Ignoring the conditions turns the “free cancellation” of hotel reservations into financial losses

Customers confirmed that they lost money on hotel reservations that carried the phrase “free cancellation,” due to their failure to pay attention to the time limit specified for free cancellation, or the details of the conditions associated with the reservation.

They explained to “Emirates Today” that their plans suddenly changed, prompting them to try to cancel or modify their hotel reservations, but they were surprised by the expiration of the permitted period, which ranges between 24 and 72 hours, and up to several days before arriving at the hotel during peak times.

For their part, two officials in the hospitality sector told Emirates Today that the free cancellation policy is one of the most prominent options that attract travelers, noting that there are cases in which travelers lost their money even though the reservation carried the phrase “free cancellation,” and the main reason was not paying attention to the time limit for cancellation, or the fine details in the conditions.

They added that most hotels specify a precise time frame for free cancellation that depends on the season and hotel occupancy, pointing out that the issue is not just “free cancellation” as some people see it, because hotels seek to secure reservations, and thus the resources allocated to them.

They explained that policies for canceling hotel reservations vary based on the type of reservation, the hotel, and the timing of the cancellation, and these policies usually aim to balance the expected circumstances of the guest and guarantee the hotel’s right to occupy its rooms.

They added that most hotels set a time limit ranging between 24 and 72 hours before the arrival date outside of peak times, but during peak periods such as holidays and New Year, the grace period for cancellation reaches seven days, and sometimes up to 15 days from the date of arrival at the hotel.

Customer experiences

In detail, the customer, Yousef Darwish, said that he had reserved a hotel room in a five-star facility, but for an emergency reason, he decided to cancel his reservation a day before arriving at the hotel. He added that he was surprised that it was no longer possible to complete the cancellation process for free with the expiration of the grace period and he lost the amount he paid, noting that the hotel also did not allow him to change the reservation date to another day.

He continued: “I was disappointed, because I did not read the fine details of the hotel reservation, and therefore I ask for more flexibility in the timing of canceling reservations for free, especially since my reservation was outside the peak time.” He said: “I thought that the free cancellation feature was unconditional.”

For her part, the customer, Sarah Ibrahim, confirmed that she lost 400 dirhams as a result of her attempt to cancel a hotel reservation over the weekend, after the specified period during which cancellation is allowed for free had passed.

She added: “This experience taught me an important lesson, which is the importance of checking every item in the reservations, and reading the terms and conditions carefully, as they were included in the reservation confirmation sent to her by the hotel.”

In turn, the dealer, Basil Al-Akkad, said that he was aware that there was a time limit to cancel the reservation for free, but he made a mistake in the timing, and lost part of his money, not the full amount, after reaching a settlement with the hotel.

He pointed out that the precise cancellation policy has become an integral part of any hotel reservation, stressing that ignoring this period may cost the traveler sums without any compensation.

In the same context, the customer, Reem Suleiman, said that she made a hotel reservation as part of a promotional offer on a digital platform, and realized moments later that the reservation was non-refundable, indicating that she did not realize at the time that she could modify this reservation, given that there was a short grace period that allowed customers to make modifications for free.

She added that she learned about this feature from her friends, but after several days had passed, she was no longer able to make the amendment. She said that despite this, she took advantage of the offer on time, so as not to lose the value of the reservation.

Time frame

In addition, the General Manager of the Copthorne Hotel – Dubai, Wael Al-Bahi, said, “Most hotels set a precise time frame for free cancellation that depends on the season and hotel occupancy.”

He said: “The issue is not just (free cancellation) as some see it. Most hotels set a time limit ranging between 24 and 72 hours before the arrival date outside of peak times. However, during peak periods such as holidays and New Year’s, the grace period for cancellation reaches seven days, and sometimes up to 15 days from the date of arrival at the hotel, in order to secure reservations, and thus the resources allocated to them by the establishment.”

Al-Bahi explained that both cancellation and amendment are subject to the same time frame, pointing out that “if guests exceed this period, the amount is deducted directly from the card used for booking, and is often non-refundable. This includes all types of hotel rooms, whether the reservation was made directly from the hotel or through electronic platforms, with a slight difference in some cases, according to the policy of each hotel.”

He stressed that there is flexibility followed by a large percentage of hotels, and it depends on whether the customer is registered in the hotel’s loyalty program, or resides in the facility permanently.

He pointed out that with the increase in rates of travel and hotel reservations, the free cancellation policy has become one of the most prominent options that attract travelers, noting that there are cases in which travelers lost their money even though the reservation carried the phrase “free cancellation,” and the main reason was not paying attention to the time limit for cancellation, or the fine details in the conditions.

Cancellation policies

For his part, the General Manager of the Tamani Marina Hotel, Walid Al-Awa, said, “Free cancellation has been around for a while, but it has recently expanded to include reservations through electronic platforms and online travel agencies, especially on major websites.”

He added: “The real problem with the issue of free cancellation appears more during peak times, as hotels seek to maintain reservations, and thus have sufficient time to act and deal with the rooms that are supposed to be occupied.”

Al-Awa continued: “Hotel reservation cancellation policies vary based on the type of reservation, the hotel, and the timing of the cancellation. These policies usually aim to balance the expected circumstances of the guest and guarantee the hotel’s right to occupy its rooms.”

He pointed out that “the cancellation periods range between 24 and 72 hours from the date of arrival, and sometimes the times reach more than two weeks,” explaining that “some hotels may resort to deducting a specific amount if the customer does not commit to canceling the reservation before the permitted period.”

He stressed that hotels require customers, during reservations of various categories, even when “paying later,” to enter the bank card data for the reservation.

Al-Awa said: “There is a difference between one hotel and another, and amendment policies depend on the extent of the hotel’s occupancy. Sometimes, even if the hotel wants to give the customer some flexibility after the end of the permitted amendment period, it cannot do so, because the websites through which the customer booked have already received a commission from the hotel, so the hotel cannot cancel the fees on its part. In these cases, the customer is required to communicate directly with the platform through which he booked, and explain his position, in the event that the hotel is prepared to grant him an amendment or flexibility in booking.”

Al-Awa stated that some hotels offer the option of “payment on arrival” during periods of low demand, but they do not allow free cancellation in these cases, which requires the traveler to read the conditions carefully before confirming the reservation.

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Discount price for one night

The general manager of the Tamani Marina Hotel, Walid Al-Awa, said: “In many cases, the price for only one night is discounted, if the reservation is for more than one night, and the cancellation is not made within the grace period outside peak times, while the full value is discounted for more than one night during peak times and seasons, and the matter varies from one hotel to another.”

He added that the service fees for some types of hotel reservations are non-refundable, noting that for some promotional offers (which are low prices), an administrative fee may be deducted from the customer even if he cancels the reservation within the allowed period.

• There are cases in which travelers lost their money even though the reservation had the phrase “free cancellation,” and the reason was not paying attention to the cancellation time limit.

• Most hotels set a time limit between 24 and 72 hours before the arrival date during off-peak times, but during peak periods the grace period for cancellation is up to seven days.