Currency

[shelly67]

Hi all

Our 3rd trip from the UK up and coming but, with the fall of the GBP against the USD, our trips are now costing us much, much more than last year (not put us off though as already booked for 4th trip later this year!). However, the GBP has fared much better against the Peso so we would rather pay our Desire bill etc in Pesos than USD - do any of you know if Desire will accept cash payment of the final bill is Pesos or do they always convert to USD?

Many thanks

Gordon and Michelle

[CokeMann]

They base all their pricing in USD - however when your credit card is charged it is charged in Mexican Peso for the equivalent in USD.

Sort of crazy - ie like a Harrods pricing everything in Euros and then charging your credit card in pounds sterling for the Euro equivalent ????

[alpn9999]

Hi,

I think that they will want you to pay in advance so it must be USD.

However, we just came back from our trip and we saved lots of $$ by paying everything we with pesos. The trick is to change the USD to Pesos at the airport where you can get 15 pesos for 1 dollar (some exchange in the airport will offer a ratio of 10 but the street ratio is 15). When you pay in USD they use 10 pesos for a dollar so you are losing money.

For example, a private taxi from the airport to the hotel will cost you 700 pesos (unless you book it from Desire). If you pay in USD you will be charged $70. If you pay in pesos, you only need $46 ...

Enjoy your trip

[shelly67]

Sorry - I meant the end bill for extras (massages, meal supplements etc) rather than the accomodation (which we have paid for already in USD).

Coke - do you mean that they will preapre our final bill on check out in USD automatically or do you mean that payment will automatically be taken in USD if we pay by credit card? i.e. if we settle in cash will we be able to pay in Pesos?

Changing to USD and then changing these to Pesos would defeat the object for us as the GBP-USD exchange rate is so poor currently.....

Thanks

G & M

[CokeMann]

Gordon and Michelle

Desire runs it's billing model in USD - ie room charges, Spa treatments, extra charges for special wine or special dinners, etc are all calculated in USD.

Obviously this is a big financial advantage to them as long as the exchange rate from USD to MXN remains high. They pay all staff wages as well as all other goods and services for running the resort in Pesos

However when the final bill is prepared they translate all these billing charges into the legal currency of the country (Mexican Pesos) at the exchange rate they have posted for that day.

ie the final bill is presented to you for payment ( Cash or CC ) in Mexican Pesos

The bottom line is you will generally be better off either paying in Pesos or having you CC company do the translation to <br>£ sterling when it comes through, rather than you dealing(and usually losing on one more exchange rate conversion) with a third intermediate currency such as USD

BTW
- the legal currency for Mexico is the Mexican Peso
- all businesses operating within Mexico are required to accept the legal currency of the country
- all taxi fares(by Mexican law) are calculated in Pesos
- all local shops, restaurants, etc calculate their price of goods or services in Pesos

Bottom line is that with the current exchange rates you are much better off economically bringing(or getting from local ATMs) Pesos for any extras, than facing a in between exchange into USD.

[shelly67]

Thanks Coke - will get some Pesos then and settle the final bill like that then - all the more spare cash for our next Desire trip!!

Many thanks

Gordon and Michelle

[sensualcnds]

Hello All
For those of you that will be at the resort shortly, they are converting US funds to Pesos at a rate of 1US=13.5 Pesos. This rate was as of March 15th.

Another thing to keep in mind if you do use your CC. Some cards charge a fee to convert funds back to your home currency. These fee's differ from CC to CC, but can be in the range of about 2%.

Have a great day.