1.
When I buy a certificate, what happens to my money?
Your money is held in trust, per the requirements of the California Seller of Travel Law until your recipient redeems it. We then send the funds required to the hotel prior to your guest’s arrival.
2. If I want to designate a particular hotel, how do I know how much a stay will cost?
Our reservation counselors will check the rates at the hotel during the time you estimate your recipient may want to visit. You can then set your budget accordingly.
3. Can I request a certificate for a package for golf, romance, spa, etc.?
Yes, our reservation counselors will check what packages may be available at the hotel of your choosing.
4. Will the dollar value of the certificate be shown on the certificate?
If you designate a particular hotel, or package, it will be prominently displayed on the certificate, with the actual dollar value of the certificate in fine print below.
5. What happens if the hotel or package price has changed by the time my recipient redeems the certificate?
Our reservation counselors will work with your recipient so that they will be able to receive the full value of the certificate. If the price has gone up, then either they or you may pay the increase. If the price has gone down, they will receive the difference as a room credit for incidental purchases during their stay.
6. Can I add extra cash for food and beverage?
Yes, we will have the hotel apply the extra amount as a room credit.
7. What if my guest cannot get a reservation at the hotel I designate for the time that they can go?
Our reservation counselors will work with your guest to find an alternate hotel of similar quality which does have availability. The transferability of our certificates makes them a superior choice to purchasing a certificate directly from a particular property.
8. Will my guest get the best available rate when redeeming their certificate?
Absolutely. We will book your guest at the best available rate for the night(s) of their stay. Because of our wholesale contracts, it is probable that we will be able to give them a room at a lower rate than what the hotel is offering directly. In this case, any extra value in the certificate will be presented as room credit for food and beverage.
9. Is there a fee for your service?
We charge a 5% processing and mailing fee which covers the charge from your credit card issuer and our processing the certificate.
10. Can my guest convert the certificate to cash?
The cash represented by the certificate is being held in trust until it is sent to the hotel. We can only refund cash from the trust account to the person who deposited the cash. You may give us written instructions to refund the cash to your guest. All refunds are subject to a $25.00 processing fee.
11. How do I buy a certificate?
Call 800 805 8210 and speak with one of our friendly travel counselors and let them know that you wish to purchase a gift certificate. They will ask whether you have a particular hotel or accommodation package in mind, how much you wish to spend on the certificate, the names of the recipients and also your credit card information for payment. Once that conversation has taken place, a Credit Card Authorization will be either faxed or emailed to you for your review and approval. Once your approving response has been received by Gift-a-Stay, we will charge your credit card for the appropriate amount, create the Gift Certificate, and mail or FedEx to you, or your recipient, per your request. |
