Booking.com Refuse to give me a refund. What Can i do now?

andycorleone

I have a reservation with booking.com for two nights in Paris. Next week. After viewing the news yesterday that President Macron  declaring a Lockdown in the country I contacted Booking.com to get a refund of my booking but they refuse calming that my reservation was non refundable.  I explained them this was not my choice but French Government.  They still refuse. Now What Can I do?

tacpot12

If the booking was non-refundable, it's not refundable for any reason that the contract doesn't allow for. You agreed to the contract, so you have to accept that the money you have paid is gone.

stoneman

Sorry but there probably was an option to book a refundable stay, you chose to take the risk. Travel insurance is your best hope

heatherw_01

There is a subforum for coronavirus related posts.

Hi, we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.

Pollycat

Whenever I've booked with booking.com, it's been very clear that there are 2 options - free cancellation (usually within 2 or 3 days of the date you are planning to stay) and non-refundable.

The latter is cheaper than the former.

For example, I've done a dummy booking for a random city:

£207 Non-refundable

£244 FREE cancellation before 2:00 PM on April 16, 2020 (date of stay)

So did you choose the non-refundable option?

andycorleone

Wow. If the Hotel is Close Non Refundable doesn't apply here. At least is your own reservation I guess

Caz3121

If the hotel is closed then they cannot honour your booking then you are due a refund. Is booking.com aware that the hotel has closed?

GarciaLorca

I saw a policy on the Booking.com website about them having declared force majeiur / forced cancellation. Can't post links due to my short membership but google it. 
Would this help?  I've contacted a few hotels directly to ask for a refund, but they're passing it back to Booking.com.
I can't reach Booking.com at all - how did you manage to reach them?

Gunner276

I had booked a "Non-refundable" hotel in New York with booking.com. Payment was actually taken by the hotel I believe, not directly by booking.com.

I received an email last week saying they have removed the cancellation penalty and have cancelled for a full refund (I haven't actually received the refund yet, hopefully this will come soon).

If they haven't emailed you your best best might be credit card refund, or making a claim on your travel insurance.

Ian1961

Just to add, i had booked 6 hotels via Booking.com in America in June 19 for this April. I recieved an email from Booking.com yesterday stating that ''due to recent events with the virus''(not exact words) we are allowing you to cancel your bookings without any charge'' I tried to contact Booking.com to ask if this in any way would affect any refunds? (i had paid in advance for some hotels). I also took the liberty to email the hotels asking if the would be able to refund my monies paid? It seems that all the hotels have agreed to refund me although it might take a few days. The only issues i currently have are with Amtrack which are taking a percentage back but also want to give me an e-voucher which i don't want, for some reason it won't allow me to get cash even though it does say either cash or voucher.

Savvy_Sue

GarciaLorca said:

I saw a policy on the Booking.com website about them having declared force majeiur / forced cancellation. Can't post links due to my short membership but google it. 
Would this help?  I've contacted a few hotels directly to ask for a refund, but they're passing it back to Booking.com.
I can't reach Booking.com at all - how did you manage to reach them?

I got through by phone earlier this evening after a not too long wait at all: scroll down to the Customer Service Help Centre at the bottom.