No-show procedure in hotels: can hotels charge your credit card for a no-show?

Sometimes plans change during the trip and you end up having to lose a hotel reservation that you had made. When things don’t go as planned, it’s important that you contact the hotel where you planned to stay, to avoid being charged hotel fees without using their services. Hotels have become strict on their cancellation policies, which means you should be aware of these policies before booking a hotel.

How the hotel cancellation policies work

Currently, hotels can create their policies in the way they see fit, without being restricted or guided by any agency. This has made it a rather uneven playing field, which means that each hotel is different from another. Hotels vary in their policies, so it is advisable to read the fine print before booking. While some hotels give you until the night before your arrival to cancel, these are less and less. Many hotels now request up to 72 hours in advance or more when you want to cancel reservations. If you do not meet the stipulated time established, then you can be charged from a minimum charge of one night for each room you have reserved, until you are charged for the entire period you were destined to stay. While these hotel charges seem absurd in the least, hotels still have the right to keep the charges. So it’s all up to you to cover your flanks. Here’s how to do it.

Read the fine print

This point cannot be stressed enough. Reading the fine print of hotel policies will help you understand what charges apply and to what extent. This will help you plan ahead for any no-shows. If you cannot afford the stipulated charges, it is best to find another hotel that suits your needs. Knowing what the hotel requires can also give you a bargaining chip to negotiate beforehand. If you can get them to commit before your no-show, then you can save on penalties.

Contact the Hotel

When you have an indication that you might not show up, you should check the cancellation procedure before booking. Talking to the hotel is a good way to get the right information even after reading their site’s policy online. Once you have written down the procedure, you will be well armed to contest any charges if you made the cancellation in the correct way and followed the correct procedure.

Have tangible evidence

When making a cancellation, make sure you have proof that you have indeed canceled your reservation. You may be issued a cancellation number if you do so over the phone. If you use the email to cancel the reservation, you have your evidence. However, phone calls are in a better position to handle these problems, as they cannot be disproved. You can always say that they never saw the email.

Follow up

There are times when you have taken the correct steps to cancel and your credit card is still being charged. At this time, you must contact the hotel with your cancellation information, as well as a request to credit your account with the amount deducted. If this is not done, you can always appeal to your credit card company.

Other ways to cover yourself

As mentioned above, if you think a hotel’s policies are too prohibitive, you can always look for another hotel that is better suited to your needs. Please note that the only way you will not be charged for no-show fees is to follow their cancellation procedure. Apart from doing this, you will only be at fault. Another way to cover yourself for these hotel charges is to have a travel insurance policy. This is beneficial in many ways.