Booking a hotel is a very important step when planning a trip abroad. Even if the price seems very cheap, all kinds of additional costs will appear when the front desk hands you the room card. The closing room charge is only a part of the general ledger. Recently, the media pointed out the “four key details” that are easily overlooked when checking in, all of which can turn an originally reasonable price into an unnecessarily expensive expense.
AOL pointed out that, first of all, the most common mistake is “thinking that the price includes all charges”: when booking a hotel, people only focus on the room charge, but ignore the other charges hidden behind it. The hotel may add resort fees, destination fees, parking fees or other specific fees. Some fees cover amenities that guests won’t use at all, which is often very annoying. No one wants to pay for features they never use, especially as these additional costs are almost never clearly mentioned during the booking process.
The second point is “mistaking pre-authorization for final deduction”: when checking in, the front desk will ask for your credit card and swipe it, and then you will find that the available credit is suddenly reduced, which is inevitably irritating, especially if you paid for the room in advance. In many cases, hotels will “hold authorization” to cover additional charges such as room service, minibar consumption, or potential damage to the amenities, so it is best to confirm the exact amount of pre-authorization and refund time when checking in.
The third point is “accept a room upgrade without confirming the price”: when checking in, the front desk staff may recommend you a room with a better view, a larger bed, or a room on a better floor. After a long trip, this sounds very tempting, but before agreeing to an upgrade, be sure to confirm whether the upgrade requires an additional fee and whether the quoted price covers the entire stay. The same caution applies to early check-in, late check-out, and other specific housekeeping requests, and be sure to inquire about fees before agreeing to any payment.
Finally, “Ignoring checking the booking information and room confirmation”: When you are tired from traveling, it is easy for people to get the room card and quickly find the elevator, so they ignore the necessary verification work. In fact, check-in is an excellent time to find and correct booking errors. Be sure to confirm check-in date, room type, number of guests and any special arrangements in the booking information. If you wait until luggage is unpacked or hotel rooms are fully booked before you discover the problem, it will be more of a hassle to deal with.
Pay attention when going abroad! “Four Big Money Traps” Exposed by Foreign Media During Hotel Stay: Ignoring Them May Hurt Your Wallet
TVBS News Network
