Hotel asks for credit card and passport through mail for restaurant reservation
I have made a booking at a hotel in an East Asian country for the new years period.
The booking was done through a 3rd party website. The payment will be fulfilled on the first day of arrival through the 3rd party website.
Last week I got a mail that seems to be from the hotel (mentioning my full name and everything) that I have the possibility to book a table for new years eve at their restaurant, to which I replied positively.
They replied though that in order to book a table at the restaurant, they require me to send them a credit card authorization form filled with my bank and other personal info (credit card number, a copy of passport etc). I am a bit reluctant to send all these personal info through email. It also seems weird to me that I should print a PDF, write my personal info, scan my passport etc and then send it via insecure email, all for a simple restaurant reservation.
So my question is, is this normal practice and I'm just paranoid?
Just to mention that the hotel is from a really big international chain and not some small family resort or anything.
Best Answer
In some countries, it is common for restaurants to ask for a guarantee for some reservations, especially for larger tables or specific events.
It is actually very common for New Year's Eve, as on that evening: * they have only one seating instead of 2 or more, * there is usually a fixed menu with more expensive food that usual * they may have to pay staff more than usual (and/or have more staff) * the cost per person is usually much higher * tables are often larger than usual
So the risk for them in case of a no-show is much higher than usual. And as it's a festive evening and everybody has their own idea of what the best place is for that evening, there would also be a higher rate of no-shows than usual without this. They don't do it for fun, there's a reason behind it.
If you have any doubt about the legitimacy of the e-mail, call them to confirm (using the published number, not the one in the e-mail, of course).
The way they do is often a bit low-tech, but it's not unusual. I've had the cases in Sydney (yes, you want to pay to get a table in front of Harbour Bridge on New Year's Eve), Singapore, and probably other places I don't remember. Probably even had something similar in the US as well, IIRC.
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Do I need the credit card I booked the hotel with?
You can book a hotel room without a credit card by using a debit card in most cases. Many hotel chains will also accept prepaid cards, though they are more likely to do so at check-in or check-out than at the time of booking. Typically, you cannot make a hotel reservation with cash, a personal check or a money order.Do hotels ask for ID?
Whether you use the Internet to make a reservation or show up in person hoping to get a room at the last minute, motels typically require you to show a valid photo ID to prove your identity. This policy isn't unique to motels; hotels also require to you show a valid photo ID upon check-in.Hotel reservation - Check in \u0026 out | English lesson
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