How to Cancel Hotel Reservations on Booking.com and Get a Refund
Booking.com is one of the most popular online platforms for people seeking hotels, hostels, or any other accommodation when they’re traveling. Due to its convenient and easy to understand booking style, a lot of travelers use this when they’re planning to go out of town.
However, if a sudden event happens or a circumstance that you can’t control and you don’t have the choice but to cancel your booking, you’ll be left with the question “How to cancel hotel reservation and get a refund on booking.com?”. Good thing is that it’s not really difficult to do that. In this article, we’ll tell you how you can cancel your reservation and get a refund on booking.com.
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Step-by-Step Guide on How to Cancel Reservation on Booking.com
The cancellation via email only suits you in case you changed your mind within the permitted period.
Step 1: Remember that when you book accommodation on Booking.com, you’ll get a confirmation email. In this email, you’ll see a button “Cancel Booking”.
Step 2: Click that button.
Step 3: You will be redirected to the page with the details of your booking.
Step 4: At the bottom page, you’ll find the red button “Cancel Booking.” Just click it and your reservation will be canceled.
REMEMBER THESE:
- Always pay attention to the information written below the red button. It states the period of booking cancellation.
- You can only cancel the booking for free if you chose this option in advance.
- Booking.com usually offers “free cancellation”. Most of the time, the rooms with free cancellation are more pricey so always check the price when booking.
- Please be reminded that free cancellation can be made at least 2-3 days before the date of your check-in. Sometimes you need to do it even earlier. Different hotels have different conditions, so make sure you know them before reservation. If, however, you decided to cancel the booking one day before your check-in, the hotel will charge the fee from the card you entered when you made the reservation. The total you will be charged depends on the hotel and its terms.
If the booking cancellation suggests a fine, it will be charged from your bank card. The fine stands as a partial payment of your stay. The reason for this is because the sooner the date of your check-in, the owner of the hotel is more likely to be left with no guests. And that’s the purpose of the penalty.
Booking.com will notify you via email about the fine if they encounter some problems regarding charging the money from your card.
How to Cancel if There’s an Unforeseeable Circumstance
Step 1: Just write a formal letter to the hotel. It must include the following:
- The reason for cancellation;
- Why you can’t pay the fine;
- Also mention that you really love the hotel and that you’re planning on staying there one day;
- It must be written in English;
- Send your email to the hotel’s email address.
Step 2: Expect to receive a reply in a few days. In case you receive a recommendation to cancel the reservation on Booking.com, it means that, unfortunately, you’re offered to follow the standard procedure and that you should pay the penalty fee.
If this happens, you can write another email. But this time, you must write a more detailed one:
- Describe your situation;
- Highlight that you will not stay in the hotel and that you don’t have enough money to pay the penalty fee.
- Ask the hotel politely to contact Booking.com to cancel the reservation without the fine.
- Again, don’t forget to mention that that kind of hotel will be quickly booked by other people. Just be friendly and positive!
Please remember that before you reserve accommodation on Booking.com, always read the terms and conditions that they have since it depends on the hotel’s cancellation and refund policy. No worries as the cancellation process in Booking.com is smooth!
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About the Writer
Hi there! I’m Fatima. My first major travel was in 2016 in the beautiful city of Cebu. After that, I got interested in traveling. Now I enjoy learning languages and other country’s cultures. My goal is to visit at least one country each year and to share my experiences with other people through writing or blogging. Witness my journey by following me on Instagram.
I canceled confirm number#3055173675 pin number 6357 due to the pandemic. Been in contact with the property they have informed me that they never charged me. But my money is still gone. I can’t get to a live person at booking.com to discuss the matter. Been in contact with my bank who says that the property did charge me. I need to speak to someone regarding my refund.
My hotel booking is already cancelled in red doorz@kassel paranaque?please inform me.
You’re young and beautiful and more polite than me.
Under the circumstances, is it not just redundant to suggest “Why” one would cancel, to the hotel, under such grave global circumstances? As to “Why I can’t pay” it is more descriptive and obvious to say all travelers need to continue to eat and sleep under a roof. Are you suggesting it’s possible these people don’t already know this is a “life or death” moment? You suggest I should say “I really love your hotel.” when both parties realize “I” have never been there? I have already contacted each property w/o any reply that does not suggest I contact the booking agent, who suggested I contact the hotel. I’m witnessing naivety, Fatima
The UK government has canceled flights, not the individual hotel guests who had booked accommodations after their arrival in the UK. Being a country that depends on visitor income, have the Govt. not taken responsibility and offered assistance to hoteliers and their clientele with an overarching policy to give credit, allow name change(to be used by someone else in the UK) or even better, suggest a policy of “Same time next year, please”? Having visiting Scotland more times than years old you are, this no-response/no return is completely outside the Scottish ethic of hospitality. Booking.com is no friend of Scots who visit Scotland regularly. Properties, help centers and booking assistants are hurting small businesses throughout the country and destroying Highland hospitality customs through greed.
I had two weeks with two days apart cancelled , first week by Booking.com themselves and supposedly processing my refund, and the second week was asked to cancel myself with a £414 penalty. I been asked to chase refunds myself from the hotel which is closed still and not responding. Why do I need to chase for my money when the hotel was closed for the duration?
I had 2weeks , 2 bookings and 2 days apart of each other. Booking .com cancelled the first for me and I was requested to cancel the second on the 10th May2020. Booking .com applied for refund on first week and left me to make contact with the hotel which I have always tried to contact but closed and not responding. The second booking I was charged a cancelation fee. At a loss what I do next.
Our hotel is for flying from Gatwick but Virgin say they no longer want to use Gatwick and we will be flying from Heathrow so we no longer need the hotel. We tried to cancel with Booking.com for our money back but all they are offering is vouchers. How do we get our money back? Many thanks
And you actually received the voucher?
My reservation was cancelled on March 20th 2020 by Book.com .How do I get my refund back ?
I sent earlier message today about conf number 2938594529 and was waiting on refund that had been approved and was suppose to be credited by April 30th. Was confused on your response that its waiting aporoval?? Thank yo
Have a look at Booking.coms Facebook page. Pages just continue with people getting nowhere with this company. Seems Booking.com are simply keeping the whole amount. Flight Centre were the same but only today they’ve been pressured to refund the whole amount
Please join me in sending your important negative feedback on booking.com to the Scottish Accommodations Board at VisitScotland.com/accommodations.
I have been waiting on a refund from booking conf # 2938594529 and was promised a refund by April 30th at the latest and have not received!
I was told I will be issued a refund. But my credit card has changed, and I can’t find a way to convey that information! Please assist. The hotel did not make the charge; Booking.com did.
Struggling to get a refund…any ideas. We dont want to risk our daughters health due c19..no facilities etc to use… just too bad too sad..un happy customers
Let the very good people at visitscotland.com/accommodations know what you think of booking.com. AND let the very bad people at booking.com know with a vitriolic postcard to its CEO Glenn Fogel* @: Booking.com * then scan it and send it globally, virtually
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