With the (mostly) beautiful weather we’ve been having there’s never been a better time to enjoy a staycation in the UK. But if circumstances intervene and you have to cancel a hotel room – can you?
When I recently moved to London I spent a couple of days staying with a friend before moving into my current flat. However, there was one evening where I wasn’t able to stay with my friend. Frantically I rang another friend to obtain crash space and then I panicked a bit.
I decided to book a hotel room, just to be safe. Thirty minutes later my friend came through, so I went to cancel my room… and found I could not. I hadn’t read the cancellation policy.
Always read the cancellation small print
It was a salutary lesson, not to panic book and to always read the cancellation terms before committing to pay. But it got me wondering, how many people actually read cancellation policies and how prominent are they?
Different companies have different policies. Some hotels will give you a full refund if you cancel within a certain time period, while others will expect you to forfeit a deposit or the first night’s room charge. It’s also worth noting that hotel booking sites have their own rules, so it’s always important to check.
Cancellation policies are often complex and riddled with small print, which makes them a chore to read when you’re booking an exciting getaway. However, unless you want to end up out-of-pocket, always look at the small print first!
Have you had to cancel a hotel room? Did you get a full refund? Do you read cancellation policies before booking a trip?
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