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OBSOLETE COVID THREAD Booking.com cancellations

OBSOLETE COVID THREAD
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auburnfive

Veteran Member
Has any one had any experience with booking.com cancellations that supposedly don’t have a cancellation option? We booked in Seville for mid April and the establishment did not have free cancellation, but we wanted the location so went for it anyway. On their partner website, Booking.com says Force Majure conditions are in effect, so cancellation fees should be waived. I will likely wait to try. There are 6 of us for 3 nights, so it adds up. Any advice appreciated.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
When you cancel a Booking.com reservation for a lodging that did not offer room rates with cancellation options, you can request that Booking.com contact that lodging on your behalf, asking the property to fully or partially refund your payment.

If, when booking, you chose the option to wait and make payment upon arrival and check-in, there is a fairly good chance that the lodging will agree to cancel and not charge a fee. I have done this several times with good results.

If you have already paid for that reservation when you made the booking, there is less of a chance that you will be refunded your payment. . . but it does happen.

Your situation is one of the reasons I will only book with properties where I do not have to pay ahead of time. Unless, of course, it is a "Must Stay" location, and pre-payment is the ONLY option offered by Booking.com and other reservation sites for that property.
 
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Yes my dad has already paid with booking.com he contacted the hotel they have let him move his booking to another date. It can be moved again if needed. I certainly would advise asking if they will help they might ask you to contact booking.com
 
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Has any one had any experience with booking.com cancellations that supposedly don’t have a cancellation option? We booked in Seville for mid April and the establishment did not have free cancellation, but we wanted the location so went for it anyway. On their partner website, Booking.com says Force Majure conditions are in effect, so cancellation fees should be waived. I will likely wait to try. There are 6 of us for 3 nights, so it adds up. Any advice appreciated.
I'm in the same boat (whilst maintaining social distancing...! 😁 ) with my trip to Israel in May & June. I usually opt for free cancellation but booked some pre-paid or non-refundable nights as the rate was significantly cheaper. I've cancelled all the 'without penalty' places & will now wait & see. Once I know various travel bans are in effect for my travel dates, then I will tackle the reservations with restrictions.
We all understand the financial ramifications for ourselves & the accom providers; I'm hoping some middle ground can be reached. Initially I will contact the accom directly through booking.com messaging followed by asking b.com to act on my behalf. I've always found their Customer Service to be absolutely top-notch. I'm expecting (& have accepted) the money paid or yet to be paid won't be refunded/excused so anything recouped will be a bonus.
For clarity, I've booked hotels who appear to have high occupancy rates from the domestic Israeli market....I personally would not ask for a refund from small independents whose family income relies on hosting travellers.
Best wishes to us all as we navigate uncharted territory!
👣 🌏
 
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Has any one had any experience with booking.com cancellations that supposedly don’t have a cancellation option? We booked in Seville for mid April and the establishment did not have free cancellation, but we wanted the location so went for it anyway. On their partner website, Booking.com says Force Majure conditions are in effect, so cancellation fees should be waived. I will likely wait to try. There are 6 of us for 3 nights, so it adds up. Any advice appreciated.
Yes,,, I had a non cancellation booking for a Hotel in Spain for next week,,, by asking politely of both

Booking.com and the hotel directly,,, they have agreed to pay back the money. But I am feeling very sorry for the Hotel and all of Spain,, and the Camino that we love!!
Stay home and stay safe!!
And yes I will be back
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Has any one had any experience with booking.com cancellations that supposedly don’t have a cancellation option? We booked in Seville for mid April and the establishment did not have free cancellation, but we wanted the location so went for it anyway. On their partner website, Booking.com says Force Majure conditions are in effect, so cancellation fees should be waived. I will likely wait to try. There are 6 of us for 3 nights, so it adds up. Any advice appreciated.
I reserved an apartment in Madrid in January for the end of April for 5 days. The booking allowed free cancellation if done more than 30 days before arrival. I cancelled on March 12. After I cancelled my credit card was charged the full amount. Needless to say I am pursuing this. PS: Bookings.com is not very responsive which I understand but ....not pleased.
 
