No-show charge for cancelled (and confirmed as cancelled) reservation.
Jun 30, 2019, 1:46 am
#31
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I called property direct who insisted that I have valid, non-cancelled reservations. Nevertheless, they agreed to waive cancellation charge for this time. I will save all marriott cancellation emails from now on.
Jun 30, 2019, 8:07 am
#32
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Unfortunately, I just experienced three of those, for the same property, where reservations cancelled via computer on marriott.com weeks ago then revived on day of arrival. I called property direct who insisted that I have valid, non-cancelled reservations. Nevertheless, they agreed to waive cancellation charge for this time. I will save all marriott cancellation emails from now on.
I called property direct who insisted that I have valid, non-cancelled reservations. Nevertheless, they agreed to waive cancellation charge for this time. I will save all marriott cancellation emails from now on. Excuse me, but why would you not save cancellation emails until long after the dates of the original reservation (as hotels have been known to post charges to a credit card without explanation long after check out)?
Jun 30, 2019, 8:51 am
#33
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These charges should be fairly easy to challenge through credit card companies. You have a confirmation (including number) of cancelling the reservation and you were still charged for it? I can't see any credit card company giving you a hard time on that one.
I don't know where you are, but in the U.S. that's generally referred to as consumer fraud. You might try contacting the Consumer Protection Department/Division of your state's Attorney General's office. Every state A.G.'s office has one.
Colleague cancelled a Friday-evening reservation at a Sheraton on the Thursday morning, and received a cancellation confirmation email.
On the Sunday (yesterday), she noticed a charge on her credit card. The hotel had, without any notification to her, processed her reservation as a no-show.
She contacted the hotel, who checked and told her that the cancellation had 'not reached them'. She's been promised a refund.
On the Friday, she cancelled a Sunday-evening reservation at a different Sheraton, and received a cancellation confirmation email. On the Sunday, she noticed that the reservation was still showing as confirmed on the website and on the app. She called the hotel to check this and to say she wasn't coming that evening, and was told she still had a live reservation. Hotel promised to cancel without charge if the cancellation email was forwarded to them.
Not processing legitimate cancellations and then charging guests as no-shows is bad, really bad. Way beyond 'noise'.
On the Sunday (yesterday), she noticed a charge on her credit card. The hotel had, without any notification to her, processed her reservation as a no-show.
She contacted the hotel, who checked and told her that the cancellation had 'not reached them'. She's been promised a refund.
On the Friday, she cancelled a Sunday-evening reservation at a different Sheraton, and received a cancellation confirmation email. On the Sunday, she noticed that the reservation was still showing as confirmed on the website and on the app. She called the hotel to check this and to say she wasn't coming that evening, and was told she still had a live reservation. Hotel promised to cancel without charge if the cancellation email was forwarded to them.
Not processing legitimate cancellations and then charging guests as no-shows is bad, really bad. Way beyond 'noise'.
Jun 30, 2019, 9:20 am
#34
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Unfortunately, I just experienced three of those, for the same property, where reservations cancelled via computer on marriott.com weeks ago then revived on day of arrival. I called property direct who insisted that I have valid, non-cancelled reservations. Nevertheless, they agreed to waive cancellation charge for this time. I will save all marriott cancellation emails from now on.
I called property direct who insisted that I have valid, non-cancelled reservations. Nevertheless, they agreed to waive cancellation charge for this time. I will save all marriott cancellation emails from now on. Just HOW you can dispute any erroneous charges on the guaranteed card when the property charges you on a canceled reservation, when you do NOT have nny proof on your end?
Personally I first save a screen shot of the cancellation that shows both the reservation number AND the cancellation number - just in case the cancellation confirmation email never comes - As that has happened in the past, long before the merger mess.
EDIT
I saw MSPeconomist beats me to that.
Really, what is the big deal to have a dedicated folder in your emails for canceled reservations and just "file" the related emails there? Our trips always have a lot of changes, I actually have folder for each trip and in it, there are subfolders for Airlines, Rental Cars, Hotels, Xed Hotels, and a Misc - I file the trip related emails into their respective folder/subfolders - much much easier to look for stuff later on! And I believe all of us need to look back something on a booking ever so often!
Last edited by Happy; Jun 30, 2019 at 10:06 am
Jun 30, 2019, 9:23 am
#35
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It's hit or miss whether bonvOY sends a cancellation email. I screen shot and save reservations and cancellations into a folder.
