The best magazine
1. check if the hotel warned you prior to booking the consequences if you would cancel the hotel booking. If they did not properly inform you, you may have a case despite the fact that you are past the deadline for a refund. If they still refuse to cancel the reservation and return your money call your credit card company directly and ask them to cancel the charge.
2.What can you do if the hotel refuses to refund your money? Are you out of luck and must forfeit your payment? Don't worry, there might still be a way to save your money.
The note in your schedule book reads – make hotel reservation. This however is often easier said than done! Hotel reservations can often be the most expensive part of a trip especially if you are staying for an extended period of time or at a top quality hotel. Many travelers easily pay $1000, $2000, $3000 or more on hotels during a weeklong vacation. What happens if you have made reservations at a hotel and you have to cancel for some personal reason? Can you get your money back? Will you have to forfeit your payment? Is there a way to recoup the payment, all of it, or even just some of it? What can you do if the hotel refuses to refund your money? Are you out of luck and must forfeit your payment? Don't worry, there might still be a way to save your money.
Cancellation hotels – do these two terms go together or is it more like pulling teeth?
A lot depends on the establishment's hotel cancellation policy. Some hotels have a no-refund policy, especially if the hotel booking was prepaid. Others will refund your money but only if you do it within a specific period of time. Many hotels will allow cancellations and refund your money if you call as late as two days before your reservation. Others are stricter and demand more than three days notice. If the period of reservation is during a popular holiday period or during a special event and the hotel is usually fully booked during that period the establishment may demand prior notice of a full month in advance!
If you go get a refund it should be issued within about three to five business days. Any more than that and you should probably begin to get suspicious. Your bank is responsible to list the refund on your credit card account. Often the reservation fee, usually about five to ten dollars is non-refundable.
In some cases the hotel may allow cancelling hotel reservations but may charge you a penalty. This could be up to 50% of the reservation, but usually is less than 25%.
Source: ...