Hotel Cancellation Refusing Refund

Waller201631

Hi, looking for some advice on legal rights with regards to refunds from hotel cancellations. My common sense tells me if I have not received any service then they are not entitled to keep my money, but I'm sure it's a lot more complicated than that.

So I was looking to book a hotel with my girlfriend and on the phone she said " lets book one tomorrow". Being my spontaneous self I literally did book one for the next day when that wasn't what she meant. In any case within 30 seconds she told me I was an idiot (probably right) and to cancel it. So I first of all ring booking.com who advised the hotel had already taken payment and I'd need to cancel with them.

So literally 2 minutes after making the booking I ring the hotel to cancel and get my money back only to be greeted with abrupt "we can't refund you". Instead, they say they will put my money in a credit account for 12 months to use with them. I accepted that at the time as I thought I might use them when we did actually decide to stay somewhere.

So its 3 months down the line and it is pretty clear from circumstances as they are now (and the fact she didn't like the look of the place anyay) that I will not be staying at that hotel within their 12 month credit period.

I emailed them to advise of the situation and politely ask for and refund but have had no reply for a week, I called them and they said a manager will call me back, still no reply.

I believe as I rang to cancel less than 5mins after making a booking, the hotel has suffered no financial loss, has provided me zero service for my money and therefore I believe it is reasonable for me to expect them to give me my money back.

Can you give me some advice on where I stand legally and my rights please?

Thank you :beer:

stevenhp1987

Did you read the cancellation policy of the hotel?

Some allow cancellation up to a certain date, some up to a certain date but pay the first night etc.

Sounds like you had a no cancellation allowed policy. This is perfectly legal, and you agreed to it when you confirmed you read the T&C and paid.

Always check the cancellation policy and only book ones with no cancellations if you know for sure you are going! These are generally cheaper as you cannot back out and they have a confirmed sale.

You purchased the night, you entered into a contract and then didn't use it. It's the same as buying tickets to an event and not showing up. You have no legal rights and the hotel actually went out of their way to give you credit against a future stay, they didn't have too!

Chalk this one up to experience and be more careful next time.

agrinnall

The one correct thing in your post is that your girlfriend was indeed right.

glentoran99

Waller201631 wrote: »

Hi, looking for some advice on legal rights with regards to refunds from hotel cancellations. My common sense tells me if I have not received any service then they are not entitled to keep my money, but I'm sure it's a lot more complicated than that.

So I was looking to book a hotel with my girlfriend and on the phone she said " lets book one tomorrow". Being my spontaneous self I literally did book one for the next day when that wasn't what she meant. In any case within 30 seconds she told me I was an idiot (probably right) and to cancel it. So I first of all ring booking.com who advised the hotel had already taken payment and I'd need to cancel with them.

So literally 2 minutes after making the booking I ring the hotel to cancel and get my money back only to be greeted with abrupt "we can't refund you". Instead, they say they will put my money in a credit account for 12 months to use with them. I accepted that at the time as I thought I might use them when we did actually decide to stay somewhere.

So its 3 months down the line and it is pretty clear from circumstances as they are now (and the fact she didn't like the look of the place anyay) that I will not be staying at that hotel within their 12 month credit period.

I emailed them to advise of the situation and politely ask for and refund but have had no reply for a week, I called them and they said a manager will call me back, still no reply.

I believe as I rang to cancel less than 5mins after making a booking, the hotel has suffered no financial loss, has provided me zero service for my money and therefore I believe it is reasonable for me to expect them to give me my money back.

Can you give me some advice on where I stand legally and my rights please?

Thank you :beer:

apart from they had no time to let the room out again

[Deleted User]

Waller201631 wrote: »

My common sense tells me if I have not received any service then they are not entitled to keep my money

I'm afraid not in the circumstances you describe. As above, it sounds like you booked a hotel with a policy of no cancellation. Note that this would have been reflected in a considerably cheaper price.

Waller201631 wrote: »

they say they will put my money in a credit account for 12 months to use with them. I accepted that at the time as I thought I might use them when we did actually decide to stay somewhere.

So you accepted the offer

Waller201631 wrote: »

So its 3 months down the line and it is pretty clear from circumstances as they are now (and the fact she didn't like the look of the place anyay) that I will not be staying at that hotel within their 12 month credit period.

Like the original "booking", that's your choice.

Waller201631 wrote: »

I believe as I rang to cancel less than 5mins after making a booking, the hotel has suffered no financial loss, has provided me zero service for my money and therefore I believe it is reasonable for me to expect them to give me my money back.

You can certainly request this, but the hotel are under no legal obligation to refund you . You would probably have had a better chance if you had not accepted the credit account offer three months ago.

This really was a case of "act in haste, repent at leisure". Next time, book a hotel with a full cancellation policy and never book on a short-term whim.

hollydays

Tell her to book her own room next time!

She really meant, by tommorrow I want you to have researched the most luxurious hotel , and don't mess about ( womanspeak)

Waller201631

Of course they had time to let them room out again. I was on the phone cancelling before my details probably even reached their booking system.

Nevermind though, I just pretended to book another room with them to get to the Ts & Cs and is indeed non-refundable. Certainly not a cheap hotel though! Lesson learnt there so thank you for your helpful feedback.

As for the troll comment about my girlfriend being right, try being idiotically spontaneous for your lady some time, she might appreciate it. Or you could just stay a lonely single loser trolling the MSE forum.

Thanks again to the rest of you! :money:

Waller201631

It was the Beaconsfield Bear Holly....hardly your average travel lodge lol

PasturesNew

You might as well go now you've paid for it... even though it does look pretty hideous and "sort of place only a bloke would pick".

Waller201631

Very true! To be fair it was recommended to me by a couple of female friends!!

They said it looks like a Game of Thrones brothel from the pictures but it's actually extremely nice when you get there. Plus the reviews in general are all very good.

As you say I'm not going to get the money back so might aswell just go there sometime in the next 9 months!

hollydays

Waller201631 wrote: »

It was the Beaconsfield Bear Holly....hardly your average travel lodge lol

Not suggesting you were being a skinflint.
Too late now, but I've learnt never to book a hotel that has less than a 4.5 tripadviser rating . And read all the negative reviews . I don't think it's something you can do in a hurry ( and ignore the actual so called star rating , some hotels self classify. My oh once booked a hotel by the star rating and the pleasant photos of the illuminated exterior highlighting it's gothic turrets ( it was the hotel from
Helll with an absent owner, sweaty staff and smart price bread ). It closed down ( or died )some time later.
It could be worse ..you could have booked that.