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English translation: plus VAT and service charge

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:++ (double plus symbol)
Selected answer:plus VAT and service charge
Entered by: Waleed Mohamed

17:26 Jun 18, 2012
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Tourism & Travel
English term or phrase: ++ (double plus symbol)
Visa Platinum cardholders pay AED 1,200++ for a one night stay at Abu Dhabi’s new landmark of luxury and receive a hotel credit to the same value to use against your choice of dining or spa services, along with a complimentary one-category room upgrade, subject to availability.
*****************

What does this symbol ++ mean?
Waleed Mohamed
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 08:02
plus VAT and service charge
Explanation:
Having been lucky enough to stay in quite a few top-end luxury hotels (don't ask!) I can assure you that in a hotel context, as is the case here, it always means plus VAT and service charge.
So the AED 1,200 price will have VAT and service charges added to it.

It is never voluntary.

see for example:
"Typically, the surcharge will be written as 10% for VAT and a 5% service charge, but occasionally you might come across ‘plus plus’ or ‘+ +’ instead – it means the same thing."
http://www.haivenu-vietnam.com/traveltips-prices.htm
Selected response from:

Catharine Cellier-Smart
Reunion
Local time: 08:02
Grading comment
Thanks Cath and thanks Liz. Cath answer fits the context of my document.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +4From this amount upwards
Liz Dexter (was Broomfield)
5plus VAT and service charge
Catharine Cellier-Smart


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
From this amount upwards


Explanation:
I know it means from x amount upwards because I work for a US leisure magazine and they have this all the time and I had to ask them. Sometimes the extra is voluntary, but in this case it means that is the lowest price it will be. If the audience is high-end US folk, they will understand this. UK, probably not: better to put "From $x" or whatever gets that across.

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Note added at 7 mins (2012-06-18 17:33:25 GMT)
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In reply to your question, I've never seen it with one + only. As Tony mentions, this allows the price to go really high above that initial amount. You either need the PRICE ++ or to explain it in words. Does that help?

Liz Dexter (was Broomfield)
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Liz for your kind help! But is it different from one + symbol? If it is only one plus, will the meaning be different?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Yes, though the ++ actually means 'a lot more'
0 min
  -> My clients told me it could range from a little to a lot more, handily enough for people making their prices look as low as possible ... !!
agree  Jack Doughty
21 mins
  -> Thank you!
agree  jccantrell: With Tony on that, the more ++++, the higher it goes.
59 mins
  -> Thank you
neutral  Catharine Cellier-Smart: you're right about it being the lowest price it will be, but it is NEVER voluntary (see my answer). According to VAT and service charge rates it's not necessarily a lot more (cf. Tony), neither would it ever appear as ++++ (cf. jccantrell).
2 hrs
  -> I did say that IN THIS CASE it wasn't voluntary, but I was told by a client that their client puts it on items when they have a fund-raising event to encourage people to give more. I also agreed that it wasn't nec a lot more & it's always ++ not less/mor!
agree  Ashutosh Mitra
8 hrs
  -> Thank you!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
plus VAT and service charge


Explanation:
Having been lucky enough to stay in quite a few top-end luxury hotels (don't ask!) I can assure you that in a hotel context, as is the case here, it always means plus VAT and service charge.
So the AED 1,200 price will have VAT and service charges added to it.

It is never voluntary.

see for example:
"Typically, the surcharge will be written as 10% for VAT and a 5% service charge, but occasionally you might come across ‘plus plus’ or ‘+ +’ instead – it means the same thing."
http://www.haivenu-vietnam.com/traveltips-prices.htm

Catharine Cellier-Smart
Reunion
Local time: 08:02
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Thanks Cath and thanks Liz. Cath answer fits the context of my document.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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