Cancellation policy in Germany
Jun 9, 2015, 1:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
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Posts: 7,598
Cancellation policy in Germany
The bolded text is very typical I have seen in all my reservations in Germany, but I have never been charged anything in reality when I have cancelled.
However, today I was cancelling a room by online Chat tool (since I could not cancel it myself online due to some IT glitch or whatever), and the Chat agent told me there will be a charge deducted.
Have you guys been charged that 10% when cancelling?
I find this cancel fee very ridiculous and nowhere else have I experienced this than IHG Germany.
Cancellation Policy: Canceling your reservation after 6:00 PM (local hotel time) on XX YYYY, 2015
, or failing to show, will result in a charge equal to the first night's stay per room to your credit card. Taxes may apply. Failing to call or show before check-out time after the first night of a reservation will result in cancellation of the remainder of your reservation. Cancellation policy for hotels in Germany: There will be a deduction from this charge for expenses saved by the hotel (generally 10% of the booking price and 20% for accommodation with breakfast).
However, today I was cancelling a room by online Chat tool (since I could not cancel it myself online due to some IT glitch or whatever), and the Chat agent told me there will be a charge deducted.
Have you guys been charged that 10% when cancelling?
I find this cancel fee very ridiculous and nowhere else have I experienced this than IHG Germany.
Cancellation Policy: Canceling your reservation after 6:00 PM (local hotel time) on XX YYYY, 2015
, or failing to show, will result in a charge equal to the first night's stay per room to your credit card. Taxes may apply. Failing to call or show before check-out time after the first night of a reservation will result in cancellation of the remainder of your reservation. Cancellation policy for hotels in Germany: There will be a deduction from this charge for expenses saved by the hotel (generally 10% of the booking price and 20% for accommodation with breakfast).
Jun 9, 2015, 1:28 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BER
Posts: 512
This paragraph refers to cancelling non-refundable reservations, for which hotels in Germany are required by law to refund 10% of rates without breakfast and 20% of rates inclusive of breakfast. These percentages will be deducted from your total room rate, so you are only charged 80-90% when cancelling a non-refundable reservation.
Jun 9, 2015, 2:35 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 827
if you have to cancel a reservation, and you lose a day's deposit because it was a prepaid (or whatever the case may be), the hotel is required to GIVE you 10% of your prepaid reservation back because they will not be incurring certain fees now that you arent there (cleaning, utilities, etc). This is one of the best consumer protection laws for hotel policys out there - I wish other countries enacted it, because it's fair and makes perfect sense.
If your rate is fully cancellable and refundable without penalty, then the 10% doesn't apply to you anyway.
Jun 9, 2015, 2:50 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,598
OK folks, I learned something new again, thanks for pointing out that.
For clarity, my reservation was a fully-refundable one, so in that case it was very weird that the Chat agent was telling me about the fee.
For non-refundable reservations, that paragraph is certainly in favor of consumer ^
For clarity, my reservation was a fully-refundable one, so in that case it was very weird that the Chat agent was telling me about the fee.
For non-refundable reservations, that paragraph is certainly in favor of consumer ^
Jun 10, 2015, 11:15 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2005
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The current language is so convoluted that even agents, presumably trained in their fee system, don't understand what it says.
HTB.
Jul 4, 2015, 11:08 am
#8
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I'm confused by this cancel policy as well. The reservation I'm attempting to book is fully refundable (not-prepaid). And yet it contains this language:
Canceling your reservation before 6:00 PM (local hotel time) on Friday, 24 July, 2015 will result in no charge. Canceling your reservation after 6:00 PM (local hotel time) on 24 July, 2015, or failing to show, will result in a charge equal to the first night's stay per room to your credit card. Taxes may apply. Failing to call or show before check-out time after the first night of a reservation will result in cancellation of the remainder of your reservation.
*Cancellation policy for hotels in Germany: There will be a deduction from this charge for expenses saved by the hotel (generally 10% of the booking price).
Should I assume then that I will incur no fees whatsoever if I need to cancel? Terribly written imo.
Canceling your reservation before 6:00 PM (local hotel time) on Friday, 24 July, 2015 will result in no charge. Canceling your reservation after 6:00 PM (local hotel time) on 24 July, 2015, or failing to show, will result in a charge equal to the first night's stay per room to your credit card. Taxes may apply. Failing to call or show before check-out time after the first night of a reservation will result in cancellation of the remainder of your reservation.
*Cancellation policy for hotels in Germany: There will be a deduction from this charge for expenses saved by the hotel (generally 10% of the booking price).
Should I assume then that I will incur no fees whatsoever if I need to cancel? Terribly written imo.
Jul 4, 2015, 11:28 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,671
HTB.
Jul 9, 2019, 9:06 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
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Is this only for cash stays? I want to book a points stay, during peak rate dates. I don't want to pay 10% of BAR, which is a lot during my stay.
Jul 9, 2019, 10:22 am
#11
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Jul 12, 2019, 5:56 am
#12
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Award nights are flex (unless a special date / event date co-incides), though I think IHG added a 48hour cancel before to all award nights for 2019, so no more cancel until noon day before sy or similar dependent on each individual hotels canc policy
However - If you fail to cancel an award night before the canc deadline, then cancel/not-turnup
a)Hotel will refund points and instead charge you the cash rate for the room
b)If in Germany, then for a) above, then you should be due 10% of the room rate charged by converting award night as a refund.
Jul 12, 2019, 8:09 am
#13
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This has nothing whatsoever to do with tax (and a 10% tax would even not exist in Germany). Hotel is entitled to 100%, needs however to consider savings made. German courts consider 10% of the rate for room only and 20% of the rate for B&B rates as adaequate.