With flights getting cut around the world due to travel restrictions surrounding the coronavirus, travellers are rightly keen to change or cancel their accommodation bookings.
In this guide, I outline each major hotel chain’s change and cancellation policy.
The quickest way to cancel your booking or make a date change is online through the hotel’s website. If you have booked through a third party like Hotels.com or Booking.com, then you should change your booking through them, not the hotel directly.
COVID-19 hotel cancellation policies
Accor
Guests who booked a non-flexible rate directly with Accor (Note: some country exceptions) for travel through June 30, 2020 (inclusive) may Modify their reservation without any modification fees (subject to availability and applicable rates and conditions) by contacting the hotel directly.
Airbnb
Reservations made on or before 14 March 2020
Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made on or before 14 March 2020, with a check-in date between 14 March 2020 and 15 June 2020, may be cancelled before check-in. This means that guests who cancel under the policy will receive, their choice of a travel credit or a full cash refund, hosts can cancel under the policy without charge or impact to their Superhost status, and Airbnb will either refund, or issue travel credit in an amount that includes, all service fees.
Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made on or before 14 March 2020, with a check-in date after 15 June 2020, are not currently covered for COVID-19 related extenuating circumstances. The host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual.
If a reservation has already begun (the check-in has passed) this extenuating circumstance does not apply.
Reservations made after 14 March 2020
Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made after 14 March 2020 will not be covered under our extenuating circumstances policy, except where the guest or host is currently sick with COVID-19. COVID-19 related circumstances not covered include: transportation disruptions and cancellations; travel advisories and restrictions; health advisories and quarantines; changes to applicable law; and other government mandates—like evacuation orders, border closures, prohibitions on short-term rentals, and shelter-in-place requirements. The host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual.
Choice Hotels
- For guests with existing individual reservations, including reservations with non-cancellable, pre-paid rates made directly with Choice Hotels, we will allow changes or cancellation without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival as long as the change or cancellation is made by June 30, 2020 and is compliant with hotel country regulations. You can cancel or modify your reservation here. If you are experiencing difficulties cancelling your reservation, you may use this online form.
- For a limited time, guests making new individual reservations directly with Choice Hotels, we will allow those reservations to be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before a guest’s scheduled arrival date. Modifications can be made here.
- Guests who booked via online travel agents or other third parties are advised to contact their booking provider for information on their policies and for assistance.
Hilton
Existing Reservations. All individual reservations—even those described as “non-cancellable” (“Advanced Purchase”)—that are scheduled for arrival on or before June 30, 2020 can be changed or cancelled at no charge, up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival day.
New Reservations. Any individual reservations you make—even those described as “non-cancellable” (“Advanced Purchase”)—that are booked between today and June 30, 2020 for any future arrival date can be changed or cancelled at no charge, up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival day.
Hyatt
Existing reservations for upcoming travel through June 30, 2020:
All existing reservations (booked April 1 or before) for arrivals through June 30, 2020 can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival. This includes Advance Purchase Rate reservations.
New reservations for any future travel:
With some very limited exceptions noted below, reservations you make between April 2, 2020 and June 30, 2020 – for any future arrival date – can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival. This includes Advance Purchase Rate reservations. The only exceptions are reservations booked after April 1, 2020 at select Destination properties and Special Events Rate reservations booked after April 1, 2020. The cancellation policies for a Special Event Rate will be noted in the rate’s Rate Rules section when booking.
Existing Advance Purchase Rate non-refundable reservations for travel through June 2020:
As announced earlier, special exceptions are in place for all Advance Purchase Rate non-refundable reservations made directly with Hyatt on or before March 8, 2020 for arrivals before June 30, 2020. Guests holding these fully prepaid reservations who have decided not to travel may still opt, at least 24 hours before their stay, to receive 10,000 World of Hyatt Bonus Points compensation in lieu of both their stay and the offer above (if eligible). World of Hyatt points may be used toward future travel at any of our 900+ hotels across 17 brands globally.
IHG
Existing bookings (bookings made through April 6, 2020) at all IHG hotels can be changed or cancelled for stays up to June 30, 2020.
The exception is IHG hotels in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan, where cancellation fees for existing and new domestic bookings will be waived for stays up to April 30, 2020.
IHG have also removed their non-refundable rates from sale for most regions, and created a new rate with added flexibility:
Book Now, Pay Later: This new rate offers flexibility and savings. With no deposit required and cancellations possible up to 24 hours before your stay for direct bookings, travel planning is commitment free. Guests benefit from 5% or more off our Best Flexible Rate for bookings made up to September 3, 2020 for stays until December 30, 2020 (excluding Greater China).
Marriott
For guests with existing reservations for any future arrival date, including reservations with pre-paid rates that are typically more restrictive, we will allow full changes or cancellation without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival, as long as the change or cancellation is made by June 30, 2020. Please note that any changes to existing reservations will be subject to availability and any rate differences.
For guests making new reservations for any future arrival date, including reservations with pre-paid rates, between today and June 30, 2020, we will allow the reservation to be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival date. Please note that changes to the reservation will be subject to availability and any rate differences.
Qantas Hotels
If you booked a hotel outside of Australia before 19 March 2020 with an arrival date between 20 March and 31 May 2020, we are offering credit vouchers for all bookings – even those that were originally non-refundable, provided you contact us within 72 hours of your scheduled check-in. If you choose this option, we will also credit you 1,000 bonus Qantas Points. Alternatively, you can request a refund back to the card used on the booking.
If you have accommodation booked in Australia and your check-in date is within the next 7 days, please contact the Qantas Hotels Customer Service team who can explain the options available to you. The options will vary depending on the cancellation policy of the relevant hotel/property.
If you have a booking beyond 31 May 2020 that you wish to amend to a later date of travel, please manage your booking online or chat to us via live chat. Find out more.
Radisson Hotels
For existing reservations made prior to April 1, 2020, for stays until June 30, 2020, at any RHG hotel worldwide and subject to local regulations and variations applicable to the hotel legal entity, we allow:
– Free modifications subject to availability and/or any rate differences
– Free cancellations with the following exception:
○ If a deposit has been paid for an existing reservation, we will credit you the full amount to redeem with your next stay at the same hotel until March 31, 2021. If you are unable to redeem, we will refund you as of April 1, 2021.For new reservations made between April 1 and June 30, 2020, for any future arrival date at any RHG hotel worldwide, we allow:
– Free modifications up to 24 hours before the arrival date. Any modifications are subject to availability and/or any rate differences
– Free cancellations up to 24 hours before arrival date
○ This includes reservations on advanced purchase rates described as noncancelable
○ If a deposit has been paid, the amount will be refunded to the credit card used (or maybe in the form of vouchers or credit, where required by local regulations)
Velocity Hotels
No official policy.
Wyndham
Guests traveling with new or existing direct bookings for stays in any of our hotels through June 30, 2020 will have their cancellation or change penalties waived if the request is received at least 24 hours (or less if permitted by the hotel’s policy) prior to arrival.
Guests who are prohibited from traveling to their booked hotel under applicable law will have their cancellation or change penalties waived on direct bookings.
For new or existing direct bookings with arrivals after June 30, 2020, all of our properties are required to accommodate non-cancellable rate reservation changes if the request is received at least 48 hours prior to arrival and the same number of room nights or more are booked for a future stay.
Summing up
Most hotel chains are offering free cancellation or changes for stays up to 30 June 2020. They have also increased flexibility for stays after that date.
The best way to change or cancel your booking is online, either through the hotel if you booked directly, or through the third party you booked through.
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