Mr Alan, Firstly I would assume that you meant hotel when you said motel. If not then no, I have not rented motels with debit cards. I travel on business and stay in standard hotels. With most of them I have a history of relationship and I set up my profile with them. When I make the reservation, they take debit card number for guaranteed reservation. I have never really had problems. And then upon arrival I have to show them the card. Even then no problems. And then on check out, I pay with my debit card. No problems. At least with Marriott (and Marriott chains like Residence Inn etc.) and Hilton (and hilton chains like Doubletree etc.) and Sheraton and Holiday Inn (and Holiday Inn chains like Holiday Inn Express). With Alamo/Budget/ etc. car rental companies I have the profile set up with them and they reserve cars for me on the debit cards. No problems there. Like I said before, with rental cars Hertz and Avis may not even reserve a car without cc. I hope that answer your question. Have you had any problems with making reservations?
If your happy with your "DEBIT" card and haven't gone "FAKE OVER-LIMIT" (CAUSING BOUNCED CHECKS) because of holds which usually mean nothing on a "REAL" CREDIT CARD as long a the credit limit is high enough, GO FOR IT...
I've expressed these thoughts before but a Visa/MC debit card is big trouble in my book if it ever falls into the wrong hands. This has happend to me several times. I don't play games anymore...the card is safely in the sock drawer. I do however see why people are fed up with credit cards. In this case, I would have to go along with the idea of a charge card of some type (i.e. AMEX, Diners, CB, etc.). Or do as GEORGE suggested and pre-pay that way you have no bill. I went with a friend a few weeks ago to rent a car and they would not take her Washington Mutual check card. Before they use to do it and put a $150 charge (not hold) on the card. Then when you returned the car and your bill was say $100, they would credit back $50. Not anymore. Now they want a credit card only and you have to have at least $75 available credit on it for the hold. The car rental place was Enterprise. The guy at the counter said that almost no rental car place takes debit cards anymore. This was at SJC airport.
Any body remember when there was no such thing as a credit card? What would car rentls and hotels do if CCs disappeared,close their doors or find another way to stay in business???
I agree w/ the potential problems of a debit cards being in the wrong hands. Although I don't have much in the bank, I wouldn't want to lose what I have OR go through the problems of waiting while everything gets resolved. I am in the camp of having credit cards but everybody is different. In my case, an ATM card is my undoing b/c I can work my way through cash quick.
