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-   -   Will hotel refund me if I can't take my vacation due to weather (TS Isaac) (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1380659-will-hotel-refund-me-if-i-cant-take-my-vacation-due-weather-ts-isaac.html)

mridley2 Aug 24, 2012 12:57 pm

Will hotel refund me if I can't take my vacation due to weather (TS Isaac)
 
This is my first post outside of the Delta Skymiles forum so I hope this is in the right place..

I have a vacation planned in New Orleans 8/30 - 9/3 for Labor day weekend. Booked a hotel through Orbitz at a Holiday Inn some months ago as we found a good rate for the room. Clearly stated as non refundable which was fine because we already had our flights booked so we knew we were taking the trip.

Now that TS Isaac is threatening to disrupt our air travel plans to get there, if we can't make it to NOLA by at least 8/31 we're just going to cancel our flights and get a refund.

Question is, will the hotel give me the same option to cancel? I have NO frequent traveler status with Holiday Inn.

thanks

surftb15 Aug 24, 2012 1:01 pm

if its a prepaid reservation, probably not.

Jesperss Aug 24, 2012 1:02 pm

What did the hotel say when you called up?

Yoshi212 Aug 24, 2012 1:04 pm

What travel insurance did you purchase or is provided via credit card program/memberships?

beachmouse Aug 24, 2012 1:04 pm

Call the hotel directly and see what they say. Some of them are pretty lenient about cancellations once you're in the watch or warning box; others only waive 'no cancellations' if the area is under an actual mandatory evacuation order, which is a lot rarer than watch/warning.

My guess is that for now, they'll tell you no since the storm itself will be long clear of the Gulf Coast by the time the holiday weekend rolls around.

M60_to_LGA Aug 24, 2012 1:15 pm

It depends on the individual property and how severe the disruption is to your travel.

For example, last winter I had a hotel in NYC reserved for a few days in January, but I couldn't make it on time because of a big snowstorm that smacked the NE. I would technically have been on the hook for the first night since I didn't cancel before 24 hours. However, I was able to make it the next day, and the hotel waived the first night's charge.

If you can prove that you were physically unable to make it to your destination given an act of God, you might be able to convince either the hotel or the credit card to refund you.

However, as beachmouse already noted, the storm will be long gone by the time you're supposed to travel, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Often1 Aug 24, 2012 1:51 pm

In the following order and presuming that the TS does actually interfere:

1. Your travel insurance (presuming it covers this)
2. Read the t&c of the prepaid contract carefully (if you haven't). Does it say anything about situations where cancellation might be allowed.
3. Call the property directly (not the 800# & do not speak with reservations). You can try asking for a refund, but you are more likely to achieve positive results if you ask to have the stay rescheduled. Don't ask for a credit because the property has to carry it on its books. Ask to have the dates of the stay changed to specific new dates which you provide (and which are during the same season (high, shoulder, low).

You don't need a lecture, but because many people read these: Don't ever book prepaid unless you've got travel insurance and have read the policy word for word. There's nothing worse than saving a couple of hundred to lose a couple of thousand.

PRWeezer Aug 24, 2012 1:59 pm


Originally Posted by M60_to_LGA (Post 19186932)
It depends on the individual property and how severe the disruption is to your travel.

For example, last winter I had a hotel in NYC reserved for a few days in January, but I couldn't make it on time because of a big snowstorm that smacked the NE. I would technically have been on the hook for the first night since I didn't cancel before 24 hours. However, I was able to make it the next day, and the hotel waived the first night's charge.

If you can prove that you were physically unable to make it to your destination given an act of God, you might be able to convince either the hotel or the credit card to refund you.

However, as beachmouse already noted, the storm will be long gone by the time you're supposed to travel, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Similar situation here, we had planned to go to NOLA for a few days when ATL got hit by a snowstorm last year because we found a super hotel deal on Hotwire a couple of weeks prior. Called Hotwire, they said if we could send proof of our flight reservation being cancelled they would 'consider' a refund. Complicating matters, we had planned to fly non rev but hadn't listed for a flight yet, and you can't list for a flight that has already been cancelled & no longer exists.

At that point we were willing to chalk up the cost to bad luck. But just for kicks I called the hotel directly the day before our scheduled arrival. I explained the situation & the rep said they would agree to cancel, pointing out that what if we had planned to drive as a back-up to flying, we still couldn't get out of Atlanta to get there (great rep!). She told me specific wording to pass along to Hotwire, something like they would 'cancel without penalty' and gave me her direct #. Called back Hotwire, they put me on hold & called the hotel rep, everything was cancelled, no problem.

All that to say, if your flights are impacted you may stand a better chance of them being lenient than if you simply decide no to go because of potential weather.

cordelli Aug 24, 2012 2:18 pm

Call who you paid (either Orbitz or the Hotel) and ask what their policy is. I think you would have better luck if you paid the hotel and ask they allow you to move the dates.

Labor day is still a long way away, and lots can happen between now and then with the storm, so I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't make any decisions as to what they are going to do yet.


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