AOPA credit card --- WARNING.

That ain't right. I can see the guarantee thing during a known busy
weekend, but if I make a reservation (contingency) and show up at or ahead
of the reservation time just to find out you don't have a room because
somebody else showed up before me with cash, I'm hauling somebody into
court.

With only 27 suites to rent, we're in no position to play the "will they
show up?" game.

Which is why, if you want a guaranteed reservation, you've got to guarantee
that you're gonna show up. Since wiring money in advance is pretty awkward,
we must do it the credit card way -- even though I absolutely despise the
credit card companies, and it pains me to no end that I must pay those
*******s 4% of everything I take in.

But, if we didn't accept credit cards, our longevity would be measured in
weeks. Sadly, very few guests actually pay with cash.

(P.S. Hey, while I'm bitching, let's talk about the 5% I've got to pay to
the State of Iowa, and the 7% I've got to pay to Johnson County. Yep, a
whopping 16% of everything we bring in, off the top, goes to someone other
than Mary and me. Remember that next time you wonder why it costs so
damned much for a hotel room.)

(P.P.S. Of course, it would be much worse if we were part of a chain, or
used on-line booking agencies like Travelocity. Then we'd be giving away
upwards of 46% of everything we earned.)

(P.P.P.S. Which, by the way, is why we can afford to *include* a delivered
breakfast on a suite for which we only charge $59.95 per night, while the
chains cannot. That same breakfast, delivered to your suite at the
Sheraton, by itself will set you back over $40!)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote the same thing twice:-)

Has anyone noticed that there are a lot of duplicate posts lately, or is it
just my ISP?
--
Jim in NC


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.802 / Virus Database: 545 - Release Date: 11/26/2004

So what you're saying then, is that you basically don't accept anything BUT
guaranteed reservations. Do you understand that this sounds kind of like a
racket to me? You get guaranteed reservations and HOPE the people don't show
up so you can collect their money without providing anything. You can also
collect double for the room if they don't show up and somebody else comes
along and takes the room. Is this even legal?

I can see getting a night's fee if they don't show up and you keep their
room available for them anyways, but, like I said, if I make a "contingency"
reservation and get there on time, I expect to have a room. If I don't show
up on time, I expect I MAY have a room, but then again I may not. That would
be my fault.

mike regish

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:n3eqd.164904$R05.161886@attbi_s53...
That ain't right. I can see the guarantee thing during a known busy
weekend, but if I make a reservation (contingency) and show up at or
ahead of the reservation time just to find out you don't have a room
because somebody else showed up before me with cash, I'm hauling somebody
into court.

With only 27 suites to rent, we're in no position to play the "will they
show up?" game.

Which is why, if you want a guaranteed reservation, you've got to
guarantee that you're gonna show up. Since wiring money in advance is
pretty awkward, we must do it the credit card way -- even though I
absolutely despise the credit card companies, and it pains me to no end
that I must pay those *******s 4% of everything I take in.

But, if we didn't accept credit cards, our longevity would be measured in
weeks. Sadly, very few guests actually pay with cash.

(P.S. Hey, while I'm bitching, let's talk about the 5% I've got to pay to
the State of Iowa, and the 7% I've got to pay to Johnson County. Yep, a
whopping 16% of everything we bring in, off the top, goes to someone other
than Mary and me. Remember that next time you wonder why it costs so
damned much for a hotel room.)

(P.P.S. Of course, it would be much worse if we were part of a chain, or
used on-line booking agencies like Travelocity. Then we'd be giving away
upwards of 46% of everything we earned.)

(P.P.P.S. Which, by the way, is why we can afford to *include* a
delivered breakfast on a suite for which we only charge $59.95 per night,
while the chains cannot. That same breakfast, delivered to your suite at
the Sheraton, by itself will set you back over $40!)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:n3eqd.164904$R05.161886@attbi_s53...
That ain't right. I can see the guarantee thing during a known busy
weekend, but if I make a reservation (contingency) and show up at or ahead
of the reservation time just to find out you don't have a room because
somebody else showed up before me with cash, I'm hauling somebody into
court.

