I get so tired of being taken advantage of... I was in a hotel this weekend in Dallas and as in most cases the venue where I perform pays for my hotel. I will submit either cash or a credit card for incidentals but usually I am more comfortable with cash because of reasons that I am about to explain. I check into the hotel as I have over the past 6 years and the desk employee is adamant about my leaving a card for my incidentals, I explain to him that I would prefer to do a cash deposit because sometimes my room is charged to my card when I am not the one paying for it, he went to the back and came back with a figure of 200. cash, so I gave him the card. The next morning I checked for charges on-line and saw that the ENTIRE hotel bill had been charged to my account, I was livid. I go down to the desk and explain what's going on to a different person and was advised that the hotel manager was in Hawaii and that nothing could be done until he gets back on Tuesday. I had this pack of cigarettes in my gig bag and started smoking in the lobby right there in front of her, of course she tells me that I can't smoke there in the lobby, I then advise her that since one of my rules were broken that in protest I was going to smoke for the remainder of my time there until the charges were removed. It was such an immature move but I felt great about my form of protest, no cursing or shouting just smoke. After my last show I sit in the lobby again cigarette in hand and was told that if I didn't put it out they would call the police. POLICE?!??! to enforce a hotel rule? I was also threatened by security to be kicked out of the hotel and that was cool, but if I had indeed already paid for the room they couldn't kick me out unless they gave me my money back, which is all I wanted in the first place. It is Monday I am back at home, the charges are still there as I figured they would be but I feel like I scored a small victory against incompetence and wrote a great new joke! Smoking is bad, but in this case I was happy to have that pack.
Since you're a comedian, and the room was supposed to be comped by someone else, this might not work. But the one GREAT thing about paying with a credit card is the ability to dispute a charge. I've done this when dealing with bad mail order companies, and it rules. Essentially, you call up the card company, file a complaint, and the company fights the battle for you. I've had great results with Discover Card in the past with this strategy. Consumer protection is the only service credit cards provide that I truely appreciate.
That's great. It reminds me of when we were in high school, they had just started instituting "no smoking" in shops. My buddy was told he had to go outside an ice cream shop because he was smoking. He proceeded to walk to the front door of the store, door wide open, and blow smoke directly back into the store.
I hate using credit cards for things like this as well. I used to always use my Visa check card to open tabs at bars, but I've been ripped off far too many times to do that any more. Sometime it's only a drink or two extra they charge you, but the final straw was when I received a $20+ bill when I only had 4 drinks on a 75 cent you-call-it night. And we've all heard the nightmare stories about dudes using their credit cards at strip clubs.
We were 16. It was funny as all hell. And no hotel requires you put down a CC. Next time, tell the desk clerk to suck it, and go to your room.
I travel quite a bit and my room is always paid for in advance by my company and I have noticed that hotels are getting worse and worse about me leaving a CC for incidental charge. I also like to pay cash, but lately when I do this I get a "look" from the desk attendant like I`m trying to violate some secret hotel rule. I was recently told (The Hilton in Arlington) that if I didnt leave a CC that they would not allow me to use long distance I told them that was fine since I have a cell phone, but I let him know that I thought he was very rude and wouldnt stay there again. I understand the need in cergtain cases, but at least try and make me feel welcome even though I am paying with cash
Cash is worse to use in that case IMO....if you come down the next morning looking to get back what cash you didnt use for incidentals and some dumbass clerk can't find a record of it, you are really screwed if the manager is away.....but with a credit card, especially amex, all you have to do is call them and explain the situation and they handle everything.
