Ctrip fully cancellable rates for hotels in Hong Kong
Has anyone used CTrip to book hotels in Hong Kong?
Instead of our usual point or point+cash bookings with chain hotels, I am trying to see if booking independent hotels work better now given hotel prices have gone down in Hong Kong.
For the few choices I narrow down, CTrip offers the best prices on "free cancellation" 3 days before arrival, plus a breakfast thrown in - cheaper than hotel's own site, booking.com and other OTAs.
However I could not find the clear answer on how CTrip operates on the "free cancellation" because it mentioned about it would put XXX charge on the card as a guarantee...
This is the language on Ctrip site
Guarantee required
-Due to limited availability, a credit card guarantee charge of CNY 740 is required to guarantee your booking. If Ctrip does not confirm your booking, the charge will be returned to your payment account.
-Please inform us by 【12:00 06-08-2016 Beijing time】if you wish to cancel or modify this booking.
-【Failure to check in, modify or cancel this booking before the deadline will incur a credit card guarantee charge of CNY 740】.
It looks to me that Ctrip would immediately charge you 740 RMB and then it would only refund it if either one of the following occurs
1) Ctrip could not confirm your booking. (false advertisement)
2) You cancel the booking before the deadline for free cancellation.
In this case, HOW one could reconcile the 740 RMB charged with the hotel at check out?!
I have never seen things like that - usually Pay at the Hotel booking only needs a CC in file to guarantee the booking. It is only until you are no show or cancel passing the free cancellation deadline, would the credit card be charged.
Anybody has experiences using CTrip "free cancellation" please chime in.
Thank you!
Last edited by Happy; Apr 30, 2016 at 2:40 pm