Sometimes plans can change during the trip and you end up losing the hotel reservation you had made. When things don’t go as planned, it’s important to contact the hotel you planned to stay at to avoid being charged hotel fees without using their services. Hotels have gotten stricter on their cancellation policies, which means you should be aware of these policies before you book a hotel.
How hotel cancellation policies work
Today, hotels can create their policies the way they want, without being restricted or guided by any agency. This has made it quite an uneven playing field, meaning every hotel is different from another. Hotels vary in their policy, so it’s wise to read the fine print before you book. While some hotels give you until the night before you arrive to cancel, these are fewer and fewer. Many hotels now require advance notice of up to 72 hours or more when you want to cancel a reservation. If you miss the stipulated time, you can be charged from as little as one night for each room you booked, up to the charge for the entire period you were supposed to stay. While these hotel charges seem ridiculous in the least, hotels are still entitled to keep the charges. So it’s up to you to cover your flanks. This is how you do it.
read the fine print
This point cannot be stressed enough. Reading the fine print of the hotel’s policies will help you understand what charges apply and to what extent. This will help you plan ahead for any eventuality of a no-show. If you cannot handle the stipulated charges, then it is best to find another hotel that will accommodate you. Knowing what the hotel requires can also give you a bargaining chip to negotiate beforehand. If you can get them to commit before you don’t show, then you can save on fines.
Contact the Hotel
When you suspect that you might not show up, you should find out about the cancellation procedure before making your reservation. Talking to the hotel is a good way to get the right information even after reading the policy on their site online. Once you’ve written down the procedure, you’ll be well prepared to dispute any charges if you canceled the right way and followed the correct procedure.
have tangible evidence
When making a cancellation, make sure you have proof that you have indeed canceled your reservation. You may receive a cancellation number if you do so over the phone. If you use email to cancel the reservation, you have your proofs. However, phone calls are in a better position to handle these issues as they cannot be refuted. You can always say that you never saw the email.
Follow up
There are times when you have taken the correct steps to cancel and your credit card is still charged. During these times, you must contact the hotel with your cancellation information, as well as a request to credit your account with the deducted amount. If this is not done, you can always appeal with your credit card company.
Other ways to cover yourself
As mentioned above, if you feel that a hotel’s policies are too prohibitive, you can always find another hotel that is more suited to your needs. Please note that the only way to avoid being charged a no-show fee is to follow their cancellation procedure. Unless you do this, you will only have yourself to blame. Another way to cover yourself from these hotel charges is to have a travel insurance policy. This is beneficial in many ways.