Has any one had any experience with booking.com cancellations that supposedly don’t have a cancellation option? We booked in Seville for mid April and the establishment did not have free cancellation, but we wanted the location so went for it anyway. On their partner website, Booking.com says Force Majure conditions are in effect, so cancellation fees should be waived. I will likely wait to try. There are 6 of us for 3 nights, so it adds up. Any advice appreciated.
Has any one had any experience with booking.com cancellations that supposedly don’t have a cancellation option? We booked in Seville for mid April and the establishment did not have free cancellation, but we wanted the location so went for it anyway. On their partner website, Booking.com says Force Majure conditions are in effect, so cancellation fees should be waived. I will likely wait to try. There are 6 of us for 3 nights, so it adds up. Any advice appreciated.
I’ve gotten burned TWICE by Booking.com!! They are horrible about responding back to you until you just give up. They screwed me out of $300 +. Plus they totalllllllly misrepresented a closet with a picture of a small living room, dining room and bedroom. I got there and it was literally a closet!!
THEY SUCK!!!
 
I reserved an apartment in Madrid in January for the end of April for 5 days. The booking allowed free cancellation if done more than 30 days before arrival. I cancelled on March 12. After I cancelled my credit card was charged the full amount. Needless to say I am pursuing this. PS: Bookings.com is not very responsive which I understand but ....not pleased.

Hi, I have always had excellent service from booking.com, but don’t try phoning them – you’ll never get through. You need to email them, attaching all the relevant documentation, with the booking reference in the subject line, and, if all correct, they will refund you. They may, however, be a little bit busy at the moment . . . .
 
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I have just cancelled all my May and June accommodations in Spain, all made with booking.com and received full refunds for any monies paid upfront. Also received my deposit back from Biarritz airport transfers.
The only thing left in the works is the airfare, and that will be weeks before anything happens.
Cheers
Glenda
 
I was able to cancel all of the reservations I had made for June because I was still covered by the free cancellations clause but one hotel strangely said when I was trying to cancel, it was the last day to cancel-so sorry. I wrote to Booking. com to complain and a week later the reservation was cancelled. Understandably they are quite busy and probably losing a lot of money.
Now the airlines that is a completely different story. I am trying to cancel. TAP which I booked through Travelocity, Ryanair which I booked direct, and Iberia which I booked direct. The flights aren't until May and June and I am waiting until it is closer to the check in dates. Their phones are jammed, the on-line access is jammed. TAP says I can get a credit to use up until the end of the year, I'm fearful that Ryanair will go belly up in this shit storm.
 
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I'm in the same boat (whilst maintaining social distancing...! 😁 ) with my trip to Israel in May & June. I usually opt for free cancellation but booked some pre-paid or non-refundable nights as the rate was significantly cheaper. I've cancelled all the 'without penalty' places & will now wait & see. Once I know various travel bans are in effect for my travel dates, then I will tackle the reservations with restrictions.
We all understand the financial ramifications for ourselves & the accom providers; I'm hoping some middle ground can be reached. Initially I will contact the accom directly through booking.com messaging followed by asking b.com to act on my behalf. I've always found their Customer Service to be absolutely top-notch. I'm expecting (& have accepted) the money paid or yet to be paid won't be refunded/excused so anything recouped will be a bonus.
For clarity, I've booked hotels who appear to have high occupancy rates from the domestic Israeli market....I personally would not ask for a refund from small independents whose family income relies on hosting travellers.
Best wishes to us all as we navigate uncharted territory!
👣 🌏
I, too, was to be in Israel in May (volunteer work) and because of the entry restrictions, will not be going. I am waiting for American Airlines to get to the point where they will refund me my money or allow me a fee-free change (impossible to get through to them, even to book a new flight!). I was to go on to Jordan afterward to join a tour of the historical sites, and that country is closed as well. The tour company will not refund my money because of the Force Majeure clause (they are using it against customers because they say the pandemic is not something they could control, even though the company was the one who cancelled the tour). They will, however, give me a coupon worth 110% of what I've already paid, but only to put towards another tour, which I must take by the end of 2021. It remains to be seen how much their prices will have increased, and if the airlines will let me change travel without penalty. Looks like everyone is taking a hit one way or another and to varying degrees.
I wish you all the best as we all get through this together.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I’ve gotten burned TWICE by Booking.com!! They are horrible about responding back to you until you just give up. They screwed me out of $300 +. Plus they totalllllllly misrepresented a closet with a picture of a small living room, dining room and bedroom. I got there and it was literally a closet!!
THEY SUCK!!!
You do know that Booking.com has nothing to do with the pictures the the properties use on their site? Blame the property itself, not Booking.com.
 
