Request to prepay cancellable rate
Dec 10, 2025 | 9:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
Programs: UA 50K, refugee from AC E50K, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 5,169
Request to prepay cancellable rate
I received this rather strange email today:
I'm booked on a standard member rate flexible which is normally fully cancellable 7d in advance. Are they "allowed" to demand prepayment? I don't even know how I would do this, short of phoning the property which I'm not about to do (time zones etc.).
If I absolutely need to prepay, I will. I'm going there and I will stay there. But I find the demand to prepay a cancellable rate very strange.
Anyone ever experience this before?
Originally Posted by Marriott
Dear RCyyz
I hope this message finds you well.
Thank you for your loyalty as a Platinum Elite tiered Marriott Bonvoy Member.
We are writing to confirm your upcoming stay at Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge from 28/12/25 - 29/12/25 .Please review the booking details below and kindly confirm that everything is correct:
Booking Details:
Guest Name: RCyyz
Check-in Date: 28/12/25
Check-out Date: 29/12/25
Number of guests: 1
Number of rooms: 1
Special Requests:
Estimated time of arrival:
To ensure that your reservation is secured, we kindly ask you to confirm your booking by responding to this email, should we not receive payment, your booking will be cancelled.
We look forward to welcoming you to Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge and providing you with a pleasant and comfortable stay.
I hope this message finds you well.
Thank you for your loyalty as a Platinum Elite tiered Marriott Bonvoy Member.
We are writing to confirm your upcoming stay at Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge from 28/12/25 - 29/12/25 .Please review the booking details below and kindly confirm that everything is correct:
Booking Details:
Guest Name: RCyyz
Check-in Date: 28/12/25
Check-out Date: 29/12/25
Number of guests: 1
Number of rooms: 1
Special Requests:
Estimated time of arrival:
To ensure that your reservation is secured, we kindly ask you to confirm your booking by responding to this email, should we not receive payment, your booking will be cancelled.
We look forward to welcoming you to Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge and providing you with a pleasant and comfortable stay.
If I absolutely need to prepay, I will. I'm going there and I will stay there. But I find the demand to prepay a cancellable rate very strange.
Anyone ever experience this before?
Dec 11, 2025 | 3:11 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: LH HON****, Bonvoy Ambassador/LT Titanium
Posts: 2,063
I personally would not respond. You are not contractually required to agree to any changes they unilaterally make in the contract you have with them.Just make sure you have a printed confirmation of the reservation clearly indicating the rate.
I suspect that this is just a poorly worded email sent out to all reservation holders, independent of pre-payment status.
I suspect that this is just a poorly worded email sent out to all reservation holders, independent of pre-payment status.
Dec 11, 2025 | 4:45 am
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
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Posts: 10,134
This is relatively common in South Africa - if you want to keep the reservation, I would contact the hotel directly to verify the authenticity of the request. Youll still probably need to prepay.
Dec 11, 2025 | 5:53 am
#4
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Pre-pay rates can be cancellable and refundable as well. Did your reservation show that a pre-payment was needed? I would certainly deal with the situation rather than risking a cancellation and then spending a ton of time trying to resolve it
Dec 11, 2025 | 8:41 am
#5
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The reservation itself should've had details about a prepayment/deposit being required. If you canceled then the deposit would be returned as long as outside that 7d limit.
Strange the hotel would ask though, since if you had a CC in your profile and reservation, then they should be able to charge any deposit to that.
Strange the hotel would ask though, since if you had a CC in your profile and reservation, then they should be able to charge any deposit to that.
Dec 11, 2025 | 8:47 am
#6
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The reservation itself should've had details about a prepayment/deposit being required. If you canceled then the deposit would be returned as long as outside that 7d limit.
Strange the hotel would ask though, since if you had a CC in your profile and reservation, then they should be able to charge any deposit to that.
Strange the hotel would ask though, since if you had a CC in your profile and reservation, then they should be able to charge any deposit to that.
Dec 11, 2025 | 4:01 pm
#7
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The email talks about responding to the email. I hope they don't expect OP to give credit card details by email.
Has the OP checked that the email did indeed come from the hotel?
I wonder whether calling Marriott would be a way to make the deposit without calling or emailing the hotel.
Has the OP checked that the email did indeed come from the hotel?
I wonder whether calling Marriott would be a way to make the deposit without calling or emailing the hotel.
Dec 16, 2025 | 9:50 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 4,373
I received this rather strange email today:
I'm booked on a standard member rate flexible which is normally fully cancellable 7d in advance. Are they "allowed" to demand prepayment? I don't even know how I would do this, short of phoning the property which I'm not about to do (time zones etc.).
If I absolutely need to prepay, I will. I'm going there and I will stay there. But I find the demand to prepay a cancellable rate very strange.
Anyone ever experience this before?
I'm booked on a standard member rate flexible which is normally fully cancellable 7d in advance. Are they "allowed" to demand prepayment? I don't even know how I would do this, short of phoning the property which I'm not about to do (time zones etc.).
If I absolutely need to prepay, I will. I'm going there and I will stay there. But I find the demand to prepay a cancellable rate very strange.
Anyone ever experience this before?