How to cancel non-refundable business hotel bookings

When booking a hotel stay for work, choosing a non-refundable rate to take advantage of a discount can be tempting. But if travellers get sick, or plans change, you may suddenly find yourself needing to cancel or reschedule for a future date.

While getting your money back from a non-refundable hotel reservation can be challenging, it’s not always impossible.

Here, we identify the circumstances where hotels can be more understanding and allow some flexibility to their cancellation policy, before walking you through the approaches you can take to manage your travel arrangements with confidence.

Disclaimer - All information, especially pricing and policies, is correct as of the date of publication and is subject to change.

Can you get a refund on a non-refundable hotel room?

A non-refundable hotel reservation is a reservation that, under normal circumstances, cannot be cancelled in exchange for a refund.

Hotels often incentivise these bookings with lower rates for customers, as guaranteed reservations can help hotels secure revenue and manage their room inventory more effectively.

While most standard hotel policies offer no refunds, this isn't absolute, as hotels can issue refunds under exceptional circumstances.

Major UK hotel chain cancellation policies

To give you an idea of what to expect, this table summarises the typical non-refundable policies for major UK hotel chains. While these are general policies for these specific rate types, the exact terms and conditions can vary by individual hotel, location, and specific dates of your stay.

Always be sure to check the specific terms and conditions of your reservation before you confirm.

Sources: Holiday Inn, Premier Inn, Travelodge, Radisson, Marriott International.

Common situations where you can request a refund

Bereavement

In the sad circumstance of a death in the traveller’s family, a hotel will likely grant an exception to its cancellation policy. Be prepared to provide some form of documentation as evidence.

The refund is typically at the hotel's discretion, so your approach matters. Even during a stressful time, remaining calm and polite will be more effective. If you feel a manager is not being sympathetic, it’s okay to end the conversation and try calling back later to speak with someone else.

If you cannot get a refund from the hotel directly, travel insurance will often cover bereavement.

Serious illness

Similar to a bereavement, a sudden, serious illness affecting the traveller, their party, or their relatives may qualify for a refund.

If a full refund isn't possible, the hotel may be willing to offer a credit voucher or rebook your stay for a future date

Travel insurance is often the most reliable route for getting money back, especially if an illness occurs after check-in.

Significant change of circumstance

On business trips, things can change rapidly. Events get canceled and meetings postponed, leaving you with a reservation that is no longer needed.

Hotels can be lenient if you approach them with politeness and understanding, but be understanding of their circumstances when making a request as small hotels could be reluctant to refund and may prefer to rebook instead. Larger chains are more likely to be flexible and may have a broader range of options, including partial refunds or credit.

Our recommendation is to request a date change as the first alternative to a refund. This is likely to be agreed by most hotels as it means they will minimise the amount of lost revenue from your trip.

Misrepresentation

Sometimes the need for a refund only becomes clear after you've checked in. If your accommodation doesn't match its description or expectations, such as missing amenities, being unclean or unsafe, there could be grounds to request a full refund, regardless of the cancellation policy.

If you booked through a third-party booking site, contact customer services to help escalate your complaint. If you booked directly, ask to speak to senior management rather than the reception front desk.

Make sure you gather evidence to help resolve the claim quickly. This includes noting the date, time, the names of staff members you talked to, and clear photos or video of the issues.

What can you do to minimise the risk of non-refundable bookings?

While it is useful to know the range of reasons that a refund could be requested for, the best approach is to be proactive and take the following steps to avoid losing money on non-refundable hotel bookings.

Take out travel insurance

Travel insurance is a key safety net for both individual travellers and your company. Many policies will cover issues identified above, like bereavement and illness, but consider choosing policies that include a ‘cancel for any reason’ add-on option. While this will allow for a refund for any reason, it will typically only be a portion of the prepaid costs.

Be prepared to change your booking date

If a refund seems unlikely, rebooking for another set of dates is much more likely to be accommodated by the hotel, as they retain your business and avoid losing revenue.

Framing this as a simple date change rather than an alternative to a cancellation could make it more likely to be accepted.

Resell your hotel booking on a dedicated platform

No refund and no suitable option to change dates? Some resale websites, like SpareFare or Travel Transfer can help recoup some of the costs of non-refundable hotel reservations by selling your booking to another traveller. Note that between selling at a discount and fees, you will not receive the full amount back, but this is still an effective way to recover a portion of the money if the hotel's terms and conditions allow for a name change on your booking.

Book with a credit card

If you've exhausted all other options, most major credit cards in the UK offer built-in travel protections and the ability to dispute a charge. This is only relevant if you are cancelling your booking due to discovering a difference between what you have booked and what you are going to receive.

A cornerstone of UK consumer law is Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, making your credit card provider jointly liable with the hotel for any breach of contract or misrepresentation, meaning you could claim money back directly from the credit card company, even if the hotel refuses.

To dispute charges, contact your credit card company and supply evidence to support your claim. They will then investigate the case on your behalf.

Use flexible online booking tools (OBTs)

Business travellers know better than anyone how often plans can change. In response, travel managers should turn to online booking tools. These streamlined solutions can provide access to excellent travel industry rates, while also providing more support when cancellations occur.

With Perk's FlexiTravel option, you can access the most flexible business travel options on the market. Trips booked using FlexiTravel are refundable and can be cancelled up to two hours before travel. Any cancellations within the notice period are guaranteed a refund of at least 80% with no questions asked, giving you peace of mind and protecting your travel budget.

The future of business travel is flexible

As we have seen, while cancelling non-refundable hotels is possible, it can become incredibly time-consuming. When booking hotels for work trips, plans regularly change, so rather than getting locked into non-refundable rates, the ideal strategy is to have a streamlined solution from the start.

Choosing a travel management platform like Perk, with its FlexiTravel solution, can remove the stress of altering or canceling your travel plans. Knowing you have access to the best rates in the industry eliminates the need to search through multiple platforms and juggle various booking conditions.

Furthermore, we handle everything, freeing up busy travel managers while providing significant savings on your travel expenses.

Get in touch to find out more, or book a demo to see how Perk can remove the stress of cancellations for your business travel program today.

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