check your account if you cancel a reward booking
Jun 4, 2018, 11:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 40
check your account if you cancel a reward booking
I've had a few bookings with IHG which I've had to cancel - well within the allowed cancellation period. Once cancelled, I received the email with a cancellation number and just assumed that the points would be reinstated to my account. I was surprised to see only the original deduction of points, without the reinstatement, several months after the cancellation. There's an online form to fill out through the IHG website. It's easy to do, the response was quick, and the points are now back in my account. If I hadn't noticed, the points would never have made their way back into my account. The lesson is to always pay attention to the details.
Jun 4, 2018, 12:08 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
I've had a few bookings with IHG which I've had to cancel - well within the allowed cancellation period. Once cancelled, I received the email with a cancellation number and just assumed that the points would be reinstated to my account. I was surprised to see only the original deduction of points, without the reinstatement, several months after the cancellation. There's an online form to fill out through the IHG website. It's easy to do, the response was quick, and the points are now back in my account. If I hadn't noticed, the points would never have made their way back into my account. The lesson is to always pay attention to the details.
Jun 5, 2018, 5:11 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Somewhere in Europe
Posts: 3,362
I think it’s happened to me and on both occasions the physical cancellation was done over a weekend. I seem to remember some discussion a while back that it wasn’t that uncommon when cancelling a points booking on a Saturday or Sunday.
Last edited by chrism20; Jun 5, 2018 at 5:12 am Reason: Typo
Jun 8, 2018, 4:00 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Newcastle, UK
Programs: IHG Rewards Club Spire Elite, Hilton HHonors Diamond
Posts: 221
This has also just happened to me for the first time, but I immediately emailed IHG customer services and they've returned the points without any fuss. I wonder if there's something triggering this issue like the hotel pre-allocating a room or it being after you receive the "Details for your upcoming stay" email?
Jun 8, 2018, 3:59 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
I have never had this problem and I hope it would not happen to me yet! More details needed from your guys who had the problem like:
When did you book it?
When was the stay for?
When did you cancel it?
Otherwise I don't think anyone would have an idea about what is happening.
When did you book it?
When was the stay for?
When did you cancel it?
Otherwise I don't think anyone would have an idea about what is happening.
Jun 9, 2018, 9:59 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Newcastle, UK
Programs: IHG Rewards Club Spire Elite, Hilton HHonors Diamond
Posts: 221
I have never had this problem and I hope it would not happen to me yet! More details needed from your guys who had the problem like:
When did you book it?
When was the stay for?
When did you cancel it?
Otherwise I don't think anyone would have an idea about what is happening.
When did you book it?
When was the stay for?
When did you cancel it?
Otherwise I don't think anyone would have an idea about what is happening.
Jun 10, 2018, 7:44 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 40
One reward stay was reserved on Nov 2, cancelled Nov 3. Check-in date would have been Nov 6 and was within the cancellation without penalty period.
Another stay was reserved on Jan 26 2018 and cancelled later the same day. The booking was for February 20, well within the cancellation period.
In both cases I immediately received an email confirming the cancellation, and just assumed the points would automatically go into my account. Once I noticed the problem, months later, IHG quickly reinstated the points and it took very little effort on my part. But it surprised me that it didn't happen without an extra nudge from me which is why I thought fellow travelers ought to be careful about paying attention to their points balance.
Another stay was reserved on Jan 26 2018 and cancelled later the same day. The booking was for February 20, well within the cancellation period.
In both cases I immediately received an email confirming the cancellation, and just assumed the points would automatically go into my account. Once I noticed the problem, months later, IHG quickly reinstated the points and it took very little effort on my part. But it surprised me that it didn't happen without an extra nudge from me which is why I thought fellow travelers ought to be careful about paying attention to their points balance.