Hotel refuses refund

gazter

Just come across a bizarre situation. My other half needed a hotel in London for a weekend, made a booking, paid full amount. The event she was attended ended up no longer taking part. She went to website to cancel within hours of booking. It informs her of a £10 cancellation fee. Fair enough she thought. Room cancelled, refund offered.

Up pops a late payment charge on her credit card (she's very careful and pays it off every month by bank transfer). On her card is still the charge for the entire amount.

She contacts the hotel assuming it is just a mistake. No. It isn't. The normal definition of 'cancellation' seems different to them. They don't refund the fee to your credit card, they place it in a 'credit shell' which can only be used at their hotel and within twelve months.

Here are t&c:
"Cancellations

Payment made for bookings are non-refundable.
Booking cancellations MUST be made at least three (3) full days before the scheduled check-in date. A cancellation fee applies for each Booking Confirmation cancelled (Please refer to Fee Schedule). The value of your booking minus the cancellation fee will be credited to your credited to your Tune Hotels’ registered account in a credit shell ("Credit Shell") for your future booking(s) with Tune Hotels subject to the terms of use of Credit Shell and provided that the booking value is more than the cancellation fee.
Any cancellation made less than three (3) full days from the scheduled check-in date (irrespective of the number of stay dates booked) or any no-show in respect of a booking, will result in the total payment under that Booking Confirmation being forfeited irrespective of the number of stay dates remaining.
Change of Guest name and cancellation of booking can only be made online at https://bookings.tunehotels.com/AccClient/MyInformation.asp
Unless otherwise expressly stated, no changes or cancellation will be allowed for promotional bookings. Please read the terms and conditions of the relevant promotion carefully, which terms of promotion shall apply to the booking and shall be binding on you.

Use of Credit Shell
Your Credit Shell amount:
will be created in the currency which your booking transaction was made and must be used in that same currency for payment of future bookings with Tune Hotels
is currency-specific and is not valid for bookings for Tune Hotels operating in other currencies
is valid for a period of six (6) months from the date of cancellation of your booking. If you fail to use it within the validity period, the amount in your Credit Shell will be absolutely forfeited
is not transferable to other persons or accounts
is not exchangeable for cash
cannot be used for payment of non-room related transactions at the Hotel"

I have never heard of such an onerous one sided t&c.

Anyway of challenging this?

hollydays

Your lucky they have offered any money back

peachyprice

gazter wrote: »

J
Anyway of challenging this?

Are these the T&C's she ticked a box to say she had read and agreed to before she booked?

gazter

hollydays wrote: »

Your lucky they have offered any money back

They haven't. They have offered credit.

hollydays

Yes but most hotels won't even do that-that's my point

hollydays

Good location, good price, do you have any family who might like to use it?

peachyprice

hollydays wrote: »

Yes but most hotels won't even do that-that's my point

Exactly. The majority of budget, pre-bookable hotel rooms are 100% non refundable. At least she has a credit for a room should she, or anyone else, need one over the next 12 months.