Booking.com refund timeline
Jul 2, 2020, 8:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: SQ
Posts: 11
Booking.com refund timeline
I booked a London hotel in Oct 2019 for June 2020 and this was a pre-paid non-refundable rate $2300. The hotel had charged my credit card for the hotel stay when I made the booking at booking.com. Due to the covid-19 lockdown situation the hotel was closed and the booking cancelled. I managed to get a refund made in the form of booking.com credits which can be withdrawn to my credit card.
Here's my experience:
May 2020, the hotel and booking.com made a mass cancellation of all bookings made for the hotel and mine was cancelled. The hotel sent me an email offering me credit voucher valid till Dec 2021 but I declined the offer. I made a call to booking.com hotline and spoke to the agent about my situation. This booking was cancelled by booking.com and the hotel and it was no fault of mine.
Two weeks later, the hotel offered me the credit voucher again which i declined. I called booking.com and showed them my credit card statement with proof of payment made to the hotel. The agent was very polite and she told me that I am entitled to a full refund and she'll lodge a dispute with the hotel for me. Booking.com offered me a credit voucher for the hotel which I declined again.
After about 6 weeks from the date of cancellation, I received an email from booking.com that they'll made a full refund to my booking.com wallet.
Some lessons I learnt from this encounter
Here's my experience:
May 2020, the hotel and booking.com made a mass cancellation of all bookings made for the hotel and mine was cancelled. The hotel sent me an email offering me credit voucher valid till Dec 2021 but I declined the offer. I made a call to booking.com hotline and spoke to the agent about my situation. This booking was cancelled by booking.com and the hotel and it was no fault of mine.
Two weeks later, the hotel offered me the credit voucher again which i declined. I called booking.com and showed them my credit card statement with proof of payment made to the hotel. The agent was very polite and she told me that I am entitled to a full refund and she'll lodge a dispute with the hotel for me. Booking.com offered me a credit voucher for the hotel which I declined again.
After about 6 weeks from the date of cancellation, I received an email from booking.com that they'll made a full refund to my booking.com wallet.
Some lessons I learnt from this encounter
- If your booking is a non-refundable stay but the hotel is closed due to the covid situation and cancellation was done by the hotel or booking.com, you could be entitled to a refund
- be polite and kind to the agents
- be polite and stand firm and decline if hotel credit vouchers are offered.
Jul 4, 2020, 3:33 pm
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
Sorry?
Have you received your cash back to your credit card? What is a booking.com wallet?
After about 6 weeks from the date of cancellation, I received an email from booking.com that they'll made a full refund to my booking.com wallet.
Jul 5, 2020, 7:22 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: SQ
Posts: 11
Jul 5, 2020, 10:59 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
OP is entitled to a refund to his original form of payment. However, Booking.com wants to process that is irrelevant, e.g. direct to the card or to the wallet and thence to the card.
If 6 weeks have passed since the property or OTA cancelled your reservation and you have not yet been advised that the credit has been initiated and it does not appear on your card, you should immediately initiate a chargeback.
Your chargeback should be much more precise and include the relevant emails and documents:
1. Copy of booking and charge showing the $2,300.
2. Copy of cancellation notice(s).
3. Copy of your request for a refund to your card.
In your narrative, make it clear that you are not looking for a credit from the property or hotels. com, but rather a refund to your card. Don't use terms such as "wallet" as they are confusing.
No reason for you to make interest-free loans.
If 6 weeks have passed since the property or OTA cancelled your reservation and you have not yet been advised that the credit has been initiated and it does not appear on your card, you should immediately initiate a chargeback.
Your chargeback should be much more precise and include the relevant emails and documents:
1. Copy of booking and charge showing the $2,300.
2. Copy of cancellation notice(s).
3. Copy of your request for a refund to your card.
In your narrative, make it clear that you are not looking for a credit from the property or hotels. com, but rather a refund to your card. Don't use terms such as "wallet" as they are confusing.
No reason for you to make interest-free loans.
