Booking.com

EPowd

Hi. I made a booking via booking.com and had 100pc cancellation until the 6th April 2020. I cancelled 2 weeks before this but the property is saying that due to a French law they have the right to hold onto my money until next October as a credit. Can they due this as my cancellation condition was before Covid 19.thanks. Booking.com are looking into it but naturally have a lot of queries. 

florrie1

Hi, we booked our holiday to Greece back in September, and paid Booking.com in full.  Our booking says 'non refundable' .. but we are still hoping that restrictions may be lifted by our due to fly date ( 29th June ) ....  IF the hotel is closed due to Corona virus, meaning that we cannot go ..then surely that is not us cancelling or being a no show .. therefore, are we entitled to a refund or change of date ? 

bradders1983

Absolutely no point worrying about it yet, none of us have a crystal ball. Just dont cancel it yourself as you waive any right to a refund or change of date if you do. Wait for the hotel to do it.

Retireby40

Yeah keep the booking open. Dont cancel it yourself.

In this day and age though I do wonder with so many refundable options why people continue to book non refundable hotels. Plenty of brilliant hotels at similar prices with free cancellation.

bradders1983

Retireby40 said:

Yeah keep the booking open. Dont cancel it yourself.

In this day and age though I do wonder with so many refundable options why people continue to book non refundable hotels. Plenty of brilliant hotels at similar prices with free cancellation.

Dont think many people expect a worldwide pandemic to pop on by, to be honest

Retireby40

bradders1983 said:

Retireby40 said:

Yeah keep the booking open. Dont cancel it yourself.

In this day and age though I do wonder with so many refundable options why people continue to book non refundable hotels. Plenty of brilliant hotels at similar prices with free cancellation.

Dont think many people expect a worldwide pandemic to pop on by, to be honest

I didnt say anyone expected it but theres a million different reasons why you may not be able to go on holiday. You also have the peace of mind to be able to cancel at anytime or change your plans a little bit.

Soogle13

Booking. Com do not appear to be getting involved at all. We have posted on their forum and it is hell getting a response from them and the accommodation owners. Never expected this from Booking. Com - they have not fared well in this at all.
We will, if travel still banned and I'd no response from booking. Com or owners, have to go through insurance or bank card company. 

DCFC79

Soogle13 said:

Booking. Com do not appear to be getting involved at all. We have posted on their forum and it is hell getting a response from them and the accommodation owners. Never expected this from Booking. Com - they have not fared well in this at all.
We will, if travel still banned and I'd no response from booking. Com or owners, have to go through insurance or bank card company. 

How did you pay ?
Your card provider is your first port of call, you could try your insurer first if you like to see what they say.

soolin

Soogle13 said:

Booking. Com do not appear to be getting involved at all. We have posted on their forum and it is hell getting a response from them and the accommodation owners. Never expected this from Booking. Com - they have not fared well in this at all.
We will, if travel still banned and I'd no response from booking. Com or owners, have to go through insurance or bank card company. 

I was supposed to go away to Spain a few days after lockdown and Booking.com notified me 72 hours before arrival that hotel was going to cancel and I could have a refund. Clicked the yes please button and got an immediate email confirming the refund. Unfortunately it hasn’t arrived yet, and nor has the associated Ryan air flight money that cancelled me a week previous to that. 

Thrugelmir

Retireby40 said:

Yeah keep the booking open. Dont cancel it yourself.

In this day and age though I do wonder with so many refundable options why people continue to book non refundable hotels. Plenty of brilliant hotels at similar prices with free cancellation.

To try and save money. Hotel runs the risk of late cancellation with the refundable option. The premium paid is in effect insurance. 

ic

Booking.com has an option to request a cancellation without fee.  If the hotel agrees, they'll cancel and refund, otherwise the booking still stands.  I managed to use it to cancel a none-refundable booking in NYC after trump announced the shutdown.  The hotel responded within a few days and accepted the request.  The refund took another three weeks to turn up, but it did.

I would however agree with others, its probably too early to ask yet.