The Chelsea Hotel

Dear Guest and Revdex.com, Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to this complaint. The guest used multiple credit cards on this reservation, this along with her final credit card ending in *** being a debit card and how hotels post "authorizations" to credit cards to ensure payment
is security is where we may have a disconnect. At this hotel and most properties, when you place a credit card on the reservation it is automatically tested by our system to verify the card is valid. The card ending in *** was first "authorized for $2.00" on April 11th and valid at that time. This was not a charge but an authorization. Authorizations become charges at checkout IF using a regular credit card, IF using a debit card; it is up to the bearer’s bank policy on when the funds are returned. Some banks take up to days to issue a credit. We have no way of knowing if a guests' credit card is a debit card or regular credit card. Even if the guest made us aware, there is no way to treat them differently. All banks have unique policies and we cannot control how each bank handles their releases, etc. That being said, when the guest's reservation is within hours of the arrival date (the reservation is not cancelable with hours of the stay) our system automatically authorizes the credit card on file for the room rate to ensure the card has the funds to cover the first night. The card on the reservation failed/was denied. The guest was called prior to the stay and asked to present a new credit card and informed we would have to cancel the reservation if valid credit card could not be provided. The guest provided a credit card ending in *** and the authorization was attempted at 3:26am and again at 5:28pm but the credit card failed/was denied. Another credit card ending in *** was provided at check in, this card was authorized and the approved; however from what the guest is stating in her complaint this credit card might be a debit card because all funds were released at checkout. There are notes in the reservation from our front office manager, PW that the guest "wants to pay cash at check in and replenish the credit card" This may be a misunderstanding to the guest as we did not know it was a debit card and banks do not typically "replenish" the credit card immediately. Banks may take up to days to refund their customer, we are not holding onto the funds. At the guests request our agent credited the card and the guest paid cash, however our system automatically goes to the first credit card, which was ***. Our agent credited the card ending in ***; the guest said no, I want amount credit to the card ending in ***. In order to make the transaction balance the agent had to then credit the card ending in *** (this is not a duplicate charge). This card appears to be a debit card and as mentioned before and banks take time to return those funds, it is not us. We are not holding onto any funds. Our Assistant General Manager even filled out and sent a fax to the guest's bank asking them to expedite the release of funds to the guest. When the card was charged again, the guest assumed it was an extra charge, it is not and all funds should have been returned to the guest at this time. The guest has been called numerous times and it seems they did not understand our AGM’s explanation. We hope the guest has been refunded by their bank fully and this issue is resolved. As this was not an error on our part, there is no need to offer any form of compensation to the guestPlease let me know if you have further questions, it would be my pleasure to speak with the guest and resolve any outstanding concerns. Thank you. Kind regards,*** *** ###-###-#### Tell us why here

This complaint came through while the company representative was out of the office on vacation. We need time to review and respond. Please reopen the claim for ten days. Thank you

[A default letter is...

provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
[redacted]

Notes have been placed in the reservation for this guest that we approve a refund.  Please have the third party booking company call the hotel or the reservations department to confirm we approve the refund. This refund must come from the third party.  Thank you.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
The Chelsea lack of response shows how negligent they are to their customers need and how they conduct business 
Regards,
[redacted]