debit card vs a credit card.

Some resorts to "charge" the fee up front on the card.

Most hotels take your cc imprint to cover incidentals and nothing is charged if you don't charge any incidentals to the room.

Some resorts DO take out/ put a hold on/ charge your cc (however you want to put it) the disclosed fee amount - and then refund the amount back to the card if you have no charges.

Many hotels do this, especially in Vegas.

This only means, your credit card should not be maxed out allowing the hotel to put a "hold" on $200.

You should also know, that sometimes, depending on your bank card, the hold may not be lifted for a few days. So if you only have "X" amount of dollars in there, you may want to provide a credit card as opposed to a debit card at check in. Car rental's do the same thing, I just think they don't verbalize as much as front desk clerks/hotels what they are doing when they swipe your card.

its just in case you trash the room or do some kind of horrible damage.