With only 27 suites to rent, we're in no position to play the "will they
show up?" game.

Which is why, if you want a guaranteed reservation, you've got to guarantee
that you're gonna show up. Since wiring money in advance is pretty awkward,
we must do it the credit card way -- even though I absolutely despise the
credit card companies, and it pains me to no end that I must pay those
*******s 4% of everything I take in.

But, if we didn't accept credit cards, our longevity would be measured in
weeks. Sadly, very few guests actually pay with cash.

(P.S. Hey, while I'm bitching, let's talk about the 5% I've got to pay to
the State of Iowa, and the 7% I've got to pay to Johnson County. Yep, a
whopping 16% of everything we bring in, off the top, goes to someone other
than Mary and me. Remember that next time you wonder why it costs so
damned much for a hotel room.)

(P.P.S. Of course, it would be much worse if we were part of a chain, or
used on-line booking agencies like Travelocity. Then we'd be giving away
upwards of 46% of everything we earned.)

(P.P.P.S. Which, by the way, is why we can afford to *include* a delivered
breakfast on a suite for which we only charge $59.95 per night, while the
chains cannot. That same breakfast, delivered to your suite at the
Sheraton, by itself will set you back over $40!)


Just out of curiousity, Jay. If someone were to pay cash, will you
split the 16% with them?

Bryan

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Srcqd.164139$R05.153882@attbi_s53...

um, does making a reservation at your place require a credit card?


If you want a "guaranteed" reservation, yep.

If you want a "contingency" reservation -- where anyone who walks in the
door with cash can bump you -- nope.


So what's the difference between a "contingency" reservation and no
reservation?

So what's the difference between a "contingency" reservation and no
reservation?

One main difference: We have all of your information, which makes check-in
a breeze. You will also get preference over "contingency" reservations that
are taken after yours -- although, to be honest, we only get a couple of
them a week.

It's very unusual for our guests to not have a credit card, as you can
imagine -- and most people prefer to have guaranteed reservation.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article Fuspd.85361$V41.50473@attbi_s52,
Here's another credit card mystery: Why the hell does ANYONE use any card
but Discover? Everyone else charges to use their cards, while Discover
actually PAYS you to use their card -- yet they are a distant third or
fourth in the industry.

Marketing is everything to American consumers, I guess...

Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash. If I can't afford something then I don't
buy it.
I've thought about getting a real credit card (just in case) and if I
did so it would most likely be through my credit union (because it's just
easier). _IF_ I was forced to use a real credit card I would pay it off
in less than 60 days (to avoid the interest).
I had a real credit card for about 7yrs, but always paid it off. When
debit visa came out I cancelled it.
The thing about Discover is that it's not accepted everywhere I go, so
I can't use it the same as cash as I can a debit visa.

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 01:18:22 +0000 (UTC),
('Vejita' S. Cousin) wrote:

Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash

As you say a debit card is just like cash (which is not the
same as a credit card). When I use a credit card I get to keep my
money for an additional 40 days (average of 15 days until the end of
the billing period and another 25 days until the credit card company
takes the payment). More importantly if I have a problem with the
product purchased with a credit card, the credit card company will
intervene on my behalf with the debit card I am on my own.

('Vejita' S. Cousin) writes:


Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash. If I can't afford something then I don't
buy it.

It does NOT work the same.

a) Don't try renting a car.

b) The consumer protection laws for Debit/ATM cards are far weaker.

The issuers love them, because they have zero float. They also have
lower processing costs than checks AND they get 3-5% from the
merchant.....


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash. If I can't afford something then I don't
buy it.

It does NOT work the same.

a) Don't try renting a car.

And don't try using to reserve a hotel suite. Most debit cards (unless it's
a "dual" debit/credit card) will not work with a preauthorization -- which
is what is required to make a guaranteed reservation.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"