Hotels.com refund help

88micm

Hello,
I was due to travel to Edinburgh on 29th May and have just had the email from Hotels.com offering vouchers for the property like some others have on here. I have contacted them asking can I get a refund instead and have been told basically that I'm lucky to be getting offered anything at all pretty much. Unfortunate I booked on my credit card but through PayPal on a non refundable rate and the booking was around £300 so I might not have much luck but I'd much rather this be back in my account than tied to a voucher. Has anyone else gone up against this recently and can anyone offer any solutions for how I might be able to get my money back? Could I try request it back via PayPal's disputes? I have an annual travel insurance policy too so has anyone else been successful getting money back through that? Just exploring my options here so any guidance would be much appreciated. 

Life__Goes__On

it will depend on what rules are  in force on 29th May,   if it's open  you won't be due anything,  if it's close that you are entitled to a cash refund.

clivep

Check out the Covid-19 FAQ on Hotels.com website:

"If your hotel stay is scheduled to begin on or before 31 May 2020 and was booked on or prior to 19 March 2020

you can cancel your upcoming hotel stay at no penalty. You will be eligible for a full refund or, in some cases, a voucher allowing you to rebook the original property at later dates".

Don't reply to the email or text message links as they're only offering vouchers. If the hotel is closed on 29th May then you're entitled to a cash refund but they may not tell you this until just before that date.

I don't think you'll have any luck with PayPal or travel insurance until after your travel date if Hotels.com still refuse a cash refund.

88micm

clivep said:

Check out the Covid-19 FAQ on Hotels.com website:

"If your hotel stay is scheduled to begin on or before 31 May 2020 and was booked on or prior to 19 March 2020

you can cancel your upcoming hotel stay at no penalty. You will be eligible for a full refund or, in some cases, a voucher allowing you to rebook the original property at later dates".

Thanks Clivep, I missed that when reading their website. That sounds like it's me so I will get back on to their support and sort it out that way. Much appreciated for the replies guys. I will update with my outcome for any other users facing the same issue.

88micm

I just reread that FAQ section on hotels.com and it states for those dates on a non refundable booking that you will either receive a "full refund or in some cases a voucher equal to your booking" which seems to be dependent on the property. I think I will try go to the property and ask them for assistance to see if they will give a refund instead

Life__Goes__On

ATM it's up to them if you get cash or a voucher.
Once it's cancelled then it's up to you cash or voucher.

88micm

Life__Goes__On said:

ATM it's up to them if you get cash or a voucher.
Once it's cancelled then it's up to you cash or voucher.

If that is the case what is the best course of action? Do I wait it out and see if it is going to be cancelled before pursuing a refund rather than accepting the voucher?

Life__Goes__On

88micm said:

Life__Goes__On said:

ATM it's up to them if you get cash or a voucher.
Once it's cancelled then it's up to you cash or voucher.

If that is the case what is the best course of action? Do I wait it out and see if it is going to be cancelled before pursuing a refund rather than accepting the voucher?

It's if you believe or not hotels will be open in Scotland 29th May.
I personally believe there is no chance of that happening in the UK. Even if it happened in England, the First Minister stated that if England eased the lockdown too quickly  then Scotland would take a different path.
So I would certainly wait and get a cash refund,   but the other option if you don't want to take any risk is the voucher.  

PageAR

Hi, I am currently in this situation but my stay was meant to take place on the 5th & 6th April. I received 4 emails from Hotels.com between the 24th & 26th March telling me my booking had been cancelled and I would receive a full refund within 30 days. I have received no further communication and no refund so I called last night - they told me a refund was initiated but was then cancelled as a refund was not agreed by the hotel and I was only able to claim a voucher (no idea when they planned on telling me this). I spent over an hour on the phone - first to an agent and then a supposed 'supervisor' who phoned me back. He said initially hotels.com had expected to refund everyone but that many hotels, including the one I had booked with, had not agreed and there is nothing they can do about it. He provided me with an email for the billing department which he said I would have to contact to pursue any dispute. Low and behold the email address does not work!! I also contacted the hotel who tell me they have never received a penny from my booking and have never been approached by hotels.com to confirm a refund, let alone refused to issue one (which they say they have done for all their direct booking customers). Where on earth do I go from here??

Life__Goes__On

"

PageAR said:

Hi, I am currently in this situation but my stay was meant to take place on the 5th & 6th April. I received 4 emails from Hotels.com between the 24th & 26th March telling me my booking had been cancelled and I would receive a full refund within 30 days. I have received no further communication and no refund so I called last night - they told me a refund was initiated but was then cancelled as a refund was not agreed by the hotel and I was only able to claim a voucher (no idea when they planned on telling me this). I spent over an hour on the phone - first to an agent and then a supposed 'supervisor' who phoned me back. He said initially hotels.com had expected to refund everyone but that many hotels, including the one I had booked with, had not agreed and there is nothing they can do about it. He provided me with an email for the billing department which he said I would have to contact to pursue any dispute. Low and behold the email address does not work!! I also contacted the hotel who tell me they have never received a penny from my booking and have never been approached by hotels.com to confirm a refund, let alone refused to issue one (which they say they have done for all their direct booking customers). Where on earth do I go from here??

How much was the booking for, and  what method of payment used?

PageAR

Life__Goes__On said:

"

PageAR said:

Hi, I am currently in this situation but my stay was meant to take place on the 5th & 6th April. I received 4 emails from Hotels.com between the 24th & 26th March telling me my booking had been cancelled and I would receive a full refund within 30 days. I have received no further communication and no refund so I called last night - they told me a refund was initiated but was then cancelled as a refund was not agreed by the hotel and I was only able to claim a voucher (no idea when they planned on telling me this). I spent over an hour on the phone - first to an agent and then a supposed 'supervisor' who phoned me back. He said initially hotels.com had expected to refund everyone but that many hotels, including the one I had booked with, had not agreed and there is nothing they can do about it. He provided me with an email for the billing department which he said I would have to contact to pursue any dispute. Low and behold the email address does not work!! I also contacted the hotel who tell me they have never received a penny from my booking and have never been approached by hotels.com to confirm a refund, let alone refused to issue one (which they say they have done for all their direct booking customers). Where on earth do I go from here??

How much was the booking for, and  what method of payment used?

It was for £138 and paid on debit card....not sure if I can do chargeback if I have been offered a voucher (even though officially I haven't as I haven't ever received anything in writing)?