Frequently Asked Questions
Booking online What type of privacy policies does HotelsByCity.net have in place? Is it safe to use my credit card online? What kind of security does HotelsByCity.net provide? What are your shopping safe guarantee details?
Payment options and receipting Can I use a coupon from the hotel? What types of credit cards do you accept? Will my credit card be charged at the time of booking? How can I obtain a receipt for my hotel room?
Save Rate hotels What is a Save Rate hotel? Why do I pay everything upfront for a Save Rate? If I check out early on a Hot Rate reservation, can I obtain a refund for the nights I did not stay?
Reservations What if I do not receive a confirmation at the time of booking? What if I do not receive my email confirmation? How long will it take for the hotel to have my reservation information? What if I need a specific type of hotel room (non smoking, handicapped, etc)? Can I change a reservation? Can I cancel my reservation?
Room occupancy What if there will be more than two adults in the room? Our children will be traveling with us - do they stay free?
Check In/Check Out Information What is the hotel check-in time? Will the hotel hold my room if I am arriving late? What if I need early arrival?
1. What type of privacy policies does HotelsByCity.net have in place?
Please visit our privacy policy page.
2. Is it safe to use my credit card online?
Whether you are purchasing a gift, travel package or even a car, shopping online has never been safer. However, for those patrons who would prefer to not book online we have our toll-free number (USA and Canadian Residents: 1-800-359-7234. International: 00-800-84469370)
3. What kind of security does HotelsByCity.net provide?
We guarantee that each transaction you make on HotelsByCity.net is safe. In fact, we back every credit card purchase with our Hotels By City Safe Shopping Guarantee (see below for more information).
We employ security measures such as Secure Socket Layer technology (SSL) to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of your personal information. SSL, which is utilized by most popular browsers, including Netscape and Microsoft Explorer, provides the advanced encryption tools necessary to protect information transmitted between your computer and our server. Encryption simply means that your information is converted into code before it is dispatched over the Internet. Our secure server encrypts all personal information, including your name, address, and credit card information, so that it cannot be read as it is transmitted over the Internet when you make a reservation.
When making a reservation online, we also employ Virtual Private Network technology (VPN) to encrypt your personal information when sharing it with a third party vendor
.4. Shopping Safe Guarantee Details:
- Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your credit card company cannot hold you liable for more than $50.00 of fraudulent charges. If your credit card company does hold you liable for any of this $50.00, we will cover the entire liability for you, up to the full $50.00. We will only cover this liability if the unauthorized use of your credit card resulted through no fault of your own from purchases made at Hotels By City while using the secure server.
- In the event of unauthorized use of your credit card, you must notify your credit card provider in accordance with its reporting rules and procedures.
5. Can I use a coupon from the hotel?
Currently we cannot accept hotel coupons towards your reservation.
6. What type of credit cards do you accept?
Currently, we accept the following major credit cards: Visa MasterCard, American Express and Discover.
7. Will my credit card be charged at the time of booking?
This depends on the type of rate you have selected. All Save Rate reservations are charged at the time of booking, including any service fees noted in the taxes and fees section. Please note, some hotels have different deposit policies.
8. How can I obtain a receipt for my hotel room?
Your e-mail confirmation is your receipt. Please retain a copy for your records. If you need a duplicate copy, please contact our Customer Service Center and provide them with the following information:
- Guest first/last name
- Check-in/check-out dates
- Hotel name
9. What is a Save Rate hotel?
Save Rate hotels are special discounted rooms and are marked by the SAVE RATE icon. We book a high volume at these hotels and are able to negotiate lower rates. When you book a Save Rate you can be confident that you are getting a great deal because our Best Rate Guarantee backs them.
10. Why do I have to pay everything upfront for the Save Rate hotels?
In order to guarantee our Save Rate price the room must be purchased and paid in full. This way your rate is secured and not subject to room rate increases. Please note though that hotels will collect payment for incidentals such as meals, movies, parking and phone calls. Our cancellation terms and fees apply to Save Rate hotels as well.