Jun 30, 2019, 10:08 am
#37
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Where I am, we tend to first give companies the opportunity to investigate, resolve and make good issues caused by system glitches before yelling "consumer fraud".
Jun 30, 2019, 10:17 am
#38
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I note the cancellation number if I can't print/screenshot it immediately (I prefer to do cancellations on my desktop, but this isn't always possible) and watch for the email, also double checking that the reservation has disappeared from "my trips". If there's no email, I immediately try to contact my Ambassador and/or the hotel. At worst, having sent an email noting the cancellation number that I see online should be pretty good proof of timely cancellation even if the hotel/Ambassador service doesn't respond promptly, although I wish google mail didn't do confusing things with local time on email records.
Jun 30, 2019, 10:48 am
#39
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Jun 30, 2019, 11:04 am
#40
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Yesterday I cancelled a reservation (using Chase cert). I did not get the cancelation email-or the cert back. When I manually check the reservation, it is canceled. I'll have to call tomorrow to get it back I'm sure.
Jun 30, 2019, 2:20 pm
#41
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Use the Modify/Cancel to pull up the reservation, and instead of cancel, change the payment method - that would in many cases, free up the cert from the reservation. Confirm the modification WITHOUT cancelling it.
Check if the cert has returned to your account - if not in the next few hours but after nightly processing. If it shows up then you can safely go back to the reservation to cancel it.
Of course if you are at the last day of the window, there is not much you can do but take a chance.
Once again I would recommend to AVOID late night and weekends to do stuff with hotel bookings - this also applies to Hilton and to certain degree, IHG and Hyatt. Common sense really. These sites are NOT updated 24/7 like the airlines (which also still have down time to play catch up but the window of such is much smaller than Hotel chain websites).
Jun 30, 2019, 2:38 pm
#42
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You may want to DETACH the cert from the reservation first, before you do the cancellation.
Use the Modify/Cancel to pull up the reservation, and instead of cancel, change the payment method - that would in many cases, free up the cert from the reservation. Confirm the modification WITHOUT cancelling it.
Check if the cert has returned to your account - if not in the next few hours but after nightly processing. If it shows up then you can safely go back to the reservation to cancel it.
Of course if you are at the last day of the window, there is not much you can do but take a chance.
Once again I would recommend to AVOID late night and weekends to do stuff with hotel bookings - this also applies to Hilton and to certain degree, IHG and Hyatt. Common sense really. These sites are NOT updated 24/7 like the airlines (which also still have down time to play catch up but the window of such is much smaller than Hotel chain websites).
Use the Modify/Cancel to pull up the reservation, and instead of cancel, change the payment method - that would in many cases, free up the cert from the reservation. Confirm the modification WITHOUT cancelling it.
Check if the cert has returned to your account - if not in the next few hours but after nightly processing. If it shows up then you can safely go back to the reservation to cancel it.
Of course if you are at the last day of the window, there is not much you can do but take a chance.
Once again I would recommend to AVOID late night and weekends to do stuff with hotel bookings - this also applies to Hilton and to certain degree, IHG and Hyatt. Common sense really. These sites are NOT updated 24/7 like the airlines (which also still have down time to play catch up but the window of such is much smaller than Hotel chain websites).
I wasn't under any time crunch, but never had issues with these redepositing. When it comes to Travel Package certs-I only modify them over the phone. Now, I will have to follow these steps.
Jun 30, 2019, 4:10 pm
#43
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I have never experienced any property posting charges without explanation long after reservation date. Perhaps I was just lucky.
I do receive post stay charges from time to time but that's from properties where I actually stayed, not cancelled.I track my reservations meticulously. Whenever I cancel, which I do frequently due to my schedule, I always check to see if there is a cancellation number. Then I check to see if that reservation moves to "Cancelled" section under "My Trip". All seemed in order until those ghost reservations came back on day of check in.
Anyway, I will save cancellation emails and screenshots from now on. More work for customers.
Jun 30, 2019, 5:48 pm
#44
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Jul 22, 2019, 6:17 am
#45
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It has 2 day cancellation policy so I cancelled it again. I did save cancellation emails and noticed that they share the same cancellation number. 
Perhaps I need to check my Marriott reservations more than once a day.
Last edited by TerryK; Jul 22, 2019 at 6:51 am