I just checked my messages in booking.com and the hotel has offered to cancel without charges. They actually contacted me to make the offer before I contacted them. Shout out to the Nomad Hostel in Seville, where we had private rooms booked.
I have always found booking.com to be great. Once a property charged us extra on arrival for use of the pull out bed, booking.com investigated and sent us back the extra charges.
 
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I have had mostly good luck with booking.com. I so think they have some properties that are less than honest that they ride herd on. That's how they earn their commissions!!!
And when paying by credit card, they are between you and a vendor with a guarantee as long as you havent paid so early that the time for dispute has passed.

I never pay anything by Debit Card--like paying with cash and no protections or recourse.
He who holds the money has the power.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
In October 2019, as I was about to start my Kumado Kodo hike, I was booked into a Shin-Osaka hotel through Booking.com. But due to Typhoon Hagibis, I was unable to get to Osaka. I rang the hotel in the afternoon of the day of expected arrival and told them I couldn’t make it. The room was paid for on a no refund basis, but to my delight Booking.com refunded the payment in full the next day. Great work, well done !
 
I’ve never had a worse outcome than I was contractually entitled to with booking.com. On a number of occasions they have resolved issues satisfactorily, and have always responded to email.

Always use a credit card. Not a debit card.

Unkess it’s a very significant premium, strongly consider taking the flexible/cancellable option. I can’t remember the number of times I’ve had to cancel or change.
 
I, too, was to be in Israel in May (volunteer work) and because of the entry restrictions, will not be going. I am waiting for American Airlines to get to the point where they will refund me my money or allow me a fee-free change (impossible to get through to them, even to book a new flight!). I was to go on to Jordan afterward to join a tour of the historical sites, and that country is closed as well. The tour company will not refund my money because of the Force Majeure clause (they are using it against customers because they say the pandemic is not something they could control, even though the company was the one who cancelled the tour). They will, however, give me a coupon worth 110% of what I've already paid, but only to put towards another tour, which I must take by the end of 2021. It remains to be seen how much their prices will have increased, and if the airlines will let me change travel without penalty. Looks like everyone is taking a hit one way or another and to varying degrees.
I wish you all the best as we all get through this together.
Yes, the airline situation is a bit tricky. I was flying from Melbourne into Larnaca, Cyprus with Qatar. They have been proactive right from the beginning offering a fee-free change or a travel voucher to original value valid for 12 months from date of issue. The only thing I'm not sure of is whether you just have to re-book within 12 months, or have commenced your journey, or have completed your journey prior to the expiry date. Haven't yet tackled El Al for the originally non-refundable flight Larnaca to Tel Aviv return.
I too wonder what will happen to airfares when things eventually return to normal (or a new normal...); will fares skyrocket to make up for lost revenue? or will they discount to get us back in the air? Which airlines will survive? Time will tell. 🤔 I think the airlines know we will remember how they responded to the issues when we are considering our next flight... 🤞

It helps us all if Forum responders post of their experiences trying to cancel or recoup monies paid. As @Mycroft says, it's virtually impossible to get through to airlines or accomm booking platforms so...thank you one & all. 🙂
Apologies @auburnfive for going off your Booking.com topic! 🙏
Sempre avanti,
👣 🌏
 
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I've contacted one of my lodgings several times.
They charged me the night before we were forced to fly home.
No response so far.
I've written both booking.com and the hotel.
 
