Cancelled Reservation, Never Received Deposit Back
Sep 18, 2018, 7:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 5
Cancelled Reservation, Never Received Deposit Back
Long time lurker, first time poster.
About 6 weeks ago I made a reservation at the St Regis Bal Harbour. Per rate rules they charged a deposit equal to the first night’s cost.
Unfortunately a few days later I had to cancel the reservation. As this was well within the cancellation period, I was due a refund of the deposit. Fast forward a month later and numerous phone calls and I have yet to receive a refund of the deposit.
And advice how to handle this without having to do a chargeback?
About 6 weeks ago I made a reservation at the St Regis Bal Harbour. Per rate rules they charged a deposit equal to the first night’s cost.
Unfortunately a few days later I had to cancel the reservation. As this was well within the cancellation period, I was due a refund of the deposit. Fast forward a month later and numerous phone calls and I have yet to receive a refund of the deposit.
And advice how to handle this without having to do a chargeback?
Sep 18, 2018, 8:03 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
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Posts: 2,478
Long time lurker, first time poster.
About 6 weeks ago I made a reservation at the St Regis Bal Harbour. Per rate rules they charged a deposit equal to the first night’s cost.
Unfortunately a few days later I had to cancel the reservation. As this was well within the cancellation period, I was due a refund of the deposit. Fast forward a month later and numerous phone calls and I have yet to receive a refund of the deposit.
And advice how to handle this without having to do a chargeback?
About 6 weeks ago I made a reservation at the St Regis Bal Harbour. Per rate rules they charged a deposit equal to the first night’s cost.
Unfortunately a few days later I had to cancel the reservation. As this was well within the cancellation period, I was due a refund of the deposit. Fast forward a month later and numerous phone calls and I have yet to receive a refund of the deposit.
And advice how to handle this without having to do a chargeback?
Sep 18, 2018, 8:04 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: Marriott/Starwood Lifetime Titanium, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Spire, United Premier Silver
Posts: 707
There is more experience here at FT than I have, but here would be my steps:
a) Start with the GM.
b) Escalate to elite desk/ambassador (if you have elite status) or customer service manager.
c) Escalate to Mr. Marriott's office.
Hopefully somewhere between those steps, one of the Starwood Lurkers might pick this up and escalate for you.
Good luck.
a) Start with the GM.
b) Escalate to elite desk/ambassador (if you have elite status) or customer service manager.
c) Escalate to Mr. Marriott's office.
Hopefully somewhere between those steps, one of the Starwood Lurkers might pick this up and escalate for you.
Good luck.
Sep 19, 2018, 6:04 am
#5
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I would say a charge-back is a lot more sensible than going to the Marriott Family Office (or Arne Sorenson, who is I assume who was meant). Give the hotel fair warning and say you have to do a charge-back within a week if it's not addressed and then do as promised if necessary.
Sep 19, 2018, 6:26 am
#6
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The rule of thumb is one call or email, followed by a chargeback if you do not see the refund in 7 business days.
You are wasting your own time making multiple calls, sending "Mr. Marriott" emails and the like.
Thirty seconds of your time online and you will have a temporary credit in a day and that will become final soon enough.
Not sure why people worry so much about chargebacks. This is exactly the situation where they are effective and efficient. Also, do not forget that while most card issuers permit longer periods, you only have statutory chargeback protection for 60 days and there is no reason to risk that.
You are wasting your own time making multiple calls, sending "Mr. Marriott" emails and the like.
Thirty seconds of your time online and you will have a temporary credit in a day and that will become final soon enough.
Not sure why people worry so much about chargebacks. This is exactly the situation where they are effective and efficient. Also, do not forget that while most card issuers permit longer periods, you only have statutory chargeback protection for 60 days and there is no reason to risk that.
Sep 19, 2018, 9:11 am
#7
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I suspect that the tendency of rental car companies to put people on their do not rent lists after a chargeback is used will quite reasonably cause someone to be afraid of using this provision.
Sep 19, 2018, 9:16 am
#8
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I wouldn't waste my time with any of that other stuff. I'd initiate the chargeback. You've met your obligation to attempt to resolve the dispute informally.
I'd also leave a negative TA review. Not returning deposits is not excusable.
Sep 19, 2018, 12:41 pm
#9
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If you have any hard evidence of Marriott refusing rooms, e.g. DNR, to people who initiate chargebacks for clear refunds, please post that. If not, this is simply fear-mongering and might, to the detriment of some uninformed reader, cause them not to exercise a free and easy way to get back their own money.
Sep 19, 2018, 8:01 pm
#10
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One may reasonably presume that as this was a Marriott, we are talking about a hotel and not a car rental.
If you have any hard evidence of Marriott refusing rooms, e.g. DNR, to people who initiate chargebacks for clear refunds, please post that. If not, this is simply fear-mongering and might, to the detriment of some uninformed reader, cause them not to exercise a free and easy way to get back their own money.
If you have any hard evidence of Marriott refusing rooms, e.g. DNR, to people who initiate chargebacks for clear refunds, please post that. If not, this is simply fear-mongering and might, to the detriment of some uninformed reader, cause them not to exercise a free and easy way to get back their own money.
Sep 20, 2019, 11:48 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: GRR
Posts: 544
As others have pointed out above, save yourself the hassle and initiate a charge back. I just went through this nonsense with the Hotel 101 in Reykjavik - tried calling and emailing the hotel, filling out the webform several times and finally enlisting the assistance of the "Bonvoy Champion". In the end, the charge back was the thing to do and I shouldn't have wasted weeks trying to "do the right thing" via the hotel/Marriott. Lesson learned!
Sep 20, 2019, 12:29 pm
#13
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,465
Re: being put on the "blacklist" if you initiate a chargeback.
If your dealings with a business ends up requiring you to initiate a chargeback and then that very business puts you on the "blacklist," why on earth would you want to give them more of your business anyway?
If your dealings with a business ends up requiring you to initiate a chargeback and then that very business puts you on the "blacklist," why on earth would you want to give them more of your business anyway?