Cancelling Non Refundable Hotel Stay due to Protests [in Hong Kong]
Jul 6, 2019, 10:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Cancelling Non Refundable Hotel Stay due to Protests [in Hong Kong]
I booked one night stay at OVOLO Southside HK for July 7-8, non refundable and payment already collected.
Yesterday the news came that at least on July 7 there will be protest around Kowloon area in the afternoon.
We won’t be going to HK anymore due to the protest. Can I call Marriott to cancel the booking and get back my payment?
Yesterday the news came that at least on July 7 there will be protest around Kowloon area in the afternoon.
We won’t be going to HK anymore due to the protest. Can I call Marriott to cancel the booking and get back my payment?
Jul 6, 2019, 10:35 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: QF WP, AA EXP
Posts: 3,520
Kowloon and the Ovolo are very far apart. Unless you are specifically going to do things in Kowloon I wouldn't worry about it, do your trip as planned.
Jul 6, 2019, 10:52 am
#3
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You can try, but likely only the hotel would be able to get you the payment back. So your probably going to have to call the hotel itself to see if they will give you the deposit back.
Jul 6, 2019, 10:53 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
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my question is that now we are definitely cancelling the trip, can I get the refund?
Jul 6, 2019, 10:54 am
#5
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1) check Google Map and see for yourself how far apart between the South side of Hong Kong and the area where the protest will occur on the Kowloon side - it is a fair distance even traveling by Metro.
2) if you still dont want to visit Hong Kong, your best bet is to call the property itself to plead your case. Because Marriott would call the property to get permission anyway, you have better chance to negotiate this yourself than going thru Marriott customer service which these days is pathetic.
Again, it is the property who decides whether to refund you or not. Marriott cannot refund you - it comes from the property which has taken your payment.
2) if you still dont want to visit Hong Kong, your best bet is to call the property itself to plead your case. Because Marriott would call the property to get permission anyway, you have better chance to negotiate this yourself than going thru Marriott customer service which these days is pathetic.
Again, it is the property who decides whether to refund you or not. Marriott cannot refund you - it comes from the property which has taken your payment.
Jul 6, 2019, 11:17 am
#6
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Jul 6, 2019, 11:49 am
#7
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You really will need to contact the hotel.
In my experience, legacy Marriott properties will cancel and refund but status helps.
In contrast, I was going to Buenos Aires last year for a one night stop and the Sheraton refused to cancel my reservation even though the airport was on strike and flights cancelled.
I'm sure the hotels have figured out how they are dealing with this issue. I was going to HK this weekend but cancelled ...but cancelled before any penalities applied.
In my experience, legacy Marriott properties will cancel and refund but status helps.
In contrast, I was going to Buenos Aires last year for a one night stop and the Sheraton refused to cancel my reservation even though the airport was on strike and flights cancelled.
I'm sure the hotels have figured out how they are dealing with this issue. I was going to HK this weekend but cancelled ...but cancelled before any penalities applied.
Jul 6, 2019, 12:17 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 902
You’re in the property’s hands. That’s what happens with prepaid nonrefundable rates. They may relent and refund, or they may not. Reservation’s T&Cs have no exceptions for public turmoil. This type of issues are precisely what travel insurance is for, although I am not sure any travel warning has been issued for HK.
Jul 6, 2019, 2:25 pm
#9
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Why do these threads always devolve into "us" (legacy Marriott) vs "them" (legacy Sheraton)? Any generalizations like this are guaranteed to be grossly inaccurate and prejudicial.
And we had the opposite experience with the Sheraton Iguazu Falls. A strike cancelled our flight, and the Sheraton was happy to cancel our three-night reservation without charge.
You can't make generalizations based on a single occurrence by a single property.
You can't make generalizations based on a single occurrence by a single property.
Jul 6, 2019, 3:43 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Probably on a flight.
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I also contacted the W about a week ago about my concerns with vacationing in HK towards mid July. They declined to refund and said that since they were in Kowloon they were far away from the protests. Still a less than ideal time to visit though and is a bit of a bummer
Honestly just one more reason I;m done with Bonvoy. Many more nights stayed than it took me to get a concierge in WoH, and I know my concierge would have handled this with Hyatt
Honestly just one more reason I;m done with Bonvoy. Many more nights stayed than it took me to get a concierge in WoH, and I know my concierge would have handled this with Hyatt
We have noted your concern regarding the current situation in Hong Kong, please kindly understand the situation had been stabilized and the public transportation system in Hong Kong Island side is resuming to normal operation yesterday. Please be assured that the Kowloon area (where our hotel is located) and New territories are not affected by the previous protest.
Your reservation is holding in good order. All our hotel facilities and restaurants are opening as usual, please feel free to let us know if we can assist with confirming an appointment at our day spa, Bliss Spa, or at either of our restaurants, Kitchen or Sing Yin (for lunch and/or dinner), as we'd love to ensure you have a great experience with us!
Please let us know if you need further assistance anytime.
Have a Wonderful day!
Your reservation is holding in good order. All our hotel facilities and restaurants are opening as usual, please feel free to let us know if we can assist with confirming an appointment at our day spa, Bliss Spa, or at either of our restaurants, Kitchen or Sing Yin (for lunch and/or dinner), as we'd love to ensure you have a great experience with us!
Please let us know if you need further assistance anytime.
Have a Wonderful day!
Last edited by jinrop; Jul 6, 2019 at 4:45 pm
Jul 6, 2019, 4:24 pm
#11
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What some other manager at some other property did or did not do on some other date is not likely to inform this situation.
Call the property during the business day (in HK) and speak with a manager. Explain why the location of the hotel is not your only concern, make your request clear, concise, and polite, and see what happens.
Call the property during the business day (in HK) and speak with a manager. Explain why the location of the hotel is not your only concern, make your request clear, concise, and polite, and see what happens.
Jul 6, 2019, 4:31 pm
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
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I booked one night stay at OVOLO Southside HK for July 7-8, non refundable and payment already collected.
Yesterday the news came that at least on July 7 there will be protest around Kowloon area in the afternoon.
We won’t be going to HK anymore due to the protest. Can I call Marriott to cancel the booking and get back my payment?
Yesterday the news came that at least on July 7 there will be protest around Kowloon area in the afternoon.
We won’t be going to HK anymore due to the protest. Can I call Marriott to cancel the booking and get back my payment?
I think your refund request is week. Sure, maybe you booked before the protest activity ratcheted up, but this stuff happens almost every year at this time, and I highly doubt there will be riots at Stanley, Repulse, Ocean Park, etc.
Jul 6, 2019, 4:43 pm
#13
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Jul 6, 2019, 5:14 pm
#14
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You might have a stronger case if your government has issued a travel warning (or if your airline has poster a travel waiver), so check before contacting the hotel. Moreover it's apparently a single day of protest that concerns you and it should be easy to arrange your schedule to avoid the area. (BTW, how long are you scheduled to be in HK? And are you able to change flights without penalty?) I find it hard to imagine that the airport express train at Kowloon station will be seriously disrupted, but a taxi directly to the hotel would seem to be an easy solution.
Jul 6, 2019, 5:26 pm
#15
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