I've contacted one of my lodgings several times.
They charged me the night before we were forced to fly home.
No response so far.
I've written both booking.com and the hotel.
Has the night in question now passed or still upcoming? If it's passed, you might struggle.
Please let us know the outcome.
Good luck 🤞
👣 🌏
 
Has anyone been able to get in touch with a human being at booking.com?
If so, can you help me figure out how?
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Has anyone been able to get in touch with a human being at booking.com?
If so, can you help me figure out how?
Yes, once in Malaga. I talked to them about a crappy hostal I was placed in, and 15 mins. later they called back, having found me a nice place in Malaga centre for Easter week.

I have never, in many years, had a bad experience with them.

This year, I have a reservation, non-refundable, for a hotel in Madrid 16-16th April. That is obviously not going to be used. I'll write to the hostal and just ask them to spend my35 Euros well. I am sure they need it in these times. I don't.

As for airline cancellatios: I had a non-refundable www.Norwegian.com ticket Norway-Madrid but the flight was cancelled. Got an email asking me if I would accept a refund in the form of Cashpoints equalling the ticket cost, for a ticket some other time. Took me 3 mins. to fill it out and accept. Next Camino paid for... :cool:
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Has anyone been able to get in touch with a human being at booking.com?
If so, can you help me figure out how?

On all my bookings, at the very bottom, there is a telephone number where you can call them “we’re available 24 hours a day”. Have you tried it? I agree with @trecile though; I doubt you’ll get put through to a real live human, and if the call IS answered, you'll sit on permanent hold forever.
 
Has anyone been able to get in touch with a human being at booking.com?
If so, can you help me figure out how?

No. . and they are warning customers of this being the case because of the volume of calls, etc. It seems they are advising that the most expedient contact method is temporarily through their customer service menu online, or to keep trying. :-(
 
Since this has been brought up, and since there are several threads in here about how to help our friends in Spain, why not write off your bookings in favour of those in need? Spain is now a disaster area. I am sure many hostal owners etc. will regard a non-refund or even a non-claimed refund of my/your small 35 Euros booking, as a helping hand from us pilgrims towards their businesses? We who have benefitted so much from the hospitality from them and the land? Think.

I wish I could have done more... Thinking. My message to my hostal in Madrid:

Hola!

Me llamo xxx. Noruego y yo íbamos a peregrinar a Santiago de Compostela. Tengo una reserva en su hotel el 16 de abril que no utilizaré. Mi reserva no es reembolsable. No hace nada.

Espero en estos tiempos difíciles en España que necesites mi dineros.

Buen futuro Camino!
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I’ve gotten burned TWICE by Booking.com!! They are horrible about responding back to you until you just give up. They screwed me out of $300 +. Plus they totalllllllly misrepresented a closet with a picture of a small living room, dining room and bedroom. I got there and it was literally a closet!!
THEY SUCK!!!
Sorry that you have had bad experiences with them. I have used booking.com more than 40 times, taking advantage of only those locations that offer free (for a small increase in the cost of the room) cancellation up to a few days before arrival. Just on my three previous, and upcoming Camino I have made and cancelled a number of reservations without any issues.
 
May I suggest that if donations are made to help with Camino related needs, that an excellent program to do so exists:

This Forum's wonderful member Rebekah Scott, is the President and CEO of this charity.
 
Has anyone been able to get in touch with a human being at booking.com?
If so, can you help me figure out how?


