How to pay hotels and stays abroad with a virtual dollar card

Updated on October 18, 2026

Hotels, vacation rentals and booking sites usually charge in US dollars or in the local currency of the destination. With a virtual Visa card holding a dollar balance you pay the booking online and know what leaves your balance before you travel.

Issue virtual card

How to pay hotels and stays abroad with a virtual dollar card

How do you pay a hotel booking abroad with a dollar card?

Bookings for hotels and Airbnb-style vacation rentals are paid online by card, on the booking website or app. With the price and the balance in dollars, the amount is exact and does not depend on the exchange rate.

Guarapay issues a virtual prepaid Visa card with a US-dollar balance in about two minutes, in the Guarapay app or the Telegram mini app @guarapay_bot. The card works online wherever Visa cards are accepted. Some merchants may decline cards according to their own rules, so check in the app that the payment was approved.

This guide covers bookings paid online. Paying at the front desk and car rental deposits are outside its scope.

How do you pay for a stay step by step?

Open the Guarapay app or the Telegram mini app @guarapay_bot and create an account.
Issue the virtual card; the issue fee is US$ 10 on Standard or US$ 100 on Premium.
Top up the booking amount, a margin for possible temporary holds and the US$ 0.25 per-purchase fee, using a Visa or Mastercard bank card in your own name or USDT.
On the booking website or app, choose to pay online now, if that option exists for the stay.
If checkout asks for the currency, choose to pay in US dollars (USD).
Enter the card number, expiry, security code, name and billing address as they appear in the app.
Confirm the booking and look for the purchase notification in the app, which arrives right away.

Should you pay in dollars or in the local currency?

Some booking sites show the price in the local currency of the destination and offer to convert it to another currency at their own exchange rate. Since the card balance is in dollars, choosing USD is usually the most predictable route.

If the charge comes in another currency, Visa converts it to dollars on the date of the purchase.

What is a pre-authorization and why is part of the balance on hold?

Some hotels and booking platforms may place a pre-authorization: a temporary hold of an amount on the card to secure the booking, before or instead of the final charge. While the hold is active, that part of the balance may be unavailable for other purchases.

How long the release takes depends on the property and on payment processing, so keep a margin on the balance above the booking amount.

How much does it cost to pay for a stay with the card?

The nightly rate, platform fees and any local taxes are what the booking site shows; Guarapay does not change them. On the card side, you top up the booking amount, the 2% top-up fee is taken at top-up, and each approved charge costs US$ 0.25.

On Premium the top-up fee is 1%. There is no monthly card fee. If you top up with a local bank card, your bank may add its own taxes and exchange rate; with USDT the top-up lands directly in dollars.

The monthly limit of the card is US$ 10,000 on Standard and US$ 100,000 on Premium. With several bookings, add everything up and adjust the monthly cap and per-purchase cap in the app.

Why was my booking payment declined?

If the charge is declined, the money stays on your balance. Check these points:

Insufficient balance: it must cover the booking, a possible hold and US$ 0.25 per purchase.
Caps in the app: the monthly or per-purchase cap may be lower than the booking amount.
Frozen card: unfreeze it in the app before trying again.
A name or billing address that differs from what the app shows.
Try again after a few minutes and, if it still fails, contact support through the Telegram bot in the app or on the website.

What mistakes are most common?

Topping up the exact booking amount with no margin for a pre-authorization.
Choosing to pay at the property when the plan was to pay online with the virtual card.
Accepting the site currency conversion when paying in USD was possible.
Not reading the cancellation and refund terms before confirming.

Sources

FAQ

Do booking sites accept virtual cards?

They take card payments, and the Guarapay card works wherever Visa is accepted. Some merchants may decline cards according to their own rules, so check the approval in the app.

When does the held amount return to the balance?

It depends on the hotel or platform. Follow it in the app and, if it takes long, contact the property and Guarapay support.

How do I top up the balance?

In the app, with a Visa or Mastercard bank card in your own name or with USDT, with no minimum amount.

Is there a monthly fee for the card?

No. You pay the issue fee of US$ 10 (US$ 100 on Premium), the top-up fee of 2% (1% on Premium) and US$ 0.25 per approved purchase.

What if I cancel the booking?

The refund follows the rules of the hotel or platform; follow it in the app. To block any new charge right away, freeze the card in the app.