Is it possible to get a hotel room in France by paying just cash?
I'm from India and I'm going to study in France. However, since I'm arriving on the weekends, I'm not quite 100% sure if my school representative will pick me up.
In that scenario, I wanted to know that if I stay in a hotel for two nights, is it possible to pay by cash? I don't have a credit card and my debit card from a governmental Indian bank does not work abroad.
Has anyone tried to get a hotel room in France via cash before? And what were the formalities?
Best Answer
Is it possible, yes. Will it take some extra effort, maybe. And keep mind that every brand/property can have different policies.
Practically every hotel will accept cash as final payment so that is the smallest issue.
Where guests have trouble is with the reservation or deposit. If you are a walk in, the reservation is problem is eliminated so what you have to prepare for is any cash deposit requirement which could be anywhere from 0-200 Euros depending on the class of property.
If you want to try to make a reservation, this is where you can expect some work since you will have to interact with the property directly or try to make an online booking and see how far you can get.
Special Note: thx to contributor JonathanReez, I see Booking.com has a Book without credit card option. The result is very limited, but that's an option if you really want to pre-plan.
But, you may not need an actual reservation, especially if you won't know until day of arrival if you need it. In that case, make a list of your preferred properties and if you need the room, call ahead to check availability and ask them to hold a room for you as a walk-in.
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Can I pay for my hotel room in cash?
Some hotels will allow you to pay for your room with cash, but this is not always the case. If you want to limit credit card bills and do not mind spending time negotiating the transaction, you can find hotels that do accept paper money. Paying with cash is also a good way to discreetly rent a hotel room.Do hotels in Paris accept cash?
Practically every hotel will accept cash as final payment so that is the smallest issue. Where guests have trouble is with the reservation or deposit.Can you pay cash at a hotel or motel?
Some hotels will allow you to pay with cash directly to their bank accounts without having to use a credit card. Ask the hotel you're interested in if this option is possible. Once you've booked your reservation, the hotel will send you their bank account details where you can deposit your initial fee.Can you pay for a hotel up front?
Prepaid Hotel Rooms In some cases, you can save money by prepaying for a hotel room at the time you reserve it. Traditionally, you would not be charged for the room until you actually stay in it, but some online sites and hotel chains such as Marriott and Holiday Inn now offer discounts for prepaying for a room.The #1 Travel Hack Of 2020 - How ANYONE Can Get 50% Off Hotels
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Answer 2
Till a few years ago my parents cycled through France every holiday. Some time in the afternoon they would decide to look for a hotel, stop when seeing the next one or in the next town or village and look for a hotel there.
They would check in, leave their luggage in the room, sometimes have dinner in the hotel and at other times in town, sleep, eat breakfast and only then the first money would change hands. Often they had to find someone to give them the bill and accept the money, before leaving for their next day cycling.
They did not have a credit card at the time and never booked before arrival.
Not all hotels are as casual about it and with online booking becoming more the norm they might become less so, but there are still enough old fashioned hotels where service is the norm and money is not asked for till you leave.
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