I contacted them in early March...it took me some time to get through. I did not always get an answer immediately. However, they were able to call a couple of hotels and get a few guaranteed reservations that I had prepayed...agree to return the money. But I called several days before the actual reservation date. You often need to follow up with them. Sometimes language Was a barrier...and not English. You may reach someone who Is in Barcelona, or France, or Berlin. First two times I called on a reservation for a hotel in Munich , I got one person whose native language was Spanish, another time French. They both called the hotel and got nowhere with the establishment in Germany. The third person lived in Berlin
Who called the hotel in munich and was able to get them to refund. Be persistent.

I found hotels.com also to be helpful..
But not agoda.
 
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I have had this problem with booking.com. I cancelled my hotel and even though there was a no refund policy for cancelling I requested at least a partial, if not full refund due to the extraordinary circumstances. The hotel immediately deducted my credit card and replied that their policy stood - no refund. I then contacted booking. com and received nothing but a standard form letter. I have contacted them again and am waiting for a response.
 
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Hmmm... a week ago when I looked at the booking.com partner hub webpage there was a listing of countries and dates that booking.com directed hotels to give refunds for, regardless of whether they were non-cancellable. Now access to that web page is denied for the general public. Probably makes it easier for a hotel to decide on their own.
 
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I have had this problem with booking.com. I cancelled my hotel and even though there was a no refund the policy for cancelling I requested at least a partial, if not full refund due to the extraordinary circumstances. The hotel immediately deducted my credit card and replied that their policy stood - no refund. I then contacted booking. com and received nothing but a standard form letter. I have contacted them again and am waiting for a response.


My experience is that you need to get a person on the phone! And stay-on the phone with them..be patient... They do a good job at recording info so if you have to Make another call if the situation does not get resolved on first attempt, records are are easy for them to pick upon. Keep calling, be persistent until it is definitely resoved..either way.
 
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I have in the past, but right now I would guess that's it's nigh on impossible.

This site might be of help Partner.booking.com. It will tell you what booking.com is saying to the hotels. As well as the info for guests take a look at 5he info for partners. (sorry, not sure how to make it a link)
 
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This site might be of help Partner.booking.com. It will tell you what booking.com is saying to the hotels. ( sorry, not sure how to make it a link)
 
I've heard from booking.com. They are asking the hotel to refund the cancellation fee. Just have to wait now.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I have used Booking.com extensively on our last two of three caminos and have mostly had a positive experience. In a few cases where there was a dispute regarding our reservation, Booking.com intervened to come up with a satisfactory outcome for us and the albergue.

Anticipating another Camino Frances this fall, we booked many reservations last November for a Sept-Oct camino this year. All of our reservations with Booking.com had no charge cancellation within two weeks of the reservation. Except one - which had a non refundable clause for our reservation. I was okay with this at the time. However, with the global COVID-19 pandemic, I reached out to the albergue several times - through Booking.com and directly to the albergue on their website. I explained the issue and asked if international travel is not allowed, will they not charge me for the room. No response despite several messages.

I have asked Booking.com to intervene and their approach is a joke. After responding to their on line assistance, their response was to have me contact the albergue directly to work the issue out. If I am unable to get a response and eventually am charged for the private room, any suggestions how to appeal this? I'm very disappointed that Booking.com is not willing to intervene.

Gracias ! Bob
 
I have used Booking.com extensively on our last two of three caminos and have mostly had a positive experience. In a few cases where there was a dispute regarding our reservation, Booking.com intervened to come up with a satisfactory outcome for us and the albergue.

Anticipating another Camino Frances this fall, we booked many reservations last November for a Sept-Oct camino this year. All of our reservations with Booking.com had no charge cancellation within two weeks of the reservation. Except one - which had a non refundable clause for our reservation. I was okay with this at the time. However, with the global COVID-19 pandemic, I reached out to the albergue several times - through Booking.com and directly to the albergue on their website. I explained the issue and asked if international travel is not allowed, will they not charge me for the room. No response despite several messages.

