What's going on with hotel/motel cancellation policies?

[roadman]

Making arrangements for my annual trip to central Pennsylvania.  Planning to arrive on a Sunday afternoon, but noticed that the "call by no later than" date to cancel at my hotel of preference is the previous Friday.  My relatives had a similar situation, where they tried to book a reservation the day before they were set to leave, and were told they could cancel by 4 pm on that day (not the day they were traveling).

Last year, when I booked stays at several locations for an extended trip to North Carolina and Pennsylvania, the cancellation policies were as they have been for ages - by X time on the first day of the reservation.

Given the potential variables that can go into a road trip, requiring a cancellation even one day before the reservation, let alone several, seems to be a truly ludicrous policy.  Especially when the hotel/motel has my credit card information to hold the room.

Is this just particular chains (Econolodge and Best Western in my cases), or has this become an industry-wide policy?  And if it is now industry-wide, what possible reason could they have for such a truly customer-unfriendly policy?

[ZLoth]

It seems to be a trend. Westport Inn in Westport, WA (good small place BTW) had the following policy when I booked last year:

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. Cancellations must be made 2 days in advance of your stay, or first night's lodging will be charged. Saturday reservations are prepaid with no refunds. All cancellations subject to a $25 processing fee.

Checking the site now, and they have removed the "Saturday prepaid" line.

[Scott5114]

Thus why I don't do reservations except at a known destination that I will be at for several days.

[briantroutman]

Since I'm a member of their rewards program, Marriott hotels make up 99% of my overnight stays. And for nearly all of their locations, the cancellation deadline is 6 p.m. on the day of arrival–no other penalties or restrictions. The very few exceptions to this policy have been either resort properties (which don't abide by most other Marriott policies anyway), or ultra-lux, ultra-desireable locations like the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

It's been my experience that many lower-end chains (including the two you mentioned) tend to be more lax in a number of regards (amenity consistency, housekeeping standards, etc.) as well as with policies. These chains seem to look the other way when a local property manager posts check-in time at 4 p.m. instead of 3 or has a stiff cancelation policy.

[corco]

Right, really just depends on the hotel, property, and chain. Most Wyndhams and Hampton/HGI level hotels let you cancel day of. The Hilton I worked at in Tucson had a 48 hour cancellation policy, and I know of at least one with a 72 hour. Generally, the cheaper/more business oriented the hotel is, the laxer the policies are since they'll likely fill that room anyway. Less businessy hotels are more likely to be served by air traffic or people staying more than one night and not drive-thru traffic, so they're not likely to fill that room if you cancel.

[maplestar]

Is this just particular chains (Econolodge and Best Western in my cases), or has this become an industry-wide policy?  And if it is now industry-wide, what possible reason could they have for such a truly customer-unfriendly policy?

I think there's a whole lot of that. What I am finding is that when I search for hotel rates, I often see two sets of rates. The cheaper rates may not even allow a cancellation. But in my searching, I am finding that the rates that the chains want me to see are the most restrictive ones and I sometimes have to hunt to find the more flexible traditional option. I wish there were a standard way of presenting that information so that I could easily evaluate whether the cheaper price or the flexibility is more important to me on any given trip, without worrying that I'll accidentally click on something that makes the opposite choice, and not notice until the reservation is made.

Personally, I find that I am more likely to be hit with unexpected fees/costs/policies with hotel rooms today than with airlines. Airlines add the fees, but they seem to be more consistent to my mind.

[roadman]

Thanks for the clarification everyone.  With occasional exceptions, I've been staying at the same chain hotels/motels (and in several cases, the same facilities) in almost thirty years of traveling on vacations.  Without exception, the cancellation policy had always been "day of reservation."

Guess it's just another example of the decline in customer service that Americans have been increasingly forced to endure as a result of the desire of corporations to increasingly nickel and dime us.

[Alps]

Thanks for the clarification everyone.  With occasional exceptions, I've been staying at the same chain hotels/motels (and in several cases, the same facilities) in almost thirty years of traveling on vacations.  Without exception, the cancellation policy had always been "day of reservation."

Guess it's just another example of the decline in customer service that Americans have been increasingly forced to endure as a result of the desire of corporations to increasingly nickel and dime us.

I'll differ - I think it's that businesses are trying to maintain low prices, but costs are constantly rising. You see cutbacks in product sizes from 64 to 56 to 48 oz, 16 to 14 to 12, etc. You see airlines stop giving out meals, then food altogether. You see more and more different rates for the same service, charging you for flexibility. If we went back to the way things were, all of these items would be proportionally more expensive.

