Experiences of Being Charged a Cancellation Fee ?

[Rick93]

How common is it, for Holiday Inns ( or other IHG brands ), to continue to impose the 'one night cancellation fee' AFTER the booking was cancelled ( confirmed by Cancellation Number ) ??

I will admit to booking an 'Advanced Booking Rate' ( which on this occasion, was 10GBP cheaper than Best Flexible ).

Recent travels had me booking a number of nights, and later cancelling and re-booking for cheaper rates or using points etc.

Holiday Inn Ariel ( Heathrow London ), has been the only property to reject a forward cancellation, and used the term "Failure to Show" on the account.

 

[Rick93]

I'm open to being 'shot' my multiple attacks ...

Anybody got anything to comment at all ?

 

[serfty]

If you cancel a prepaid/advanced rate booking (or any other that imposes cancelation fees), you should expect to pay that fee. Anything that costs less is a bonus.

Sometimes you may be able to negotiate with the property (change to a later date etc.) or even cancel outright (and refund anything taken or just not charge); however the property is quite within it's rights to simply impose the relevant fee (or not refund as the case may be).

 

[JohnK]

My last booking at HI Chiang Mai was prepaid. Arrived at hotel to be told that money had not been taken as there was a problem with credit card and can I pay upfront. What would have happened if I hadn't turned up?

Same for CP Surfers Paradise on weekend. Payment not taken for prepaid booking.

 

[kcoulson]

I booked a prepaid deal for 2 nights in Singapore, and months later realised that payment had not been taken. This prompted me to look at the hotel website, and I realised that the price (for identical) was now $170 cheaper. This annoyed me since I hadn't even paid yet. I emailed the hotel, who tried to insist that it was fair to charge the original amount. I sent a lot of polite emails telling them that I wasn't happy. Eventually a team leader told me that I would be charged the lower amount (in writing). I noticed that they subsequently charged my credit card for the higher amount, and also under pending transactions another $450 Singapore is on hold (no drama - except I used my prepaid Qantas cashcard (so real prepaid money) - not a real credit card..... which I was intending to hand over when we arrive for bond purposes). I know that we will get the lower amount charged eventually, they agreed in writing - but I know that there is going to be an argument when we arrive to check-in in July (after a long flight back from UK). Still for $170, it was worth sending a few emails.

 

[Rick93]

Well, for those interested ....

After several emails to the property concerned, and later to their GM ....

I have been advised, that I WILL receive a refund .... as a 'once off good will' gesture.

I responded with much thanks to the GM for his leadership decision.

 

[muppet]

I don't understand this thread....

People buy non-refundable discounted rooms then complain to the hotel when their plans change???

I'm all for ASKING for a refund or if the room can be used another night. But to complain because the price went down or send "multiple emails to GM" because you no longer need the room .... seriously??

 

[kcoulson]

I would agree with you (since normally an early prepayment means a discount) - and I would have had no issue.... except they didn't take the payment for the room (as in, 5 months later - payment was still not taken). Then I should be on an equal footing for the best deal of the day.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I would agree with you (since normally an early prepayment means a discount) - and I would have had no issue.... except they didn't take the payment for the room (as in, 5 months later - payment was still not taken). Then I should be on an equal footing for the best deal of the day.

I'm happy for you that you received your discount, but you entered an agreement when you clicked the "book" button......not 5 months later. Sometimes prices go down and sometimes they go up...or sell out entirely. Just when the hotel decides to charge you for the rate agreed upon is not a valid reason to expect a reduction. Tell me, if the rates increased would you be asking the hotel to increase the rate?

 

[Rick93]

I'm always amused by the way people 'read into' general questions on posts, and give it their own 'little twist' ...

Post one, was a general question. Some respondents have added their own implications ...

Let me clarify ...

Booking made some time ago. Yes. Advance purchase rate. Agreed - conditions apply.
REGARDLESS of that particular room price up or down, airline changed flight to later on the evening of travel ( which was next day ).
Reassessed my position, and given I was already in one hotel, thought I'd be better off to stay, rather than move across town to the other.
Cancelled the 'other' booking online with about 24 hrs. notice AFTER I checked the credit card statement online, to note that the 'Advance Payment' had apparently not been deducted.
Plan went ahead.