I have asked Booking.com to intervene and their approach is a joke. After responding to their on line assistance, their response was to have me contact the albergue directly to work the issue out. If I am unable to get a response and eventually am charged for the private room, any suggestions how to appeal this? I'm very disappointed that Booking.com is not willing to intervene.

Gracias ! Bob


After my hotel charged me full rate due to their no cancellation policy I first contacted the hotel and when I had no joy from them contacted booking.com. via their website. I received a response saying they would look into it. Heard nothing for a month then contacted booking.com again. They said due to the high volume of work right now it was 'still in progress'. Two months later I have still heard nothing, contacting them again today.

It seems that that booking.com may have a policy of 'ignore it and it will go away'. I can only suggest being persistent as Marbe2 advised me above.
 
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I have used Booking.com extensively on our last two of three caminos and have mostly had a positive experience. In a few cases where there was a dispute regarding our reservation, Booking.com intervened to come up with a satisfactory outcome for us and the albergue.

Anticipating another Camino Frances this fall, we booked many reservations last November for a Sept-Oct camino this year. All of our reservations with Booking.com had no charge cancellation within two weeks of the reservation. Except one - which had a non refundable clause for our reservation. I was okay with this at the time. However, with the global COVID-19 pandemic, I reached out to the albergue several times - through Booking.com and directly to the albergue on their website. I explained the issue and asked if international travel is not allowed, will they not charge me for the room. No response despite several messages.

I have asked Booking.com to intervene and their approach is a joke. After responding to their on line assistance, their response was to have me contact the albergue directly to work the issue out. If I am unable to get a response and eventually am charged for the private room, any suggestions how to appeal this? I'm very disappointed that Booking.com is not willing to intervene.

Gracias ! Bob

As a general FYI, I've had no problems with Booking.com resolving cancellation refund issues with lodging sites in the past. Even when there has been a No Cancellation reservation.

In your position, if I wanted to push this issue, I would dispute any credit card charge. It is possible that your CC company will be sensitive to the issue of COVID-19 disruptions to long term travel plans.

On a practical note, it is very possible Spain will be open in September. I will be doing two different Caminos in Spain and Portugal during September and October, and I think it is still way too early for me to cancel anything that I've planned and reserved.

The alburgue, and booking.com may view your cancellation refund request as you wanting to cancel as a change of mind, NOT because of forced travel prohibitions. Right now, the alburgue can argue that they plan to be open, and there is no reason to change their 'No Refund/Cancellations" policy that you agreed to.

So this may be a case that you cannot get a refund right now.
 
Except one - which had a non refundable clause for our reservation.

I also have one non-refundable booking for our trip in June.

I first tried the “change dates” options, but got the response “no availability” for my new date.

I then messaged the hostal, but got no response.

So I thought I’d wait until nearer the time.

I tried again, a few days ago, with the “change dates” option, and YES!, I was able to change the date, and I now have a confirmed and paid booking for a date next year.

So wait until closer to the time and try again.

I doubt that you would have any success at all with a refund for a non-refundable booking.

For "non-refundable" bookings, the “change of date” option appears to be entirely up to the discretion of the establishment.
 
I have got refunds for without any problem for a couple of non- refundable bookings made through booking.com, one in Seville and the other in Combarro, seems to depend on the owner.
 
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€149,-
I have obviously cancelled my Summer camino and all bookings. I cancelled the refundable bookings easily, which amounted to the vast majority of nights.
Of the only two non-refundable bookings I made on booking.com, I was very kindly given a full refund on a booking made for El Capricho de Josana in Las Herrerias. I will definitely make sure I stay there on future caminos and spend freely in their wonderful restaurant.
The other non-refundable booking that I asked about, at Hotel Boutique Museo Burgos, was refused when booking.com contacted them.
I have a couple of other non-refundable bookings still out there, in SdC, Logrono and Pamplona from other booking sites but it looks like there is no option to even request a refund on Hotels.com and agoda. So thank you to booking.com for providing this extra possibility.
 