[ZLoth]

Since I still have the confirmations from my trip last year (September 28th-October 5th), I'll post the cancellation policies of where I stayed at. Most were booked online through AAA, thus the shouting. Advanced apologies if I cause your eyes to ring.

Best Western Garden Villa Inn, Roseburg, OR - MUST BE CANCELLED BY 1800 ON 09/27/13  -29OCT12 - END -  CANCEL BY 0000 HOURS ON DAY OF ARRIVAL, LOCAL HOTEL TIME  TO AVOID A CANCELLATION PENALTY  CANCELLATION POLICY TEXT -  DUE TO SEASONAL VARIATIONS, MOST ACCURATE CANCEL POLICY  RETURNED UPON BOOKING.

The Royal Scot Hotel And Suites, Victoria, BC - MUST BE CANCELLED 48 HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL BY 3PM TO AVOID  A 1 NIGHT CANCELLATION CHARGE

Westport Inn, Westport, WA - Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. Cancellations must be made 2 days in advance of your stay, or first night's lodging will be charged. Saturday reservations are prepaid with no refunds. All cancellations subject to a $25 processing fee.

Red Lion Hotel Coos Bay, Coos Bay, OR - If you change or cancel this reservation after 12 AM local hotel time on Wednesday, October 02, 2013, you will be charged a 100% penalty equal to the total cost of your stay for each room. No refunds for unused nights, including those resulting from delayed check-in or early check-out, will be given.

Rodeway Inn Eureka, Eureka, CA - CANCEL 24 HRS PRIOR TO 4PM LOCAL HTL TIME DOA CANCEL POLICY MAY VARY BY DAY OF WEEK AND SEASON. THE MOST ACCURATE CANCEL POLICY IS ADVISED DURING BOOKING PROCESS. IN CASE OF A NO-SHOW THE CREDIT CARD WILL BE CHARGED ONE NIGHT STAY. OUR SYSTEM ACKNOWLEDGES ALL PROPERLY CANCELED RESERVATIONS BY RETURNING A CANCELLATION NUMBER.

Personally, I would not book a room without insuring it with a credit card AND having a PDF of the confirmation which I can then refer to on my phone.

[hbelkins]

It sometimes depends on whether or not there's a special event going on.

I made a reservation for my wife at the Best Western in Frankfort for the US 127 yard sale, which officially begins on a Thursday. I made the reservation to start on Tuesday, since there are a lot of pre-sales and lots of vendors set up a day prior (or sooner) to the official beginning. The cancellation deadline was 5 p.m. on the day of the reservation (Tuesday).

She changed her plans and decided to go on Wednesday night instead, so I made a new reservation for her starting on Wednesday. The cancellation deadline for the Wednesday reservation? 5 p.m. on TUESDAY. The rate for Wednesday night was substantively higher than for Tuesday night, as well.

I generally like to have two or three options picked out and then make a reservation for the day of my stay while I'm traveling. I've stopped at the Amma exit on I-79 many times to whip out the iPad and make a reservation in Charleston when traveling on my way home from somewhere.

[realjd]

Pro-tip: hotels are usually willing to allow a date change on a reservation even within the cancellation window. If you really need to cancel, call up and move the reservation out a week. You're now outside the new cancelation window. Call the next day and cancel. It usually works but it is a bit unethical though.

I've found that AAA and corporate rates usually have more generous cancellation policies than normal reservation rates, and are often cheaper than the no cancellation advance purchase rates.

[bulldog1979]

Pro-tip: hotels are usually willing to allow a date change on a reservation even within the cancellation window. If you really need to cancel, call up and move the reservation out a week. You're now outside the new cancelation window. Call the next day and cancel. It usually works but it is a bit unethical though.

As an add-on to this tip: call at different times of the day if you can so that you're less likely to get the same front desk clerk. Depending on the size of the property, you run the risk of getting the same person if you call both times during the same time frame.

[mtantillo]

I also notice that some hotels will let you pay a higher rate and then you can cancel up to 6PM the night of the reservation, but if you want the cheapest rate, the policy is more restrictive.

If I think there is a decent chance I might change plans and the markup is small, I might be willing to pay the extra for a flexible policy.

[realjd]

I also notice that some hotels will let you pay a higher rate and then you can cancel up to 6PM the night of the reservation, but if you want the cheapest rate, the policy is more restrictive.

If I think there is a decent chance I might change plans and the markup is small, I might be willing to pay the extra for a flexible policy.

I often do this and then rebook with the more restrictive, cheaper policy closer to my stay once my plans firm up.