Can you pay with Chèques Vacances on Booking? Find out how to work around the platform’s limits, which properties accept them and what alternatives exist so you can make the most of your ANCV vouchers.
Chèques Vacances on Booking: are they really accepted?
All year long you have carefully set aside your ANCV vouchers to enjoy a well-earned break. You log in to Booking, you find the ideal place for your getaway with family or friends, and then you find you cannot pay with those handy vouchers that are so widely used in France. It is very frustrating, we know. Do not worry, you are not the only one asking the question: can you pay with Chèques Vacances on Booking? You may be surprised to learn that the answer is not as clear-cut as it looks, and paying for your stay on this site may be more complicated than a simple card payment. Booking.com, as an online booking platform, acts as an intermediary between travellers and properties. It does not accept Chèques Vacances directly as a means of payment. All is not lost, however. Some establishments listed on Booking, notably hotels and campsites, may accept them under certain conditions. There are also ways of using your Chèques Vacances while still taking advantage of what this booking channel offers. In this article we will go through the options open to you and the alternatives available for paying with your precious vouchers. There is no need to panic: this way of paying for your holiday accommodation is far from obsolete.
1. Can you pay with Chèques Vacances on Booking?
If you were convinced you could use them as you pleased, you may be in for a surprise. The platform does not offer you this payment method directly. Unlike some other sites specialising in holiday stays, Booking.com offers no option to enter an ANCV code or to send online payments through Chèques Vacances Connect. But do not throw them away just yet. Even though there is no such thing as a « Booking holiday voucher » as such, some partner properties do accept them in certain circumstances. These are mainly hotels, campsites or holiday residences with a physical reception desk where you can pay on site. In that case the trick is simple: when you search, choose an establishment that allows payment on arrival, then contact it directly to confirm that it really does accept this method of payment. To improve your chances of using your Chèques Vacances and make the most of your budget, there are also some interesting alternatives, which we will look at next. In the meantime, do read up on what leads owners and managers to accept ANCV vouchers in their holiday lets.
2. How to use Chèques Vacances on Booking
If you want to use your Chèques Vacances for an online booking on Booking, you have to be resourceful, because the platform does not offer this payment option directly. Fortunately, several solutions exist to get around that limit and enjoy a benefit granted to many French employees.
The first tip is to choose accommodation that allows payment in Chèques Vacances on arrival, as we mentioned above. To do so, when searching on Booking, favour properties offering payment on site. Before confirming, contact the one that caught your eye to check that it accepts this form of payment.
Another alternative is to go through an intermediary. Some travel agencies and Booking partner platforms allow this type of holiday voucher to be converted into gift vouchers usable to book your base. This can be a good option if you want more flexibility in your choice of accommodation. For more information, visit the ANCV website, the guide to using your Chèques Vacances wisely.
Finally, if you are renting from a private owner, do talk to them directly about your situation. Good communication always leads to a workable solution. There is every chance they will already have mentioned this payment option for their property, in the appropriate message, as a host specialising in seasonal letting.
3. Which establishments accept Chèques Vacances?
Even if Booking does not, at least not directly, plenty of establishments do accept them outside the platform. You just have to know where to look.
Tourist accommodation accepting Chèques Vacances
If you want to pay for your stay with your Chèques Vacances, favour tourist accommodation belonging to the network of businesses affiliated to the Agence Nationale des Chèques Vacances (ANCV). There you will find in particular:
- Hotels: many hotel chains such as Ibis, Campanile and Mercure accept Chèques Vacances.
- Campsites: most of them in France take them, notably those in the Flower Campings or Yelloh! Village networks, for example.
- Self-catering cottages and guest houses: some independent owners also take them, especially if they carry the Gîtes de France label.
How to check whether an establishment accepts Chèques Vacances
Before booking, look up the businesses affiliated to the Chèques Vacances scheme on the ANCV’s official website. You can also contact the establishment directly to confirm that it accepts Chèques Vacances as a means of payment.
If you are booking with a private owner through Booking, bear in mind once again that some owners may be open to this alternative. In that case it can be worth discussing the payment options they offer. You can also take the opportunity to ask what their policy is on security deposits to cover their short-term let.
