Hotel refusing refund

Coupiee

Hello,

I originally booked two hotel rooms in Manchester for April. It was for a concert that was initially rescheduled for next week but has since been canceled. Because it was rescheduled the hotel kindly moved the dates of the room. Obviously, now Manchester is in Tier 3 I will be unable to go as the hotel should be closed. I rang them earlier and I got the impression they will not be giving me a refund. The receptionist finally gave in and eventually said she would look into it further and get back in touch. However, I am not hopeful they will offer me a refund. Has anyone got any advice or suggestions as to what to do?

Thanks.

eskbanker

If they close, or cancel non-exempt leisure bookings, as they should, then they should refund you, and if they refuse to do so then you should be able to recover the cost via your card provider.  Give them a chance to consider the latest announcements and respond to you and take it from there....

macman

Or they may simply offer you a booking for a future date.

Hasbeen

So the Thread Title is wrong?

tripled

Was the original booking non-amendable and non-cancellable? If so then the amendment was a goodwill gesture and you will be reliant on their continuing goodwill. However, if it was a flexible booking that you were entitled to amend or cancel, then the original terms would still apply and if they cannot provide the service you should be refunded or allowed to rebook.

Coupiee

eskbanker said:

If they close, or cancel non-exempt leisure bookings, as they should, then they should refund you, and if they refuse to do so then you should be able to recover the cost via your card provider.  Give them a chance to consider the latest announcements and respond to you and take it from there....

I did pay via credit card, but the only issue with that is that I ‘technically’ didn’t pay for the second booking as they used an e-gift card or something along similar lines.

Coupiee

tripled said:

Was the original booking non-amendable and non-cancellable? If so then the amendment was a goodwill gesture and you will be reliant on their continuing goodwill. However, if it was a flexible booking that you were entitled to amend or cancel, then the original terms would still apply and if they cannot provide the service you should be refunded or allowed to rebook.

I believe the original booking was non-cancellable, but obviously these aren’t normal circumstances.

Thrugelmir

Coupiee said:

tripled said:

Was the original booking non-amendable and non-cancellable? If so then the amendment was a goodwill gesture and you will be reliant on their continuing goodwill. However, if it was a flexible booking that you were entitled to amend or cancel, then the original terms would still apply and if they cannot provide the service you should be refunded or allowed to rebook.

I believe the original booking was non-cancellable, but obviously these aren’t normal circumstances.

There's a hundred and one reasons for an individual to claim unusual circumstances and demand a refund on a non-cancellable booking.  Trouble is businessess couldn't survive on that basis as the cash was spent a long time ago. 

Coupiee

Thrugelmir said:

Coupiee said:

tripled said:

Was the original booking non-amendable and non-cancellable? If so then the amendment was a goodwill gesture and you will be reliant on their continuing goodwill. However, if it was a flexible booking that you were entitled to amend or cancel, then the original terms would still apply and if they cannot provide the service you should be refunded or allowed to rebook.

I believe the original booking was non-cancellable, but obviously these aren’t normal circumstances.

There's a hundred and one reasons for an individual to claim unusual circumstances and demand a refund on a non-cancellable booking.  Trouble is businessess couldn't survive on that basis as the cash was spent a long time ago. 

True, but surely the hotel not being open is enough?

Hasbeen

Coupiee said:

Thrugelmir said:

Coupiee said:

tripled said:

Was the original booking non-amendable and non-cancellable? If so then the amendment was a goodwill gesture and you will be reliant on their continuing goodwill. However, if it was a flexible booking that you were entitled to amend or cancel, then the original terms would still apply and if they cannot provide the service you should be refunded or allowed to rebook.

I believe the original booking was non-cancellable, but obviously these aren’t normal circumstances.

There's a hundred and one reasons for an individual to claim unusual circumstances and demand a refund on a non-cancellable booking.  Trouble is businessess couldn't survive on that basis as the cash was spent a long time ago. 

True, but surely the hotel not being open is enough?

When was your rescheduled booking for?

Was the original booking non cancellable?

bagand96

It's a fairly unusual situation.  generally, if a supplier cannot fulfill a contract then they should put you back in the position you were in before the contract was established.

You had a non-refundable/changeable reservation for April, but the hotel moved it to next week for you. Now you cannot use the room next week (not your fault - but also not the hotel's either). They can't fulfill the supply of the room, so to return you to the position you were in before booking a room for next week, it's debatable whether that means a refund, or just a reservation for another time.  (You didn't pay cash for the room next week, it was effectively booking credit)

If the hotel refuse a refund (because they haven't yet) then consider whether an offer of credit or to move the booking may be a happy compromise.