I've just noticed this on booking.com's website:

Please check your booking conditions

For bookings made on or after 6 April 2020, we advise you to consider the risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and associated government measures. If you don’t book a flexible rate, you may not be entitled to a refund. Your cancellation request will be handled by the property based on your chosen policy and mandatory consumer law, where applicable. During times of uncertainty, we recommend booking an option with free cancellation. If your plans change, you can cancel free of charge until free cancellation expires.
 
Booking .com have contacted me and told me the hotel has refused to budge on the 'non refundable' clause in spite of the unprecedented conditions. The hotel ( Turim Marques in Lisbon) grudgingly offered me a voucher to use within 12 months but I have refused as there is a principle at stake here. I would rather lose the money than stay in this establishment.
 
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Why don’t you take the voucher? You could offer it to another pilgrim if you don’t want to stay there yourself.
 
Booking .com have contacted me and told me the hotel has refused to budge on the 'non refundable' clause in spite of the unprecedented conditions. The hotel ( Turim Marques in Lisbon) grudgingly offered me a voucher to use within 12 months but I have refused as there is a principle at stake here. I would rather lose the money than stay in this establishment.

Hi, I sympathise. From your earlier post you say you first cancelled your non-refundable booking, and then you requested a refund. That may be the problem. It does seem to be up to the owner regarding refunds for non-refundable bookings. Possibly if you’d first contacted them explaining the situation they may have been more sympathetic. Although some people appear to be getting refunds for non-refundable bookings I would suggest that that is unusual, and most places will give you a credit to be used at a later date. That seems quite reasonable to me. I think you should take the voucher.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Good news. I contacted the hotel that had been booked "non-refundable" for our trip this fall. I just received a response saying that they were closed, but will issue us a voucher for next year for the date we provide. So no issues with us paying this fall, and getting a voucher for 2021. We're hoping the pilgrim traffic will be limited in Sept - Oct even if it is a Jubilee Year. Bob
 
That clearly is unfortunate for you, but can you explain the principle you feel is at stake here?


The hotel is taking advantage of this pandemic to take money for a service they are unable to provide. Were I to accept their very reluctant offer of a voucher I would be condoning their actions.
 
Hi, I sympathise. From your earlier post you say you first cancelled your non-refundable booking, and then you requested a refund. That may be the problem. It does seem to be up to the owner regarding refunds for non-refundable bookings. Possibly if you’d first contacted them explaining the situation they may have been more sympathetic. Although some people appear to be getting refunds for non-refundable bookings I would suggest that that is unusual, and most places will give you a credit to be used at a later date. That seems quite reasonable to me. I think you should take the voucher.

I did contact the hotel to request a refund at the time of cancellation, pointing out that the pandemic had caused the government to shut the borders and I was unable to travel through no choice of my own. They repeated that the no refund policy still stood. This is when I went through booking.com and after much toing and froing they reluctantly offered me the voucher.

I feel the hotel has taken advantage of me and no doubt others by not considering the unprecedented nature of the situation. The haste with which my credit card was debited - within minutes of me canceling and explaining why - indicates they were determined to get the money and would not risk the transaction being held in abeyance until the situation was resolved.

To accept the voucher would be to condone the actions of the hotel and this I cannot do.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Has any one had any experience with booking.com cancellations that supposedly don’t have a cancellation option? We booked in Seville for mid April and the establishment did not have free cancellation, but we wanted the location so went for it anyway. On their partner website, Booking.com says Force Majure conditions are in effect, so cancellation fees should be waived. I will likely wait to try. There are 6 of us for 3 nights, so it adds up. Any advice appreciated.
I had to rebook all of my camino stops to next year. They were a mixture of free cancellation and no cancellation. For the no cancellation ones (there were about 7 of these) I contacted the property and asked them if I could move the dates. All of them agreed to change the dates. The earlier i contacted them the easier it was.
 
