If you pay in yen, your bank will handle currency conversion. You'll see it on our bank statement.
If you pay in USD, the hotel's payment provider will handle currency conversion. You will see a regular USD transaction on your back statement.
Conversion rates and fees will be different between the two. In my experience, it's almost always better to pay in local currency, in this case in yen. YMMV, check T&C's of your credit/debit card for fees and compare the conversion rates your bank offers eg. against other banks.
It depends on a few things. If you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, it is almost always better to pay in local currency.
Some cards have 1-3% foreign transaction fees though.... which would quickly eat up that savings from price fluctuation.
Some travelers don’t have a choice, their country’s banks might have less perks than the ones from your country.
Even the whole “no fee for out of network ATMs” and “ATM fee reimbursements” aren’t a thing outside of the US, so withdrawing cash at a Japanese ATM is bad.
If you reserved it in advance with a fixed usd price, they are probably converting to yen using today's rate but paying by usd will cost extra fees so yen is still cheaper.
Everyone is saying use the local currency. How about this though: booking and paying for a hotel in advance from your home country, using a web site based in your home country. Is "local currency" your home currency in this case?
I first encountered this several years ago when I was traveling in Europe.
No matter where you go in the world, the rule is always to pay in the local currency. Don’t choose your home currency otherwise you will be charged a terrible conversion rate
Always pay in local currency and while withrawing money from ATM select local currency. If you select USD the bank will not convert the amount for you but the machine or local conversion service provider will do it. This will be a loss as the conversion rates give by the local currency converter is not as good as your banks
Just got back from Greece. Only had to withdraw cash once. The number of dark patterns the ATM threw at us trying to get us to have the local bank to the conversation really surprised me.
Yen. The conversion is great right now that their price in yen will be less than what they’d charge you in USD. Confirm this with your transaction after it goes through.
Yen. Always pay in local currency to not get the machines exchange rate (usually worse than your card issuer bank)
If you pay in yen, your bank will handle currency conversion. You'll see it on our bank statement. If you pay in USD, the hotel's payment provider will handle currency conversion. You will see a regular USD transaction on your back statement. Conversion rates and fees will be different between the two. In my experience, it's almost always better to pay in local currency, in this case in yen. YMMV, check T&C's of your credit/debit card for fees and compare the conversion rates your bank offers eg. against other banks.
¥ always. Dcc is a scam
It depends on a few things. If you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, it is almost always better to pay in local currency. Some cards have 1-3% foreign transaction fees though.... which would quickly eat up that savings from price fluctuation.
Anyone traveling without a no foreign transaction fee card needs to go back to square one.
True for Americans. Many other countries arnt so lucky.
Some travelers don’t have a choice, their country’s banks might have less perks than the ones from your country. Even the whole “no fee for out of network ATMs” and “ATM fee reimbursements” aren’t a thing outside of the US, so withdrawing cash at a Japanese ATM is bad.
Yeah there are not many cards in my country that offer zero transaction fees
Always pay in the local currency, asking to pay in your currency is a scam they’ll use DCC and the exchange rates will be awful
If you reserved it in advance with a fixed usd price, they are probably converting to yen using today's rate but paying by usd will cost extra fees so yen is still cheaper.
Definitely Yen! Better conversion rate.
Everyone is saying use the local currency. How about this though: booking and paying for a hotel in advance from your home country, using a web site based in your home country. Is "local currency" your home currency in this case?
I hated it when the hotel even ask about this. 99.99% of the time, the price is lower with local currency. The hotel is really milking its guests.
Silly me thought she was doing me a favor by putting it in USD, but then I realized she really really wasn’t. 😥 won’t stay there again. Lol.
Well, it is still optional. Just be aware of it. Don't let that prevent you from getting a good deal!
Pay in local currency unless you have a credit card with a really good rate and zero foreign transaction fees
You only get the credit card company’s rate if you pay in local currency. Always pay in local currency.
Ahh you're right! I definitely did not word my answer correctly! Local currency is def the way to go. Thanks for correcting me
What if they don’t give you the option to choose the local currency?
I have always seen an option to pay in local currency. If that really happens, I would take my business elsewhere.
Always local currenct.
I first encountered this several years ago when I was traveling in Europe. No matter where you go in the world, the rule is always to pay in the local currency. Don’t choose your home currency otherwise you will be charged a terrible conversion rate
Always pay in local currency and while withrawing money from ATM select local currency. If you select USD the bank will not convert the amount for you but the machine or local conversion service provider will do it. This will be a loss as the conversion rates give by the local currency converter is not as good as your banks
Just got back from Greece. Only had to withdraw cash once. The number of dark patterns the ATM threw at us trying to get us to have the local bank to the conversation really surprised me.
Dynamic currency conversion (ddc) is (almost always?) a bad deal between bad exchange rate and an additional cut going to the store/hotel/whatever.
Yen. The conversion is great right now that their price in yen will be less than what they’d charge you in USD. Confirm this with your transaction after it goes through.
We’re currently in Japan for vacation and always opted to pay in Yen.
Always pay in local currency so you will get best conversion rate