Swedish hotel won't refund me

edwinad

I have a hotel booked in Malmo, Sweden for the 30th May which I obviously can't use. The hotel says the booking is non refundable (though they have offered me a free name change). Is there any way I can get my money back? I paid by credit card and have travel insurance (but the excess is £100 and the hotel cost about £80). 

Neil49

Given that the hotel is probably open then I doubt it very much. It's not the hotels problem that you can't get there and the amounts involved are too low to reclaim by other means. 

Westin

If you choose the cheaper non-refundable rate category and the hotel is open and operational then there is no obligation for the hotel to refund you.  The offer of deferment to a later alternative date may be a good goodwill gesture if offered.

Travel Insurance is the obvious route but as you have found the excess will bite into any refund.  

There is no recourse for a S75 claim if the hotel is open and your room available.

For the future consider paying slightly more for a room rate that allows for amendments and penalty free cancellations.

John_

Why can’t you use it? Sweden’s open, the ferries are running, and there are no closed borders between here and there. If you just don’t much fancy driving then I can see why they won’t refund you.

Ganga

Well the hotel is probably still open so it is not their fault that you cannot visit ,also you probably paid the cheapest price for a non refundable booking so this i am afraid is down to you ,you will have to write the £80 off and put it down to experience

edwinad

Thanks for the replies. All my other hotel booking in Sweden and Denmark over a 2 week period were on a refundable basis and I did get my money back. This was the only non refundable one. I will put it down to experience.