I have had this problem with booking.com. I cancelled my hotel and even though there was a no refund policy for cancelling I requested at least a partial, if not full refund due to the extraordinary circumstances. The hotel immediately deducted my credit card and replied that their policy stood - no refund. I then contacted booking. com and received nothing but a standard form letter. I have contacted them again and am waiting for a response.
The hotel is taking advantage of this pandemic to take money for a service they are unable to provide. Were I to accept their very reluctant offer of a voucher I would be condoning their actions.
I must admit that I interpreted your earlier post on this to mean that you had cancelled your booking, not that the hotel had come to you on the basis that they were not going to be able to provide the service. I would have said that the relevant consideration is that they were still able to provide the service (unless you have some information that they did close) and you found yourself in the position of not being able to use service.

It might sound harsh, but seems to me that they were within their rights to do what they have done. Perhaps they they could have been more sympathetic, and it is a pity that they weren't. But your reasoning here doesn't work for me.
 
@Lindsay53, I don't quite understand the situation. You said it's the Turim Marques hotel in Lisbon which seems to be a large chain hotel. Did they ever close down? I guess not. I don't know what their cancellation policy on Booking.com was for March, April or May but right now it's free cancellation until about 3 days before the booked date. Was it the same for your booking or did they also have rates with no free cancellation at all?

I must say when I have the choice between a no refund rate and a free cancellation (up to a certain date) rate, I nearly always opt for the latter because the difference in price is usually quite small and I am very risk adverse ☺. It is the nature of risks that you cannot foresee them all. Yes, the hotel could have been more customer friendly and ditched their principles or rather their established business practices when it turned out that you could not or would not come to Lisbon but other than that I cannot follow your reasoning about a principle that would be at stake here.
 
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The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
My position is simple. The hotels no refund policy should not apply during an international crisis when travel had been forbidden by government order. I refuse to support in any way a business that used this crisis to take money for a service they did not provide.
 
My position is simple. The hotels no refund policy should not apply during an international crisis when travel had been forbidden by government order. I refuse to support in any way a business that used this crisis to take money for a service they did not provide.
If it is any consolation you are apparently not the only person who cancelled and did not get a refund. There are long exchanges on the internet about Portugal, hotel reservations and Covid-19. The Portuguese government issued a Decree Law No. 17/2020 that also addresses cancellation of reservations made by travel and tourism agencies, for the period from 13 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 but I've not studied it in detail and can't say obviously whether this decree law applies to your situation. With Portugal being such a sought after destination for tourism, there are bound to be hundreds if not thousands of people in the same situation as you.

I noticed only now that Booking.com has a "community" forum for Portugal as well as for other countries where people can talk and discuss their travel and booking related issues. Numerous threads about the issue of refunds from Portuguese hotels: https://www.booking.com/communities
 
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My position is simple. The hotels no refund policy should not apply during an international crisis when travel had been forbidden by government order. I refuse to support in any way a business that used this crisis to take money for a service they did not provide.
You are right, the Portuguese Government has provided relief from the operation of things like no refund policies, as @Kathar1na has suggested.
Decree Law No. 17/2020 that also addresses cancellation of reservations made by travel and tourism agencies, for the period from 13 March 2020 to 30 September 2020
My reading is that this Decree entitles a traveller to obtain a voucher of equal value to the payment made, valid until 31 December 2021. (see https://dre.pt/web/en/home/-/contents/132332504/details/normal).

This appears to have been offered to @Lindsay53, but rejected in the first instance. I hope he hasn't burnt his bridges on this, and the hotel is still prepared to honour their earlier offer should he change his mind.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
One tool at your disposal if an establishment does not refund is writing negative reviews on travel websites, such as Booking.com, Gronze, Trip Advisor. I was waiting to see if my "non-refundable" stay would be reimbursed or issue a voucher. If they did not come through, I was prepared to blast them on poor customer service. Bob
 
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