How should a resort structure its merchant accounts?
A resort should run lodging under MCC 7011 and give each major outlet its own merchant ID, such as 5812 for restaurants and 7298 for health and beauty spas. Each outlet qualifies for its own interchange category, and reports show revenue by outlet. Our guide to MCC 7011 lists the lodging codes.
How do resorts handle large incidental authorizations?
Resorts handle large incidentals by authorizing an estimate at check-in and adding incremental authorizations as outlet charges post. This avoids a single oversized hold that declines a guest's card on day 1. Read hotel pre-authorization for how incremental authorizations work.
What payment platforms work for resort spas?
Resort spas work best on a spa booking platform that posts charges to the PMS folio through a certified interface, with the spa running its own merchant ID. Guests sign to the room, and the folio carries the charge to checkout. Standalone spa terminals that cannot post to the folio create reconciliation work every night.