It was only upon seeing IHG Rewards Account details of 'Overlapping Stay', did I look closely, to find within the details, I had a "NO SHOW" attached.
This started my inquiries ...

I asked my current hotel Receptionist at the time, if they could see any 'conflict' on their system ( anything related to cancelled booking or overlapping stay etc. ), and they said no.
So, I assumed all would be OK.

Sure, I'll know different next time, or rather, I'll avoid a 'next time' ....

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'm always amused by the way people 'read into' general questions on posts, and give it their own 'little twist' ...

Post one, was a general question. Some respondents have added their own implications ...

I'm not sure who the respondents that you are specifically referring to are, but you did make a post which read

I'm open to being 'shot' my multiple attacks ... Anybody got anything to comment at all ?

May not be overly wise to ask people to give their honest opinion of your situation and then lambast them for it. Seems you asked for honesty when you really wanted sympathy. If I were one of those respondents you referred to as adding my own implications, I was not actually addressing your post but my comments possibly applied equally. The fact there was an alteration with your airline booking is neither IHGs fault nor problem. IHG sold you an inflexible advance purchase booking which you accepted. The fact they have agree to your request for a refund is a sign of a proactive guest relation attitude for a frequent customer, not a sign that you were actually right in your demands. The appropriate course of action would have been perhaps a claim against the airline or travel insurance rather than demanding HI give special consideration. Another thing from your first post was this comment

Recent travels had me booking a number of nights, and later cancelling and re-booking for cheaper rates or using points etc.

which tended to suggest to me at least, that you had become used to booking AP rooms then cancelling them, but when IHG decided to apply their T&Cs, you felt hard done by. The respondents were actually responding to the information you wrote and none of us had the benefit of your clarification, which in my estimation really doesn't change the facts, but this is just my opinion and as I've previously stated, I'm happy to hear they came to the party for you. There is no animosity meant in either this post or my previous post. All information is good information in the correct application. I apologise if I offended you.

 

[JohnK]

I'm always amused by the way people 'read into' general questions on posts, and give it their own 'little twist' ...

Post one, was a general question. Some respondents have added their own implications ...

It's a discussion forum.

 

[Pushka]

Is there anything in the terms and conditions of a prebooked hotel that states the payment must be taken immediately? I don't think so.

If your booking reference still shows as being a valid booking then the pre-paid conditions still exist.

 

[Rick93]

Reference to me 'booking and cancelling' rooms doesn't & didn't mean they were ALL Advanced Booking rates. Only the room in question was.

You know, this Forum can get confusing at times ...

On one hand, you have people making all sorts of claims about their travel / credit card exploits - all to gain some advantage.
Then, you have others who want to discredit others for 'having a go' at something that may or may not be a legal certainty - again, to produce the advantage over 'corporate giants' that make billions in profit.

So, with IHG .... they place a statement of T&Cs about a room rate, and they make the statement, that they will charge payment ( words to the effect ) 'prior to check in'.
Then, when they don't do this, and the booking is cancelled by the customer ... is the 'contract' intact ?
I thought not. Simple as that. If they didn't do what they said they would do ... then why should I ?

If IHG was really concerned about their customers 'booking and cancelling 'Advanced Purchase' rates, then they should debit the credit card ASAP, and not wait.
Simple as that.

 

[serfty]

...
If IHG was really concerned about their customers 'booking and cancelling 'Advanced Purchase' rates, then they should debit the credit card ASAP, and not wait.
Simple as that.

Some IHG hotels take the money immediately some don't and, I guess, some do both.

Whether they do or not does not change the basic contract entered into on booking an inflexible rate.

That the hotel property management being prepared to release a customer out of that contract is up to them, not the customer.

It's more good luck if it happens over anything else. See post 3 ...

If you cancel a prepaid/advanced rate booking (or any other that imposes cancelation fees), you should expect to pay that fee. Anything that costs less is a bonus.

Sometimes you may be able to negotiate with the property (change to a later date etc.) or even cancel outright (and refund anything taken or just not charge); however the property is quite within it's rights to simply impose the relevant fee (or not refund as the case may be).