11. If I check out early on a Hot Rate reservation, can I obtain a refund for the nights I did not stay?
Once you arrive at the hotel they are expecting you for the entire length of the stay you’ve booked. Thus, no refunds or credits can/will be issued for the unused nights.
13. What if I do not receive a confirmation at the time of booking?
Please check your email for your confirmation if your confirmation page does not display after completing your booking. If you do not receive your email confirmation within ten minutes please complete our request form and a duplicate copy will be emailed to you.
14. What if I do not receive my email confirmation?
There are a few reasons why you may not receive email confirmation. It could be that we have an incorrect email address or that your Internet Service Provider has blocked the email. If you have a SPAM filter, please check in that folder for your email confirmation. If you still do not have it please complete our request form here. Be sure to include the following information:
- The name the reservation was booked under
- Your trip number
- The hotel name and city
- The check-in/check-out dates
15. How long will it take for the hotel to have my reservation information?
In most cases they should receive the reservation within one hour from booking, unless their reservation department is closed. Please print out a copy of your voucher if you have booked a discounted prepaid reservation. Bring it to the hotel to provide documentation that your reservation has been paid in advance. There are certain reservations that are booked out of an allotment. If this is the case the hotel might not have your reservation until one week prior to your arrival. These rooms are guaranteed and payment will be due upon check out of the hotel.
16. What if I need a specific type of hotel room (non smoking, handicapped, etc)?
Please enter your specific requests in the special request field of the reservation form. Every effort will be made to accommodate your request(s). However, they are subject to availability upon arrival at the hotel and cannot be guaranteed.
17. Can I change my reservation?
Yes, you can change your reservation. However, this can only be done by calling our customer service center (1.866.270.2849). Please note your change may be subject to a $25 change fee. Also, you may need to cancel your original reservation and then rebook. Please check for availability for the new dates though to ensure there are rooms available.
18. Can I cancel my reservation?
Yes, you can cancel your reservation. Each hotel has a different cancellation policy though. If you cancel within the allotted amount of time there should be no penalty. If you cancel outside of the given time frame you may be charged. Usually this penalty is one night’s stay. However, each policy may be different.
A few things to consider:
Should you decide to check out early you cannot cancel or receive credit for the unused nights.
The timeframe your hotel has issued for their cancellation policy (usually 24, 48 or 72 hours in advance) depends on their check in time, not your projected arrival time. For most hotels this is 4 p.m. local time.
19. What if there will be more than two adults in the room?
Most hotels will allow additional guests at a charge, which typically run between $10 - $20 USD per person, per night, provided the room has not exceeded the maximum number of guests per room. The hotel may cancel your reservation ore require you to book additional rooms if your booked room cannot accommodate your party size. Please note, we cannot be held responsible if you book a room type that does not accommodate your party size.
20. Our children will be traveling with us - do they stay free?
Typically children do stay for free but this depends on where you are traveling and what the specific hotel’s policies might be. For example, children under 12 years of age may stay free in the USA but in Europe the age limit is far younger. It is best to check the hotel’s policies, which can be viewed in the hotel information section. Ultimately it is the hotel’s discretion to charge additional fees for extra persons staying in a room.
21. What is the hotel check-in time?
Typically, the hotel check-in time is after 3:00 p.m. local hotel time. Hotels may choose their own check out time.
22. Will the hotel hold my room if I am arriving late?
Because your reservation is guaranteed with a credit card the hotel is obligated to hold your room until 7:00 a.m. the day after arrival. However, if you know ahead of time that you will be arriving late it may be wise to call the hotel to inform them of your arrival time.
23. What if I need early arrival?
Early arrival should be requested in the special request section of the reservation page. Every effort will be made to accommodate your request. However, it is subject to availability upon arrival at the hotel.
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