Prepaid Holiday Hotel Refund - Non Package

Gofast87

Hi All,
I'm new here and wondered if anyone could share some advice. Apologies if this is answered elsewhere on the forum...

My wife and I booked and paid for a holiday abroad with our 2year old last August, which we would have gone on this June had things been different. We paid for our flights and hotel separately (first time, as we normally book a package). Our flights have been cancelled and BA has processed a refund. Here's where we need some advice. The hotel we booked and paid for was a non-refundable room and board basis. I contacted them in mid March and asked what the options were given the situation at the time. They said they were being flexible and would offer redunds if cancellation was requested by a certain date, or we could postpone the booking. We met the criteria to cancel by the specified date and they confirmed they would issue the refund when they had processed their April and May backlog. I followed up today for an update and they are now saying they will only provide a voucher which can be used to rebook the hotel in future, or if that's not used within 18months they will then issue a refund. Are they allowed to do this if they have already confirmed in writing that they would issue a refund? Seems a bit underhanded to me and frustrating as I would have pressed harder in mid March for my refund (hindsight is a beautiful thing). The hotel is in Greece and so covered by EU rules and regs. 

Any help/advice/thoughts would be really appreciated.
Thanks,
Gofast

Life__Goes__On

What method of payment did you use for hotel booking?

Gofast87

@Life__Goes__On We paid with a credit card

Life__Goes__On

if the hotel cancel then you can claim a refund via your credit card as they are equally liable.
But not much you can do until it's cancelled,
If the hotel ends up being open, they won't owe you a refund
Another way is claim from insurance, but I let others advise you of that route.

Gofast87

Thanks, it doesn't sound like they will cancel the booking but I will talk to the credit card company and explain the situation to see if there is anything they can do...

Westin

The I feel you have been caught by recent Greek legislation which now permits hotels to issue credit notes instead of providing a refund.  As you booked this as non-package holiday and direct with the Greek hotel then there national legislature applies. A credit voucher fulfil this obligation.
https://news.gtp.gr/2020/04/14/covid-19-greece-covers-canceled-bookings-vouchers-instead-refunds/

Life__Goes__On

Westin said:

The I feel you have been caught by recent Greek legislation which now permits hotels to issue credit notes instead of providing a refund.  As you booked this as non-package holiday and direct with the Greek hotel then there national legislature applies. A credit voucher fulfil this obligation.
https://news.gtp.gr/2020/04/14/covid-19-greece-covers-canceled-bookings-vouchers-instead-refunds/

The way forward for the OP if cancelled is to go though the credit card, as that will be based on English law  not Greek law