Can I get my money back

scottleag

Hello, I've tried to find a thread similar to my query but can't see one anywhere on this board. If there is then please point me in the right direction. If not I would appreciate if anyone can  answer my query. Even if it is in the negative.

I made some bookings on Booking.com for next May. Shortly after booking (same day) I discovered one of the trains supposed to run each day- according to the usually very reliable Seat 61 website wasn't running so I had to arrange everything for three days later. This meant changing six train tickets and four hotels. Everything was re-arranged bar one hotel which refused to make any alterations. 

Normally I book free cancellation hotels (and look nearer the date of travel to see if there are any better deals). But for one of the hotels I had erred and accidentally booked a non-refundable, no change of date hotel. My fault. My laxness. My stupidity. Call it what you will. Anyway, I checked the hotel for the new date of travel. Three days after the initial booking. There were plenty of rooms available. Same type of room. Same price. So I wrote to the hotel admitting my error and asked if they could change dates.

They refused. 

I wrote back pointing out they could easily change the dates. It would mean accepting a booking for three days later and freeing up the room initially booked. They would lose nothing. 

Not only did I receive no reply they actually made the charge on my credit card FIVE MONTHS before the booking. Having read the small print I see they were actually entitled to do this. At the same time I was shocked to see they had done so. I mean, five months in advance? I felt I was being punished for asking for a change of dates. I cannot believe they routinely take money that far in advance.

I then contacted the hotel group centrally giving them full details. They responded ten days later with this reply:

Thank you for reaching out to us. We regret to inform you that the reservation you made was made under a non-refundable policy, which unfortunately does not allow for any modifications, changes, or cancellations to be made.

We understand that this may be disappointing, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please know that we are always here to assist you with any other inquiries or future reservations, and we would be happy to help you plan your stay should you choose to visit us again.

If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

To me this was laughable. "Sincerely" apologising and "should you choose to visit us again" Quite why they think there is any chance of me ever booking any of this group's hotels again is beyond me.

I could write back to the group's central HQ pointing out what I think is sheer stupidity. They must realise they're going to get really rotten reviews on Booking.com and Tripadvisor and if even just two people change plans to stay with this hotel group as a result they'll have lost more than they gained. I know it won't affect them greatly but even so more or less guaranteeing they'll lose trade seems a bit daft to me.

After all that I'm wondering if there is any chance of getting my money back. My bank told me I had to wait until the payment was made before I entered it into dispute. I'll do that but hold out little hope as owing to my neglectfulness the hotel group are legally correct in refusing to change the booking and making the call on payment.

I'm wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences and if they've been successful in reclaiming payment.

I haven't named the group in question as I don't know the netiquette on this board but I'm happy to name and shame if permissible.

I did speak with Booking.com who contacted the hotel in question but they too received a negative response. And yes I know I should have booked trains first but as this was a train we've used several times (France-Spain) and which is scheduled to run every day bar Xmas Day it never occurred to me there was any problem. I know this situation has arisen because of failures on my part but changing the booking by three days wouldn't have cost much and generated goodwill on my part and positive reviews.

eskbanker

If the hotel is abiding by its terms, both on changing non-refundable bookings and charging in advance, then you don't have any basis on which to seek any sort of recovery via your bank, and choosing to write bad reviews also seems inappropriate....

la531983

The trains not running isnt the hotels concern. Any Section 75 would rightly fail and a chargeback would no doubt be reversed too once they spot it.

scottleag

Obviously I'm aware trains not running have nothing to do with the hotel. What I can't understand is why they refuse to take a common sense approach and change the booking to three days later when there are plenty of rooms available. Cane you tell me what Section 75 is? I don't know anything about claiming back as I've never been in this situation before. 

Penguin_

Presumably free cancellation rooms were more expensive on the Booking.com website? You agreed to the terms & conditions unfortunately. 

eskbanker

scottleag said:

Obviously I'm aware trains not running have nothing to do with the hotel. What I can't understand is why they refuse to take a common sense approach and change the booking to three days later when there are plenty of rooms available.

The vast majority of hotels will offer refundable/changeable rates and cheaper non-refundable/non-chargeable ones, so you don't get the benefits of the former for the price of the latter, it's as simple as that.

scottleag said:
Cane you tell me what Section 75 is? I don't know anything about claiming back as I've never been in this situation before. 

For the record, it's described here, but as above isn't applicable, as it's only relevant where the supplier has breached the contract:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases/

marcia_

 I would try everything to get there and get your monies worth of using the room during your booking 

scottleag

eskbanker said:

If the hotel is abiding by its terms, both on changing non-refundable bookings and charging in advance, then you don't have any basis on which to seek any sort of recovery via your bank, and choosing to write bad reviews also seems inappropriate....

Why inappropriate? The hotel could have generated goodwill by changing the booking date by three days. They didn't have to take the money five months in advance. They chose to not do one but did do the other (after not responding to me) Seems to be to perfectly in order to let people know of these practices. 

eDicky

scottleag said:

But for one of the hotels I had erred and accidentally booked a non-refundable, no change of date hotel. My fault. My laxness. My stupidity. Call it what you will.

Your freely made admission that it was your own mistake adds to my difficulty in understanding your attitude. 

Would you have preferred a less polite reply to your continued insistence? If there was any chance of a gesture of goodwill on the part of the hotel, it would have been given on your first approach to them.

Why would anyone pay a higher price for refundable/changeable terms, if it were not necessary..?

scottleag

marcia_ said:

 I would try everything to get there and get your monies worth of using the room during your booking 

If I could do that I would't have asked to change the booking. However I'm not going to  cancel it as that frees up the room and allows the hotel to take two payments for the one room. 

scottleag

Penguin_ said:

Presumably free cancellation rooms were more expensive on the Booking.com website? You agreed to the terms & conditions unfortunately. 

Yes, and I offered to pay the difference but they refused.