Money concern: going to Japan

chattychappy

Fabrice wrote: »

She booked through the Hyatt website.
She received confirmation email.

further down it says:
Now, what does prepayment means? They never charged her credit card until she cancelled. ???

No, but it seems the credit card details were tendered at the time of booking. Agree it could be clearer - but my interpretation is that you are liable for the full cost in advance and that it is not refundable.

Matt2389

Sorry to hear about your trip, you must be gutted but there's no way you can go at the moment. I'm guessing you booked a non-refundable rate? Same thing happened to me in February for Venice.
On another note, once Japan recovers, you should definitely re-plan, i stayed at the Hyatt in Tokyo for 4 nights and the Hyatt in Kyoto for 3, both great, Japan is an amazing country and it's so sad to see such a great country in such a state.

chattychappy

Matt2389 wrote: »

it's so sad to see such a great country in such a state.

And paradoxically, this state shows Japan at its best. I know Japan pretty well - people really are getting on with the job of getting things organised.

Most of Japan is unaffected (except for emotional/economic impact).

If you trust these things:
http://mextrad.blob.core.windows.net/page/13_Tokyo_en.html

radiation in Tokyo is currently about 0.1u Sievert/hour - certainly above normal - but less than a tenth what you get by living in certain parts of Cornwall.

choc_mouse

Fabrice wrote: »

She booked through the Hyatt website.
She received confirmation email.

further down it says:
Now, what does prepayment means? They never charged her credit card until she cancelled. ???

I'm afraid that means you will be billed for the whole stay before your arrival/at check-in (pre-pay) and that you won't get a refund even if you cancel it.

Consider it your donation to the Japanese people. My Japanese friends who weren't able to get home after the earthquake (as the trains had stopped) said some (maybe all) the hotels opened their empty rooms for them to stay at for free.

Fabrice

choc_mouse wrote: »

I'm afraid that means you will be billed for the whole stay before your arrival/at check-in (pre-pay) and that you won't get a refund even if you cancel it.

How do you book a room in a hotel of the highest standard of Hyatt, 6 weeks in advance of checking in and not get a penny back of the rate of your stay if you cancel the reservation? How? That is beyond me :mad:

Sorry choc_mousse but in our eyes that has got absolutely nothing to do with the japanese people, to whom i respect profondly, as you said, "hotel staff" (i'm certain not Hyatt chain headquarters) showed great compassion.
But it's got absolutely everything to do with capitalism and greed from the fat cats and shareholders because our money we lost didn't go to the japanese people but in their pockets.
I'd be glad if our cancelled room helped some people stuck away from home, but call me a cynic, i'm sure Hyatt managed to rent it again.

Fabrice

chattychappy

Fabrice wrote: »

How do you book a room in a hotel of the highest standard of Hyatt, 6 weeks in advance of checking in and not get a penny back of the rate of your stay if you cancel the reservation? How? That is beyond me :mad:

Seems it wasn't beyond you!

Seriously... alot of businesses use this model. Airlines do the same - pay more for a flexible ticket, pay less for one you can't cancel. This applies to "top" airlines (Singapore Airlines or whatever) as well as lesser ones....

Yep, you might not like capitalism... but having stayed in state hotels in communist countries, I think I prefer the ones run by capitalists!

Fabrice

chattychappy wrote: »

alot of businesses use this model. Airlines do the same - pay more for a flexible ticket, pay less for one you can't cancel. This applies to "top" airlines (Singapore Airlines or whatever) as well as lesser ones....

But there wasn't a more expensive "flexible" option, that's the problem.
A top business man would have had the same fate.
You guys don't get what i'm saying.

choc_mouse

Fabrice wrote: »

But there wasn't a more expensive "flexible" option, that's the problem.
A top business man would have had the same fate.
You guys don't get what i'm saying.

Chattchappy is right unfortunately.

I would have thought "NONREFUNDABLE" was a good enough hint that you wouldn't get your money back regardless of whether the rest of the email was clear or not.

I did just check the Hyatt Tokyo's website and there are "flexible" rates on offer (can cancel up to 24 hours before arrival). It's possible that for the room/date combination you selected all those flexible rates were fully booked.

We really do want to help you but I think in this instance, you're out of pocket and there's nothing you can do about it. Sorry!

Fabrice

Well, we live and learn... and cut our big losses


F.

Matt2389

As everyone has said, there really is nothing more you can do other than accept you booked a nonrefundable room
Sorry mate