4. How are Chèques Vacances refunded?
If you have used Chèques Vacances to pay for a stay and you have to cancel, you are probably wondering how to get your money back. Refunding Chèques Vacances follows precise rules that are worth knowing.
Can Chèques Vacances be refunded?
The first thing to know is that they are not directly refundable in cash. In some cases, however, a partial refund is possible. A credit note may also be granted by the business that took them. This depends on the payment system the accommodation provider has in place.
Who handles the refund?
- The accommodation concerned: if you paid with Chèques Vacances and cancel within the stated time limits, the hotelier, owner or tourism professional may grant it in the form of new vouchers.
- The ANCV: in certain situations, notably for unused vouchers approaching expiry, a payment request can be made directly to the agency.
What are the refund charges?
Refund charges vary according to the issuer of the Chèques Vacances and the establishment. Some providers apply administrative fees, while others simply refuse to refund at all. Hence the importance of reading the small print carefully before booking firmly.
What to do in the event of a dispute
If an establishment or a host refuses a refund that was provided for in the general or particular terms of sale, you can contact ANCV customer services or refer the matter to a consumer mediator.
That said, no full or partial return of your money can take place if damage to the property is found, which is why a full inventory of condition matters. It serves as evidence both for the accommodation provider and for you as the customer and occupier.
5. What are the alternatives to Chèques Vacances?
If the « book with Chèques Vacances » option does not appear for a property, on Booking or elsewhere, all is not lost. There are several other ways to finance your holiday and still enjoy a wide choice of places to stay.
Gift cards
Booking, like other platforms such as Airbnb or Expedia, offers gift cards that you can buy and use to book your accommodation, hotel room, mobile home or whatever else. They are ideal for giving a stay as a present or budgeting for your holiday in advance.
Paying in instalments
More and more online travel agencies and booking channels allow payment in instalments through services such as Klarna, PayPal or Alma. This is a handy way of spreading the cost without hitting your finances all at once.
Cheques and bank transfers
Although uncommon on the big booking platforms, some independent hotels, guest houses and cottages still accept payment by cheque or transfer. Before booking, check the options the establishment offers.
Partner vouchers and discounts
Some companies offer discount vouchers usable towards a stay. These offers are often valid with specific partners and save you money on accommodation.
6. What does it cost to use Chèques Vacances?
While Chèques Vacances let you pay for part or all of your stay, it is worth knowing the costs involved in using them. Between the commission charged to businesses and the possible restrictions, here is what you need to know before actually using them.
For establishments that accept Chèques Vacances
Businesses that accept Chèques Vacances have to be affiliated to the Agence Nationale des Chèques Vacances. That membership carries a cost for accepting this means of payment. It takes the form of a commission deducted on each transaction, generally around 2.5% of the amount received.
The consequence: some establishments prefer to limit acceptance to payments made on site and refuse to let these vouchers cover the whole of your stay.
Is there a maximum amount?
In theory there is no maximum amount for using Chèques Vacances. However, some places impose ceilings and require part payment by card or in cash to cover incidental charges (tourist tax, deposit, extras and so on).
Charges for converting or exchanging your Chèques Vacances
If you hold paper Chèques Vacances and want to digitise them through Chèques Vacances Connect, the ANCV applies conversion charges. In addition, if your vouchers are about to expire you can request an exchange, but that also carries a charge.
7. Which other platforms accept Chèques Vacances?
While Booking does not accept Chèques Vacances directly, other seasonal letting and travel platforms do support them. Here is an overview of the main options for booking your holiday with this means of payment.
Airbnb: a possible but indirect alternative
Airbnb does not allow payment in Chèques Vacances directly through its platform. Some hosts, however, accept this form of payment outside the online payment system. It is therefore worth contacting the host directly to find out whether they are open to this kind of transaction.
As for this well-known booking channel, some owners or managers may have chosen to move away from it and focus on Booking.com instead. As a traveller, do read up on how they went about deleting an Airbnb account, if you want to do the same.
