Deposit for Room Reservation

Small apartment house in Bon Accord (listing)
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Emma M
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Deposit for Room Reservation

Post by Emma M »

Hi Everyone!
I'm hoping someone has some insight. We're looking at booking the Douglas Apartment in January. We've called and there is space. However, their deposit policy has me concerned. They are asking we send 1 nights charge via Western Union to secure the room. I have no problems leaving a deposit via credit card but Western Union just seems a little alarming. Has anyone else gone through this process?
Thanks!
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Steve Wooler
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Re: Deposit for Room Reservation

Post by Steve Wooler »

Hello Emma

Welcome aboard! :)

Fear not - this is perfectly normal for Tobago hospitality businesses. The Trinidad & Tobago banking systems are still in the dark ages. Small businesses find it virtually impossible to get credit card merchant accounts from their local banks - and impossible if they make the mistake of mentioning that they want to take payment across the Internet. None of the international card payment services can/will make payment directly to T&T bank accounts. Those properties that do take payment by credit card are invariably using foreign bank accounts.

So, small local businesses have a major problem. They don't WANT to use money transfer services like Western Union, but they have no choice - other than expensive bank transfers. Traditionally, they took everyone on trust and asked for payment on arrival, but the sad fact is that the days of being able to trust people like that are long gone.

Douglas Apartments are a well-established and very reputable local business. Fear not! Please be assured that this website would be the first to name and shame any business on Tobago that took payment by ANY means and didn't honour their end of the bargain. :)
Steve Wooler
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Ronald
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Re: Deposit for Room Reservation

Post by Ronald »

Hi Emma (and Steve)

I can confirm what Steve say, that Western Union is often used when transfer money to persons in T&T, myself also do so on-off.
It IS posible to transfer from your bank account to a persons local bank account in T&T, but than you will first need to have all data from that local bank about that.
Myself sometimes transfer to Republick Bank from Sweden, but that is only possibly after I got their addresses in the bank system, they are not like the European Swift Codes.
Some years ago all bank transfers from Europe had to go via a bank in England, but now a days I can transfer directly. But even an urgent transfer take minimum 3-4 bank days, Western Union is at once, same day.

But know that you need to keep and send Receipt Number from W.U. to him, otherwise he will not get the money.
In T&T they also have MoneyGram, working in the same way as Western Union.
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