Originally Posted by
Goodmorning2U
This is an Aman specific issue. I reached out to the Four Seasons Astir Palace Athen, and they are honoring their own more generous cancellation policy and offering full refunds.
Its short sighted for Amanzoe to treat guests in this manner, its also a poorly conceived law which causes the opposite effect of its intention. Because of this law, fewer guests will book and tourism will go down. The smart travel companies have been falling over themselves to offer clients flexibility with rebooking and refunds which has gone a long way towards making clients comfortable to book and travel again.
Why is everybody
just assuming that this issue concerns Amanzoe? Did I miss something?
Some EU member states have indeed adapted a national "voucher/travel credit" policy but it has already been made clear by the EU Commission that this is illegal in those cases where the hotel/carrier cancels a reservation (suspended route, closed hotel, ...): the pax/guest is entitled to a full refund. The Commission has already been sending out warnings to those EU member states. Let alone that any sort of these new policies would trump original T&C at time of booking.
The voucher/travel credit system was mainly introduced to protect TA/touroperators in case of package travel arrangements (hotel + flight, ...). Many of these kind of bookings had to be cancelled in the past weeks/months and in order to protect both supplier and client, a voucher was introduced. Some suppliers have extended the system so that clients would be able to easily change dates of travel in case they would no longer desire to travel, even if a hotel is open and/or a flight has not been cancelled.
FWIW Amanzoe is less flexible (compared to many other Aman properties) during summer months, even for standard daily rates:
Policies
For cancellations 30-16 days before arrival a charge of 50% plus tax of the total stay will apply. Within 15 days or less a charge of the full stay plus tax will apply. Early departure or no-show fee: full stay plus tax.
50% of the reservation with tax is required on confirmation and the remainder payable 30 days prior to arrival.
They are reopening on June 18.
For example:
- in case you would hold a confirmed booking for June 18-25 and you would cancel today May 24: cancellation fee of 50% of total stay (=deposit that had to be paid at time of confirmation)
- in case you would have cancelled before May 18 for the same booking: no fee
As a goodwill gesture, and most likely also in the case where for instance a non-EU traveller would not be able to exit home country/enter Greece, they will offer a voucher for the deposit. In case you did cancel in time I don't see any legal argument to offer a voucher instead of a refund.
If you need some help, just PM me.