Still no refund from Hurricane Katrina cancellation
 

I had a fully pre-paid reservation at the Wyndham Bourbon Orleans for Labor Day weekend. Obviously, I could not go due to Hurrican Katrina. I called Wyndham reservations two days before my check-in date to cancel the reservationa and was told a refund would be processed.

After about a week with no refund, I called back and was told that the refund would be processed once the New Orleans hotel was back up and running. I told them that could take months and was unacceptable.

They referred me to their corporate headquarters. When I called I was transferred to someone who was apparently handling the hurricane-related refunds. He said they were having a hard time "getting a system in place to issue refunds" and that the prepayment had been sent to the local franchise. I told him what a PR embarrassment this was for Wyndham but he only got curt with me. So, I asked for a number to the office of the CEO... to which he resonded, "We actually don't hae a CEO right now."

Eventually I spoke with Brenda Garner in Revenue Management. She was nice enouch but made excuses about not knowing how much the refund should be for, etc, etc. I told her I could provide all that and I faxed it to her. She promised to get back with me as soon as a refund could be issued. She called me about three days later and said a refund would be issued in about a week. UGH! At this point, still no refund.

I've left a message for Brenda Garner and for Tim Fielding (Executive Vice President & Chief Accounting Officer). I got his number by calling the corporate headquarters after hours, and using the automated "dial-by-name" option. I'll be waiting for a call from one or both of them on Monday.

Needless to say, Wyndham won't see me at one of their hotels anytime in the future.

I don't want to be a bad prophet, but I doubt very much you'll get anything back. I would not be surprised that they will claim the occurrence was entirely outside of their control and as such will try for a long time not to refund anything...
Take my advice, never prepay more than a night. The savings are not worth it.

Call your credit card issuer and contest the charge (you may have to wait for it to appear on the credit card statement if it hasn't already). You paid for a service that you didn't receive through no fault of your own. With a protest in the record it then becomes an issue between Visa/MC and the hotel. Particularly with the hotel's statement that you'll be reimbursed "eventually" you should have no qualms about accelerating the process a bit.

Could you still do a credit card dispute?

Expect more of this in the near future. You will be expected to "forgive" the charges in the name of the Katrina Victims. You will be made to feel guilty. You will see.

Don't you think you're being a bit impatient?

In a situation like this I would expect a refund to take more than a few days.

I have same situation with a small French Quarter (non chain) hotel that I had booked into over Labor Day. Besides a depost made a year ago, they "collected" an additional $400 from my credit card about 3 weeks out, to guarantee the reservaton.

I cannot contact them through any channels (emal, phone, etc.) and suspect that I'm going to get stiffed for the charge. I will likely try to contest this through credit card, but am sure the deposit amount is too long ago to be contestable.

Also had considerable hassle getting airfare refunded (NW) but after 2 1/2 weeks it finally processed.

Depending on your state, you may succeed in getting back your deposit too if you put that on a credit card. Generally if money is taken and no merchandise at all delivered or no service at all rendered, you are entitled to your money back even if many months have passed or the merchant or provider is many hundres of miles away.

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