Lolo Hot Springs Resort and RV Park

Lolo Hot Springs is actually in Montana - still strange that they wouldn't accept cash.

They probably wanted a CC on file in case there was any damage discovered to anything on the site after your departure.

Sorry Idaho State, but it is close! They would except cash but also wanted credit card. As for damage discovered after you left, they had all info on the card we filled out. Looked like just a good way to get more money. They could claim damage and as we were from out of state, they would have a good chance we wouldn't come back to fight it. Never talked to the manager as he was in the bar and wouldn't come talk to us.

Must have made you mad, had to post it a year later.

Try getting into a hotel or renting a car without a credit card.

Why is it.. so many first-time posters (and often only time) complain about some park??

I've been in that bar many times. Great place wonderful people.

2oldman wrote:
Why is it.. so many first-time posters (and often only time) complain about some park??

Perhaps a competitor? Maybe not in this case, but certainly others. It does seem odd a first post is a complaint.

My first post was a thank you to all the RV.net members for great information.

It's pretty common for folks to want a credit card, I don't understand what the big deal is. You certainly can't get a hotel room or rental car without one.

Next time try asking if you can leave a cash security deposit instead of the credit card. I know that sometimes you can do that with rental cars, or at least used to be able to.

Cash is legal tender for debts; "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private." You don't have a debt just because you're standing in the office talking to them, so they don't have to accept cash as payment or impose other legal restrictions. They could perfectly well require payment in lima beans or monopoly money or western union money orders if they wanted, though that might not be good for business. By the same token, you're free to leave without conducting any business if you don't like the terms, as you did.

If you had stayed for the night first and had to pay on the way out, you would then owe a debt, and they would have to accept cash payment (or I suppose forgive the debt if they preferred). In this hypothetical situation, of course, they may also accept payment in forms other than cash if it's mutually agreeable.

Most every motel, hotel I've ever checked in to require you to use your credit card and keep an open account; when you check out in the morning or whenever the account is closed and you sign the bill as complete. You're only responsible for what the final bill was. This is handy for the guest as well as the motel/hotel in case you wanted to rent a video, had some additional room charges, or whatever. Looks like the RV resort is going the same way to protect themselves from guests who tear things up, have additional expenses or whatever. I see no problem with Lolo Hot Springs procedures.