Should he trust?

[Ladymuck]

Hubby is currently contracting in Finland, so things like accommodation are down to him. Prior to leaving for Finland, he pre-booked a hotel on-line for a few days only - just in case it didn't correspond with his requirements. It is an internet-only hotel - so no walk-ins. Thankfully, this temporary place of residence suits his needs and he now wishes to extend his stay for a month. On approaching the, on the face of it, highly laid back hotel "management" to do this, he was instructed to simply leave the money in his room in an envelope for someone to collect at some point during the day (whilst he is at work). Hubby's view is that, bearing in mind that we are not talking about a pittance here, this - to a street-wise Londoner, anyway - all seems rather odd.

I should say that, for better or for worse, I have a tendency to overly trust (so I am constantly told), and so - on hearing of hubby's "predicament" - my first reaction was one of delight that the Finns appeared to be devoid of the distrust prevalent in cities like London. Hubby, however, is far more sceptical and is worried about leaving a wad of cash in the room in this way.

Apparently, there is no other mechanism for extending the stay. So what should he do? Is his cynicism justified or am I being a bit too naive?

[HAL9000]

Can't he re-book the extension and pay online again as he (presumably) did for the original booking?

[Ladymuck]

Crikey, I don't know!

Seems the obvious thing to do though! ha ha

I shall speak to him tonight and - ahem - suggest it...

Oh you've made me laugh...:))

[DJKillaQueen]

Yeah...don't be leaving money in envelopes for goodness only knows who to collect.

[Ladymuck]

You calling me naive?

[SeanMacGabhann]

I quite often encounter situations like this abroad - I haven't been scammed yet. If you are being told by staff/owners then I'm happy enough to go with the flow. And you get to come away feeling better about the world

[karter]

Yep go with Seanmac on this, i would.(tu)

[DJKillaQueen]

I personally think it is foolish to leave money and for someone to collect. At least hand it to someone and get a receipt, because whilst most people may well be honest, it just takes the one who is not and you have no proof of ever having then paid the money.

[karter]

Fair enough Dj but if that is the system they use you know...

[Ladymuck]

Yes, I have to say I am with you Sean (and karter): sometimes you just have to trust.

As for you, your Majesty, hubby is definitely with you!

But there is - even in my overly trusting mind - this little speck of apprehension. It's not an insignificant amount of dosh to lose. (And he is working so hard, in the extreme cold, with little daylight, away from home :().

[SeanMacGabhann]

All very sensible of course, but personally I get more of a thrill when people show themselves up to be good. What you know living in south-London doesn't always apply abroad or elsewhere in the country and if you stick to what you know you never learn

[Jeremy]

No way. Why on earth would they want you to leave an envelope of cash in the room? Best case scenario is that they're hoping to pocket the money, while telling the management the room was empty. Worst case scenario is that the money will disappear, and it will be your word against theirs. Neither of these would make me feel even slightly better about the world.

[Twirly]

Am not quite sure why they want it to just be left in the room - it makes no sense for him not to be able to hand it to someone, even if they have to specify that he has to do it at a particular time.

If he has a problem appearing not to trust them, just tell them that he needs to hand it over and get a receipt for tax purposes. Might help save face. Or do the booking online as suggested.

[Ladymuck]

> At least hand it to

> someone and get a receipt...

He has tried this and has been told that the procedure is to leave the cash in the room. Apparently, upon its collection, a receipt will be left in its place.

[expat]

Is he in Helsiki? If not I am with Sean - go for it.

[Ladymuck]

Thank you expat. He is about an hour or so a drive from Helsinki - out in the sticks.

His current hotel is the only one there: it is convenient to his place of work. Were he to move this would incur travelling costs and a troublesome journey into work in the cold (public transportation is limited and he has not hired a car).

You sound as though you know a bit about Helsinki and its environs?

[DJKillaQueen]

Hmm maybe the hotel owner is xenopobic....hence the lack of human involvement.....

By the way...have you seen the movie 'Hostel'? It suddenly comes to mind.....hotel in the middle of nowhere...the only one....leave the cash on the table to be collected.......just saying like lol.....;-)

[HAL9000]

I don't suppose any of the risk takers will indemnify any losses incurred by taking their advice - no, thought not?

Risk management: if they insist on money being left in the room, just leave enough to cover each day's board.

[Ladymuck]

> Hmm maybe the hotel owner is xenopobic....hence

> the lack of human involvement.....

Oh I doubt that very much...my contact with Finns has always been very, very positive - extremely friendly lot. I think the lack of human involvement is purely down to the fact that it's an internet-hotel. Hubby himself has said that the guy was very pleasant - just disarmingly laid back.

>

> By the way...have you seen the movie 'Hostel'? It

> suddenly comes to mind.....hotel in the middle of

> nowhere...the only one....leave the cash on the

> table to be collected.......just saying like

> lol.....;-)

HA HA HA PMSL

[Ladymuck]

> Risk management: if they insist on money being

> left in the room, just leave enough to cover each

> day's board.

That's a really good idea; only he would have to leave at least one week's board as someone comes in to clean etc. once a week only. But I think hubby would like your thinking.

[Narnia]

Surely he just has to say that he can't leave it in his room as he needs a receipt for work/tax purposes.Receipt = proof of purchase. My experience of Scandanavians(have spent time in Sweden and Norway on work trips) though is that they are as honest as the day is long........er, short. If he is in the sticks probably even moreso.

[Ladymuck]

The receipt is not the problem: they are willing to issue this automatically. BUT it will be issued in place of the cash (in the room). It seems that the personnel floating around the hotel are not willing/allowed to take the cash and/or issue receipts at a personal level.

I agree with you on natives from Scandinavian/Nordic countries though: very nice people.

[HAL9000]

This is an internet hotel! The management probably hasn't even seen most of the guests - who knows who they really are? Probably not even Finnish - could have booked in with stolen credit card details for all we know.

There's no merit in trust when there are so many unknown quantities involved.

[Ladymuck]

But, if they were that dishonest, they would have taken the money from hubby when he offered it - surely?

You are scaring me now...

[KidKruger]

taking the cash from your hubby when face to face and then keeping it would mean a person is identified as the culprit.

sounds very odd, however up country would be more reliable as people are saying, ie. Tampere / Jvaskula.

A solid bunch,, those Finns.