| From time to time, the unexpected happens. You | | | | reservation so that the arrival is on October 25th. |
| find yourself in a position where that dreamy | | | | Then, wait a day or two and then call back and |
| vacation you've been planning has to be canceled. | | | | cancel the reservation. Now that that you are no |
| That hotel cancellation fee or penalty that you never | | | | longer in violation of the cut-off date, you will be able |
| thought you would have to pay is now looking like a | | | | to cancel the reservation without paying any |
| reality. You find yourself within the hotel's 48 hour | | | | additional fees. |
| cancellation policy. You reluctantly pick up the phone | | | | Are there situations where this technique will not |
| to cancel your much researched reservation. The | | | | work? There are a few to be sure. For highly popular |
| feeling of wasting hard earned money you | | | | special events, for example, Bike Week in Daytona |
| painstakingly saved for this trip darkens your mood. | | | | Beach, Florida, that are booked months in advance or |
| But, hold that phone for a minute, there may be a | | | | even a year in advance, hotels will likely not allow any |
| better solution. | | | | changes to your original reservation. Also, prepaid |
| Cancellation fees can range anywhere from $10 to | | | | hotel rates almost always require a change fee since |
| over $100. The average fee is around $25. Also, | | | | there is more administrative effort in changing a |
| many hotels, especially during peak seasons or during | | | | prepaid reservation. The change fee might cost as |
| special events, will charge the first night's room rate | | | | much as the cancellation fee. But, in general, for most |
| as a penalty. Cancellation fees usually kick-in 48 hours | | | | reservations, you should be able to successfully |
| to 7 days before your arrival date. Having to cancel a | | | | change your arrival date to some date in the future |
| reservation because of some unexpected turn of | | | | that allows you to subsequently cancel the |
| events is always a downer, but having to pay | | | | reservation without payment of a cancellation fee. |
| additional money for a hotel stay you'll never enjoy is | | | | Regardless, it is a good idea to carefully read the |
| a double whammy. | | | | cancellation policy prior to making any hotel booking. |
| Here is a technique for avoiding cancellation fees and | | | | The Web site you use to book your reservation |
| penalties that I have used on several occasions. If | | | | should clearly display the cancellation policy for your |
| you find yourself inside a hotel's cancellation deadline, | | | | review prior to asking for your credit card |
| simply call the hotel and change the arrival date of | | | | information. Keep in mind that the vast majority of |
| your reservation so that the date is far enough in | | | | hotels have very lenient cancellation policies. For |
| the future that you are no longer within the hotel's | | | | example, a cut-off time of 4 PM on the day of arrival |
| cancellation cutoff date. For example, if the original | | | | is a very common cancellation policy. If a hotel |
| reservation was for arrival on October 15th and the | | | | doesn't have a policy that meets your needs, |
| cut-off date for avoiding cancellation fees was | | | | chances are a hotel down the street will likely have a |
| October 13th, call the hotel and change the | | | | more lenient policy. |