Pookynubbers

Hello -

Looking for some advice. I'm considering cancelling my res at the Intercontinental HK. I booked 2 nights for 60,000 points each, they (Twitter and voice line) are saying that if I cancel, they will charge me one night's rate (but the points go back) No depoist shown on my card, and the T/C says...

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Has anyone had experience disputing this charge with the hotel direclty? or even their credit card?

Thanks in advance for tips

Dave Noble

What is there to dispute? you have a non cancellable rate

demue

Slowly, OP needs to give more info. A points redemption in general is cancelable and refundable up to a certain day (e.g. 24 or 48hrs prior to check in). It is not clear if OP already at that stage. Unless it some special period like New Year or so where special restrictions may apply.

Pookynubbers

Dave Noble

The terms that you have posted indicates that it is a restricted booking which has no free cancellation that was made

If you cancel, then you are liable for the cancellation penalty

Not always - it is possible to have points bookings which are inflexible

What it is stating is that there is no cancellation allowed and if you cancel/fail to show, then there will be a penalty ; this is no different to any other points reservation cancelled after latest cancellation time

being the christmas/new year period, it is not that surprising that a hotel may have stringent cancellation penalty - if on the original booking confirmation, then it is something that was agreed to

Pookynubbers

I think the issue is that there is two different paragrpahs of T/C one on the email and one on the reservation details. The reservation agent over the phone never told me about the T/C of cancellation policy when I made the reservation. So I will make an attempt to cancel once more with the hotel (10 days notice should suffice) and if they don't change their mind - I'll do a chargeback. No card present and not telling me about the cancellation policy should make it an easy dispute.

Dave Noble

The hotel has the details of the confirmation that it gave and that there was no cancellation allowed. 10 days is irrelevant is the policy does not allow the cancellation

You have even posted the confirmation that it is non cancellable

1 nights cost sounds like a lot better value than the other being 120,000 points tbh

tentseller

High season for IC HK at your booking time.
Good luck with your chargeback.

Pookynubbers

Pookynubbers

Pookynubbers

I’ll be sure to keep everyone updated though.

Lionheart

Interesting that this seems so clear cut to others.

As a casual IHG member, I would always believe that the deposit is your points. And so you will lose the points you booked with (The deposit, is after all, your 120,000 points).

Of course the others here know what they are talking about & are almost certainly technically correct, but as a consumer/customer, it's very easy to argue that you have been misled & your CC should be all over it as an unauthorised / fraudulent transaction if needs be.

Deposit: "a sum payable as a first instalment on the purchase of something or as a pledge for a contract, the balance being payable later."

You can prove what your deposit was (120,000 points) and that these points are non-refundable. Therefore you lose your deposit of points, you've made no cash deposit whatsoever. Very simple for a credit card company Unless they have a different definition of deposit, they are ambiguous.

scubaccr

It is extremely well known Flex and award nights on premium dates often come with less flexible than normal cancelation terms. You can never simply assume award/flex are cancel always upto 24hours before checkin, especially Xmas, New Year, Chines New Year, Easter periods.
On a Flex-rate cash booking the IC would no doubt have charged cost of first night at booking time against guest cancel/noshow, with award night the IC won't charge as then refunding at checkin/departure is a bit of a pain.
(Note on booking IHG hotel can charge the room booking fee ADR (full payment) Flex Rate deposit, at any time post booking including upto arrival/checkin. Not taking a CC deposit with 1-2day of booking from supplied CC does not let you off, whilst noshow on flex/award can will be collected usually after no show at checkin date)

1. You seemingly admit you booked a non-cancel 2night stay, where penalty is 1nights cost. Looks like you would rather get 60k of 120k points back, versus 120k refund and $$$ CC charge for the first night.
2. Unfortunately with award nights in this circumstance, similar to a noshow on a 2nighter/multinight award booking, IHG t+c's are that hotel refunds the points (120k for your 2nights) and charges the BAR for your first night to your CC provided at time you booked your stay.
3. Do not attempt CC chargeback, your CC provider will take a dim view of trying to avoid a legit hotel fee, and the hotel can in any case defend the charging of 1nights room cost

Lionheart

With regards to point 2 - if this was booked over the telephone (which appears to be the case), then it would have needed to be explained that IHG T&Cs are a refund of the points and instead a Credit Card charge will be made for a no-show. A website can just show the T&Cs which would instead need explaining over the phone. OP can claim it was mis-sold (depending on what was said, I can only speculate) and they, IHG, should listen to the call again.

EDIT: Unless you're willing to argue a CC chargeback (and then potentially risk IHG Rewards Suspension), convincing IHG will be hard work, I'd just like to think you do have a small chance, rather than no chance

scubaccr

No not at all, advance CC payments from CC is always taken by the hotel, any award points do not goto hotel but IHG corporate. IHG Corporate then pay the hotel post guests stay for guests award nights, and if guest noshows (or cancels a non-cancel/non-penalty award stay) reported by hotel to IHG corporate, IHG refunds points to guest rather than IHG paying hotel, and the hotel then needs bill the guest.