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How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

philip.greenspun.com

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Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#71

Post by tempestn »

ajxs wrote: post #48

I'd be very surprised if there was one ounce of truth to this. I've worked implementing payment systems for large institutions. It's standard for the existing balance of the transaction to be taken into account when an amendment is made to a purchase that has yet to be settled. Example: You purchase $100 worth of widgets, process the payment then 5 minutes later call up and add another $100 of widgets to your order p…

The point is that he's implying to the hotel that he is carrying the virus, and therefore they don't want him there, so they refunded his original booking.

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#72

Post by tangue »

rosybox wrote: post #20

Just FYI, if you're lying to get out of paying for something, or to get reimbursed on false pretenses that is called fraud and is illegal. It's also wrong to do, it is an action taken in bad faith.

This. A contract is a contract. If all people around you stop respecting their contracts, where will you be ?

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#73

Post by gjs278 »

listenallyall wrote: post #49
lmartel wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nonrefundable rates are not marketed as a bet against global catastrophe. They're a commitment that you won't change your mind. This epidemic is more similar to the hotel burning down. I would expect my money back in that scenario and do whatever I could to retrieve it.

No, they are marketed as "non-refundable." As in, you don't come, you don't get a refund. End of story. With that said, many hotel chains and airlines have suspended their typical non-refundable rules, so a simple phone call would likely suffice.

what if the hotel CEO came and murdered your entire family right in front of you a day before the reservation? he was then prosecuted and admitted guilt in a court of law. refund yet?

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#74

Post by seanmcdirmid »

pmiller2 wrote: post #63
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don’t pay, you lose your place in line and there is usually a waiting list (though with the upcoming recession, those might go away). You also don’t endear yourself with the staff if you don’t plan on switching.

It’s a business relationship at the heart of it. If my business associates can’t provide the service I’ve contracted for, that doesn’t endear me to them, either.

Except these are people taking care of your kids during the day, it isn’t that simple.

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#75

Post by pmiller2 »

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #74
pmiller2 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a business relationship at the heart of it. If my business associates can’t provide the service I’ve contracted for, that doesn’t endear me to them, either.

Except these are people taking care of your kids during the day, it isn’t that simple.

Not when they’re shut down. Requiring a full tuition payment because “wouldn’t it be a shame if you lost your spot...” is extortionate.

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#76

Post by jhanschoo »

nexuist wrote: post #28
rosybox wrote: post #20

Just FYI, if you're lying to get out of paying for something, or to get reimbursed on false pretenses that is called fraud and is illegal. It's also wrong to do, it is an action taken in bad faith.

> it is an action taken in bad faith So is a hotel denying you a refund during an epidemic. There is an obvious power differential here between Joe Blow and some billion dollar hotel chain. You need the money for basic survival far more than they need it to pad their quarterly earnings.

I don't think you understand what "bad faith" means. Bad faith refers to signalling that they will act in one way without any intention of following through.

When a non-refundable booking is made, both sides understand that the correct way to follow through is to not have a refund, should circumstances (not caused by the hotel) arise where the customer could not end up staying in the hotel. Hence there was no bad faith on the part of the hotel.

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#77

Post by jobigoud »

pmiller2 wrote: post #51
noncoml wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is it fair for the hotel to pay for the consumer's gamble in booking a non-refundable room? They just got unlucky and they should suck it up. If the hotel has to refund everyone, it will either have to go under, or if it is too big to fail, be bailed out with my money. I don't see why I should pay for someone's else gamble.

Nobody prices in a once in a century, global pandemic when looking for a hotel room: not the customer and not the hotel. If the room was booked more than 3 months ago, the agreement was based on false information and should be able to be renegotiated in light of the current state of the world.

OT but I wish we would stop refering to this as a once-in-a-century event. It appeared from a combo of coincidences that can reproduce very easily in the years and decades to come.

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#78

Post by ValentineC »

ncallaway wrote: post #69
noncoml wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not how the adult world works. Sorry.

You say it's not, but it actually is. Many hospitality industries are allowing coronavirus related exceptions to their cancellation and refund policies. That's right, in this real actual adult world.

> Many hospitality industries are allowing coronavirus related exceptions to their cancellation and refund policies.

Mostly out of goodwill and fear of lawsuits, I think.

Smaller boutique hotels are probably less likely to allow coronavirus-related exceptions, because they're deprived of business as it is.

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#79

Post by jobigoud »

break_the_bank wrote: post #66

Hotels usually have a more flexible cancellation policy than Airbnb.Its way easier to find cancellation up to one day before at hotels than an Airbnb in the same city. Was supposed to travel to Spain last week. Had a few Airbnbs booked. When the cases started spiking on the 2nd of March it looked like Spain was going to be another Italy. So we cancelled our trip. Got most of our flight tickets & hostel stay money bac…

You might want to double check with Airbnb because they have put in place a special policy related to covid-19. I am airbnb host, we had someone scheduled for next week. They cancelled and they got a full refund including the airbnb service fees, even though we are normally on strict cancellation policy (50%). They also changed the way cancellations work from the host side, we can cancel without penalty and without loosing superhost status.

Re: How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel

#80

Post by cerberusss »

pmiller2 wrote: post #75
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except these are people taking care of your kids during the day, it isn’t that simple.

Not when they’re shut down. Requiring a full tuition payment because “wouldn’t it be a shame if you lost your spot...” is extortionate.

Well, you stopped being a client. I don't find it all that strange.
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