Hotel rental post-BK, no credit card

[killinstinct]

I wanted to post a quick something on my experience post-BK filing on travel. I've heard mixed things and was concerned it would be problematic to rent hotels, cars, etc. with no CC. Well, last weekend we went on a family trip which I booked on expedia. No problems whatsoever. I looked at hotwire initially, but noticed they had a clause saying "most hotels will not accept debit cards" under their terms and conditions. Expedia had nothing like this. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott, pretty nice place, didn't bat an eye at the debit card. Placed a temporary $20 hold for incidentals on the room and that was it.

So it appears to be possible to still have a life after BK, in spite of what some of us may be thinking. Just read the fine print.

Now that I'm writing this I'm remembering that I have a good friend that just got back from Hawaii for a couple weeks, rented a car and everything. He has NEVER had a credit card, pays everything up front.

[Flamingo]

It is possible to do a lot with a debit card as to hotel rentals and rental cars, traveling, etc. The main thing is if the company/hotel honors debit cards and if they do, there are certain requirements that have to be met (i.e., cannot take the rental car out of the state in which rented, etc.) and you must have cash in the account to honor all holds put on the card which could run up to hundreds of dollars. A little footwork can find those rental agencies and/or hotels. Travel agents can also advise of the places that honor debit cards to avoid a lot of footwork.

[viking64]

I'm learning how to negotiate a 9 week trip to South Africa on a debit card. It takes planning, but it works. The trip is fully paid by a professional grant, but I still have to process the charges myself. For the most part, I'm staying in B&Bs, and they don't care - often want cash, anyway. I've even found a car rental chain who will rent a car with a debit card (or wired pre-payment, in this case). Apparently it's very difficult to get credit cards if you're under 25 in Europe, so they organized themselves to cater to this demographic. The cars are a little older, but just fine. Best of all, by the time I get back, it will be long enough after discharge, that I should be able to organize a secured credit-card for future rentals.

Each hotel chain, and even each hotel can be different. Same with car rental companies and individual branches. I think with a hotel, the real issue is a hold for incidentals - sometimes the high-end chains can be the worst. I stayed at a high-end business hotel, pre-paid by my company. I put my debit card out for incidentals, and they held the cost of each night's stay, despite the fact it was direct billed to my company. What a pain -

Another hotel just (more like a mid-range) just put a minimal hold. Just ask. Most major urban hotels are use to foreign travelers not having all these credit cards, so there have to be workarounds.

Unless the hotel caters to dodgy guests (due to location or brand), they are likely to find a way to take your money.

[AngelinaCat]

We go to Galveston, Texas, twice a year. One of them is for eleven days and the other for around five. We have paid cash for the motel stay in cash each time. We negotiate for the weekly rate and have always had good results. When we do book online, we will secure the price with the credit side of the debit card, but put on the note to the inkeepeer, that we will be paying with cash. We have been doing this now for about five years.

The only hitch we had was last year was thanks to Hurricane Ike. Even so, by shopping around and moving a little more inlandd than we wished to be, worked out fine and within our budget.

[junker]

any suggestions on which car rental co, is the best for debit cards, i checked a couple and they mention a doing a credit check, like enterprise, is one...

[Mi Bankruptcy]

I had to go on a business trip a couple months after BK. I went to use my debit card even though my company was paying for the hotel and they put a hold of $300.00 for incidentals because it was a debit card rather than a credit card. Jerks..

[isabella]

I always rent with Alamo, always use my debit card no issues. Last rental was September of this year. The put a hold on your card of the estimated amount of the rental that is all, nothing else. The actual charge is made after you turn the car in, and you will see your account posted for that day. The only extra thing you have to do is show proof of a return ticket, I always have it but have never been asked. I highly recommend them.

[viking64]

I've heard many positive comments regarding Alamo. If it's possible to get an Alamo pre-paid, that may help on the size of hold they put on the card. However, if it's just the estimated cost of rental, then it sounds like you weren't on the hook for more (since holds can take awhile to release).

