Do I have any options left?

DiiFMaritime

Hello, I am hoping to get some advise please.

Back in December 2020, I made a £360 hotel booking using my Amex charge card for a stay in February 2021. The stay was subsequently cancelled by the hotel due to the COVID lock-down.

At the time I was happy for the hotel to keep the cash and for me to have a credit. Ultimately I have forgotten about it until about 6 months ago and I reached out to the hotel asking for a refund which was denied due to the amount of time that has lapsed. The hotel offered to let me book a stay by the end of March 2026 which I won't be able to do. I have asked for an extension until the end of April, which was denied.

I then reached out to Amex in the faint hope that they would help, which again, they were unable to do so due to the amount of time that had passed and the charge card does not have Section 75 protection.

So I was wondering do I have any option left or do I just have to suck it up and put it down as a lesson learnt?

born_again

Sadly not via your Charge Card.

Woodstok2000

Did The credit have an expiry date attached to it?

Nasqueron

Purely a thought but could you book it, then ring the hotel directly and ask the reception staff to move it (even paying an admin fee) ?

retiredbanker1

You should have asked for a refund at the time your booking was cancelled.

Sorry but its too late now.

You could blaspheme them on social media to see if that would work but otherwise forget it.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81930048#Comment_81930048

I feel this is an important question, was it time-limited?
If not they are trying to change the terms and you are still in time to make a court claim.

DiiFMaritime

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81930048#Comment_81930048

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81932245#Comment_81932245

There was no time limit of when I needed to rebook by after my original booking was cancelled. When I reached out 6 months ago, they made it sound in a way that they give "reinstating" the credit as a goodwill gesture but I needed to book by the end of the March 2026.

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81933542#Comment_81933542

Did they put that in writing?

Maegi

They should have refunded you in full when they cancelled.

Assuming this is in England or Wales, then you have six years to sue them for the refund but given you made the new booking request within that time period, it should have been honoured (it was effectively a prepaid booking, so you were redeeming it on that date).

You could attempt a formal complaint then letter before action / small claims; some correspondence with hotel with a mention of 'the credit' would likely be enough for a court to consider the matter.