How to Cancel Hotel Reservations on Booking.com and Get a Refund (2024)

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.

How to Cancel Hotel Reservations on Booking.com and Get a Refund (1)

However, if a sudden event happens or a circ*mstance 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.

How to Cancel Hotel Reservations on Booking.com and Get a Refund (2)

Other Articles You Can Read:

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  • How to Cancel Your Hotel Booking on Agoda.com [Refundable and Non-Refundable] with Sample Letter
  • How to Change Flights or Get Refunds on Cebu Pacific Airlines
  • How to Change Flights or Get Refunds on Qatar Airways

Step-by-StepGuide 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”.

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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 Circ*mstance

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!

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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

How to Cancel Hotel Reservations on Booking.com and Get a Refund (9)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.

How to Cancel Hotel Reservations on Booking.com and Get a Refund (2024)

FAQs

Do you get a full refund if you cancel on booking com? ›

If you cancel a reservation within any permitted cancellation period which may apply, we will refund you the exact same amount we initially charged you (inclusive of any applicable fees in relation to the Pay in Your Own Currency Service).

Is there any way to get a refund from booking com? ›

For accommodations – you can request support with a refund request via the contact details in your confirmation email. For flights – you can request support with a refund request via the contact details in your confirmation email.

Do we get refund on cancellation of hotel booking? ›

Partial Refund Policy: Some hotels may offer partial refunds for cancellations within a certain timeframe. This deducts a percentage of the total reservation cost as a cancellation fee. The closer you cancel to arrival, the smaller the refund amount. There is usually a cutoff date after which no refund will be issued.

Can you cancel a hotel reservation on booking com? ›

The guest can cancel free of charge until 1 day before arrival. The guest will be charged the first night if they cancel within 1 day before arrival. If the guests do not turn up for the reservation, then they are charged for the price of 1 night as the no show penalty (same as the cancellation fee).

Does free cancellation on hotels mean a full refund? ›

Non-refundable means that there won't be any refund for any cancelled booking. Free cancellation means that you will be given a refund if the cancellation is done within the stipulated time.

What happens if I cancel a non-refundable booking? ›

With a Non-Refundable Rate, guests pay the full price if they cancel, make changes, or no-show. Adding a Non-Refundable Rate to your property can reduce cancellations and help you secure guaranteed payment for reservations.

What is the best cancellation policy for booking com? ›

Let guests know if they can cancel their booking free of charge, and if so, until when. Generally speaking, we recommend that you allow guests to cancel for free until one or two days before check-in. Alternatively, you can choose non-refundable policies, where guests won't get their money back if they cancel.

Will I get charged if I cancel booking com? ›

2. If you cancel a Booking or don't show up, any cancellation/no-show fee or refund will depend on the Service Provider's cancellation/no-show policy. 3. Some Bookings can't be canceled for free, while others can only be canceled for free before a deadline.

What to do if a hotel refuses a refund? ›

The refund will be at the hotel's discretion, so your best bet is to appeal to the management's compassion. Although this is a stressful time, you are more likely to succeed if you can keep as calm and polite as possible.

How to get a refund on a non-refundable hotel room? ›

Experts say most places will offer you a refund if you have a reasonable excuse. If you are stuck with a nonrefundable room, try changing the date of your reservation. Some hotels will let you move the date of your stay if you ask. You can also resell your room and get your money back that way.

Can a hotel charge me if I cancel my reservation? ›

Hotel cancellation policies offer hotel guests the opportunity to cancel their booking up until a certain amount of days before check-in. Once this date has passed, the hotel might charge the guest a set cancellation fee, a percentage of the booking, or the full amount.

How much is it to cancel a hotel reservation? ›

In most cases, if you cancel less than 24 hours to the check in date, there is no refund on an OTA (Online Travel Agency) booked reservation. If it is booked directly through the hotel and it is the same time scenario as before, there is a cancellation fee which equals one night's stay.

Is booking.com responsible for refunds? ›

If your Service Provider had organised your payment, we'll try to ensure they refund you as soon as possible. If we had organised your payment, we'll refund you ourselves. In 90% of cases, the money should be in your account within 5 working days of the time when: your original Booking is cancelled, or.

Can booking amount be refunded? ›

Every state has to form Real Estate Regulatory Authority. Its important to note word Regulatory. If wish to cancel the booking due to your own problems or its your own decision, you will refund of the money paid as per policy laid down by the builder.

Why do guests cancel hotel reservation booking? ›

There can be different reasons for why a booking is cancelled. A customer may have requested something that was not available (e.g., car parking), a customer may have found later that the hotel did not meet their requirements, or a customer may have simply cancelled their entire trip.

Does free cancellation mean you get your money back booking com? ›

If your reservation allows for free cancellation, this amount is returned to you if you choose to cancel it. Our Customer Service team is always there if you need help with a payment issue. You can go to booking.com/help to get in touch with us.

What is the cancellation fee? ›

Termination fees, also known as cancellation fees, are charges consumers must pay when they decide to end their contract or agreement prior to the agreed upon date.

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