Enterprise around here will hold up to twice the amount of the cost of the rental. A friend uses Hotwire a lot, and often gets Avis. They'll do a credit check, but they seem to put a flat hold of $200 (although it is pre-paid with Hotwire).

[isabella]

I have even called Alamo to be sure of their policy. I think putting the hold for the estimated cost of the rental is essentially paying for the car before you return it. And since I am using a debit card, I think they have the best policy out there. My last rental was estimated at 299, I checked my account after picking up the car and 299 was showing "pending" from my account. It went from pending to paid the day I returned the car. No hassle, no credit checks, no hold that ties up the rest of your funds.

[pcn]

Moderators, This comes up enough, and seems important enough to "life after bk", could you please create a sticky for it? It sure would be nice, post bk, to have a place to go to reference which car rental chains, hotels, etc, are friendly to debit cards when having to travel. I will be required to travel for my employer after bk, and avoiding embarrassing credit (lack of) issues sure would be nice. What do you think? Thanks.

[viking64]

I would find this helpful,too - but perhaps a changed title like "BK friendly hotel and car rental companies" or "Debit Friendly Travel options"

Travel for family reasons and business reasons as well as vacation reasons comes up enough that it really is a broad issue.

[humuhumu]

Travel expenses without a credit card

Moderators, This comes up enough, and seems important enough to "life after bk", could you please create a sticky for it? It sure would be nice, post bk, to have a place to go to reference which car rental chains, hotels, etc, are friendly to debit cards when having to travel. I will be required to travel for my employer after bk, and avoiding embarrassing credit (lack of) issues sure would be nice. What do you think? Thanks.

Agreed!! I spent a couple of hours on the site before I found this discussion because I assumed this would be a pretty common problem, thus higher on the boards.

Pre-filing, I was pampered by the convenience of credit cards for travel. I had a no-pre-set spending limit credit card (no kidding...signature black premier citicard...my how the mighty have fallen) so all I have been obsessing about since filing is how to adjust to life without a credit card for work-related travel expenses. So, thanks to all for posting about Alamo for car rentals. I know debit cards work just fine for hotels - only at the nicer hotels have I run into large 'holds'.

I cannot wait to get a fresh start, to pay cash, and to know that I am no longer feeding the huge banking machine that has so many of us thinking we need credit cards to survive. Now, I can see the real wisdom...I may have had the fancy credit cards, but I also paid a TON of money in fees and interest for that 'privilege.' Thanks, citicard...you can have your fancy black card back. I've got CASH, BABY!!

[warren49]

We have not yet filed, but are already living without using credit cards. In a couple of weeks, we need to spend two nights in a hotel room. We accrue points with Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn, Clarion, Comfort Suites, etc.), so I made a reservation using a pre-paid debit/VISA card. I was afraid they would hold back the entire amount (for two nights) to just hold the rooms. I was relieved to find out that their policy was to merely hold $1.00, just to insure that the card was valid. When we check in, they will put a hold on the amount for the two night's stay, plus a small amount (I think the customer service agent told me it would be something like $25.00) for possible incidentals. When we check out, the actual charge will go through and the hold will be taken off. It is a very fair policy, IMO.

Also, thanks for the info on Alamo. I already like to use them for car rentals, as their rates are typically very good.

[DaddyDavid]

I have a secured CC via Public Bank.

Despite huge unpaid debts and not having filed BK, they gave me one. No annual feel either, FYI.

[humuhumu]

Hyatt Place friendly to debit cards

Just stayed for a night at a Hyatt Place. Had prepaid for the night at the Hyatt.com web site. The guest agent swiped my card, overrode a screen that said something to the effect of "this is a debit card, ok?' and all was good.

I am a Hyatt gold card member. Does anyone know whether being members of the various affinity programs helps, because then they 'know' you?