We’ve curated some cancellation policies to give you an insight into how hotels worldwide are dealing with the need to support travellers extenuating circumstances amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Find below a list of cancellation policies outlined by individual hotel chains and hospitality online marketplaces as taken from Business Insider.
1 Hotels
1 Hotels group will allow travellers to rebook any non-refundable stays booked directly for a later date by calling their reservations team directly.
Airbnb
Airbnb is applying its Extenuating Circumstances policy to the United States, as well as Mainland China, South Korea, and Italy. That means reservations in the United States, booked on or before March 13, 2020, with check-in date of April 1, 2020 or earlier may cancel reservations at no charge. The policy also applies to US travellers with reservations in the Schengen Area of Europe that were made on or before March 11, 2020, for travel between March 13 to April 13, 2020.
Additionally, global hosts and guests who need to change or cancel their travel to comply with government restrictions, to perform medical duties related to COVID-19, because their flight or transportation was cancelled due to COVID-19, or because they are infected with COVID-19 also won’t incur charges.
Accor Hotels
Guests who booked non-flexible rates with Accor and are scheduled to arrive prior to April 30, 2020, may modify their reservation for future travel through December 31, 2020 with no penalty by contacting the hotel directly.
They also have modification and cancellation policies in place for regions due to government restrictions. Guests traveling to and from the mainland China area and South Korea through March 31, 2020 can modify or cancel any reservation with no charge. Similarly, guests traveling to Italy through April 3, 2020 can also cancel or modify with no charge.
Guests who booked and planned a stay between March 10th and April 22nd to UAE, Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar or Saudi Arabia (KSA), can cancel or modify their stay until September 30th, 2020.
Arlo Hotels
The brand is waiving cancellation fees for existing bookings at all Arlo Hotels for stays beginning March 13, 2020 through May 31, 2020.
Choice Hotels
For any guests living in China, South Korea, Japan, and Italy there will be no cancellation fee with Choice Hotels through March 31, 2020. Travelers with reservations in China, Japan, and Italy may also cancel at no charge through the end of March.
Within the United States and Canada, Choice Hotels will allow guests with non-refundable reservations booked directly from March 10, 2020 to April 30, 2020 to receive Choice Privilege points based on room rates to use for future travel bookings.
Disneyland and Disney World Resorts
The theme parks will be closing entirely beginning March 16, 2020 through the end of the month. Guests with Disney Resort reservations during that period may modify or cancel their reservation at no charge.
If no action is taken to change a reservation by check-in day, Disney will automatically refund payment within seven days.
Four Seasons
Four Seasons guests traveling from Greater China, South Korea, Iran, and Europe (except the United Kingdom) will not have cancellation fees through April 15, 2020. They will also waive all cancellation fees for hotels in the Asia Pacific region and Europe (except the United Kingdom) until April 15, 2020.
Hilton Hotels
Hilton is waiving all change fees and offering full refunds for regions affected by government-issued travel restrictions.
All reservations, including those that are not typically eligible for cancellation, and are scheduled before April 30, 2020, can be altered at no charge up to 24 hours before arrival.
Hoxton Hotel
The Hoxton is offering all guests free changes and cancellations on stays up until August 31, 2020. Cancellations/changes need to be made by 6 p.m. the night before check-in.
Hyatt Hotels
Hyatt is waiving cancellation fees for all existing reservations made before March 13, 2020 that are for arrivals between March 14 and April 30, 2020. These can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival.
Hyatt is also giving members the option of trading in any advanced purchase rate non-refundable reservation booked directly on or before March 8, 200 for travel through June 30, 2020 for 10,000 World of Hyatt Bonus Points as compensation instead.
IHG
The brand, which includes Kimpton, Intercontinental, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and many others, is waiving all cancellation fees for existing and new bookings made between March 9, 2020 and April 30, 2020.
Loews Hotels
Loews is waiving all cancellation fees for existing and new individual reservations for stays through and including May 31, 2020. This includes any pre-paid and non-refundable reservations. Group bookings and meetings should contact the hotel directly for cancellations.
Marriott Hotels
For any guests with existing reservations for any future arrival date, including reservations with prepaid rates, Marriott will allow full changes or cancellation without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival, as long as the change or cancellation is made by April 30, 2020. Keep in mind that any changes to existing reservations will be subject to availability and rate differences.
For guests making new reservations for any future arrival date between now and April 30, 2020, Marriott will allow the reservation to be changed at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival date, again subject to availability and rate differences. Cancellation will also be allowed.
Marriott Vacations Worldwide is included in these policies, but their boutique portfolio of hotels under Design Hotels are excluded.
Trump Hotels
For Trump Hotels, all cancellation fees for direct booking for stays in March and April will be waived as necessary. Group bookings during March and April can be rebooked for any time in the next 10 months.
Any advance purchase reservation for March and April may be rebooked for use in the next 10 months at no charge.
Williamsburg Hotel
These changes impact many independent hotels as well, such as the Williamsburg Hotel. Guests can change or cancel reservations for any pre-booked dates free of charge through the reservations team at the Williamsburg Hotel.
Wyndham Hotels
Any guests traveling to or from Greater China, South Korea, or Italy with direct bookings for stays in any of Wyndham’s hotels through March 31, 2020 will have their cancellation or change penalties waived entirely.
Guests with direct bookings who are prohibited from traveling to their booked hotel under law will have their cancellation or change penalties waived.
For existing direct bookings, all Wyndham properties worldwide are required to accommodate rate reservation changes, as long as the request is received at least 48 hours prior to arrival and the same number of room nights or more are booked for a future stay.
HomeAway
HomeAway is refunding 100% of the money it makes through traveller service fees when someone must cancel a trip due to COVID-19, whether the cancellation is government-mandated or not. This goes into effect for all stays booked before March 13 with a night between 13th March and 30th April. Holidaymakers don’t have to do anything to collect the refund; it will happen automatically over the next few weeks. They do not need to call and confirm.
Rolling Out Automated Refunds: HomeAway are also working to make refunds and date changes to bookings easier for customers. They acknowledge that credits for future dates will be administered between partners and holidaymakers and ask that your teams acknowledge the arrangement in writing — ideally via their secure messaging system.
Automatically Waiving Related Cancellation Penalties: If a customer needs to cancel due to this event, HomeAway will automatically waive the cancellation so it does not impact their ranking metrics. Customers no longer have to call Customer Service to get the cancellation waived, just select COVID-19 as the cancellation reason code and refund at the minimum 50% to be eligible.
OTAs: Hotels booked through Expedia, Kayak, Hotels.com, and other online travel agents
If you booked your hotel with an online travel booking site like Expedia, Kayak, Hotels.com or Booking.com, you will need to contact them directly. This is also true if you booked with a credit card through their booking portal.
Most online booking sites are adhering to the cancellation policies of individual hotels and airlines, so it will vary depending on your exact itinerary and booking. Find out more here.
