Beware ‘Optional’ 5% Service Charge At Hotels In London

by Gary Leff

credit card wallet
Mar 13 2022

The U.K. has strong laws that taxes and charges must be shown in the headline rate for hotels. They cannot advertise a price plus resort fee or service charges. The price cannot even be advertised excluding VAT (tax).

Yet many hotels in London and the surrounding area have a workaround for this. They’re adding a 5% ‘service charge’ to bills on top of the room rate which isn’t advertised or even disclosed during the booking process. The trick is that it’s a discretionary (optional) fee, which is to say that the guest can ask to have the charge removed.

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Disney World Is Getting Super Expensive And It’s Not That Good

by Gary Leff

Mar 12 2022

Disney World is the happiest place on earth, right? I’m not so sure. I recently took my toddler there, and she loved it – she was most excited to see Buzz Lightyear. She also didn’t want to get leave rides when they ended. I know I’ll make several more trips there, and my daughter will love it. At the same time Disney just costs a lot of money and isn’t actually that good.

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When American Airlines Cancels A Route, Does It Follow Its Own Rules Or Are Customers On Their Own?

by Gary Leff

Mar 12 2022

When American Airlines suspended its service to Sydney that meant my award itinerary to see my family was cancelled. I spoke to the airline and was told they would re-accommodate my business class award on Qantas… in coach.

This seems to violate both the airline’s published rules and the promise of the joint ventures with other airlines that they promote and are fighting with the government to allow.

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Use Any Brex Points Before They Close Your Account!!

by Gary Leff

Mar 11 2022

My first thought was to generate some account activity but that may not be enough to save the account. I might do that anyway, but I’m going to use my rewards right away. Brex says if I use the account they will merely “conduct an internal review” over whether to close the account. Usage alone may not be enough to save it.

Meanwhile one reader shared that when Brex told them their account would be closed in 30 days the account was actually closed sooner than that. I’m going to cash out my 210,000 points immediately.

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