Cancelling your trip? Here’s what you must know about Hotel Cancellation and Refund Policies.

With the recent proliferation of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), many countries have advised their citizens against any travel to China, including Hong Kong and Macau. If you’ve made any prior bookings on various OTAs, such as Agoda and Booking.com and are looking to cancel your bookings, here’s what you have to know.

We’ll cover the cancellation and refund policies of key accommodation booking sites and other precautionary measures you’ll have to be wary of.

We recommend all travellers to review guidance from the World Health Organization and to follow any travel advisories issued by their home countries. 

All information in this article is accurate at the time of writing and subject to change without prior notice. ShopBack Users should also check the relevant merchant pages for Terms and Conditions on Cashback earnings in the event any cancellation is made.

Updated on 19 March 2020.

1. Agoda Hotels

If you wish to check if your booking is eligible for free cancellation or to make changes to your booking, please refer below.

How to cancel Agoda bookings:

Agoda app:

• Log in to your account
• Click on the Bookings icon at the bottom
• Select the booking that you would like to cancel
• Check the Booking Conditions section

Agoda website:

• Log in to your account
• Select My Booking
• Select Edit Booking on the booking you would like to cancel
• Check the Booking Conditions section

Guests with bookings eligible for free cancellation will see the message:

“This booking may be affected by a current emergency or developing situation. Due to these exceptional circumstances, Agoda will waive all fees on cancellation for your affected booking.”

Thereafter, guests can self-service their cancellation without contacting Agoda’s customer service.

However, Agoda recommends checking back nearer to your check-in dates if your stipulated travel dates are more than 2 weeks away due to the changing situation.

Agoda Customer Service

• International hotline: +44 (0)20 3027 7900 (international charges will apply)
• Contact Agoda Here

Agoda’s Official Statement: Here.

2. Booking.com

For Booking.com, Forced Circumstances (FC) (last updated on 15 March 2020) has been declared. This applies to:

*Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

How to cancel Booking.com bookings:

• Find the confirmation email you received when you booked your accommodation.
• In the confirmation email, find the button “Cancel your booking” and click on it.
• You will be redirected to a page with your booking details.
• At the bottom of that page, find a red button labelled “Cancel Booking”.
• Click on it to cancel your reservation.

Terms and Conditions may still apply, hence it is better to double-check with your hotel or accommodation host for accurate information.

Booking.com Official Statement here.

3. Expedia

The Expedia official website has offered guidelines on cancellations pertaining to COVID-19. Travellers not travelling within the next two weeks are advised to wait before contacting Expedia. This is to ensure that the Expedia provides the latest information available for your travel.

How to cancel Expedia bookings:

1. Log in to the Expedia App/Website
2. Go to “My Trips”
3. Select the itinerary and change/cancel your bookings online
4. Contact Expedia if the Hotel charges a fee, or if there is no option to change/cancel.

Expedia Customer Service

• International hotline: (877) 227-7481 (international charges will apply)

4. Trip.com

Trip.com’s Safeguard Cancellation Guarantee offers cancellation waivers to customers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Guarantee is extended to all customers directly or unavoidably affected. The Guarantee is valid for:

• Bookings made before 11.59PM, 23 February 2020
• For use before 11.59PM, 31 March 2020

Eligibility:

• Customers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 and hence unable to travel will also be eligible for a guaranteed full refund of their bookings.
• Healthcare workers who are cancelling their trips to dedicate efforts to fighting the virus.
• Schedule travel is impeded by published travel restrictions or mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement.
• All hotel bookings for hotels that have joined Trip.com’s Safeguard Cancellation Guarantee. Trip.com will help to coordinate communication between customers and hotels not covered by the Guarantee to help customers secure a refund.
• Air ticketing cancellation policies will be continually policies and synchronized with airlines.

How to cancel Trip.com Hotel bookings:

Trip.com App (Recommended)

1. Log in to the Trip.com app
2. Select My Account
3. My Booking
4. Select the Cancel button next to the booking that you would like to cancel.

Trip.com Customer Service

• Within Singapore: +65 6818 2868
• Global Access Number: +86 21 3210 4669 (international charges will apply)

Trip.com COVID-19 Country/Region Entry Restrictions: Here.

Trip.com Official Statement: Here.

5. Traveloka

For hotel bookings affected by COVID-19, you may reschedule or refund your booking. Do note that the availability of each option is subject to the hotel’s approval of cancellation policy.

For hotel bookings with refundable cancellation policies:

• All bookings and all nationality will be eligible for a refund by following the cancellation policy and submit the refund request via the Traveloka app.

For hotel bookings with non-refundable cancellation policies:

Nationality: Non-Chinese Citizen

• The cancellation policy will follow the original policy stated on your voucher. Should you get approval from the hotel, submit the refund request (with hotel staff name and position) via message center in the Traveloka app.

How to reschedule or refund Traveloka Hotel bookings:

• Option 1: Reschedule
  1. Log in to the Traveloka App/Website
  2. Go to My Booking and find your hotel voucher
  3. Open your voucher and tap the Reschedule menu at the bottom.
  4. If your booking can be rescheduled, you can immediately choose your new schedule.

• Option 2: Refund
  1. Log in to the Traveloka App/Website
  2. Go to My Booking and find your hotel voucher
  3. Select Manage Booking section on your particular Booking ID to check if your booking is refundable or not.
  4. Always refer to your booking policy for understanding.

Traveloka Customer Service

• Singapore Call Center: +65 6486 7945 or +65 6911 8138
• Email: [email protected]

Traveloka’s Official Statement: Here.

6. Hotels.com

How to change/cancel Hotels.com bookings:

1. Sign in to your Hotels.com account
2. Go to Manage your bookings
3. Choose the booking you wish to change or cancel
4. Select Cancel Room or Change Booking

If you booked without a Hotels.com account, fill out the Find your bookings form and Submit. Then, select Cancel Room or Change Booking for the booking you wish to cancel.

Below is an official statement from Hotels.com

Traveller safety is a top priority for us and we are monitoring the situation with coronavirus closely. We highly recommend travellers everywhere follow health and safety information from health officials and local authorities.

Travellers who have existing bookings for travel to or from mainland China, Macau or Hong Kong, or who are planning an upcoming trip should refer to our website for the most up-to-date information on how to manage or change your booking.

Hotels.com is offering travellers the option to request a free cancellation for their Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau booking(s), if their travel dates are between February 17, 2020, and February 29, 2020 (both dates inclusive).

Hotels.com Customer Service

• Customer Service Number: 800 120 5131

7. Airbnb

If your trip is covered by Airbnb’s extenuating circumstances policy, you will be able to cancel your home reservation or Airbnb Experience without charge. Do note that the below information is mainly for Singaporeans, and you should refer to Airbnb’s official website for more policy coverage.

Reservations covered Airbnb’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy:

• Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made on or before 14 March 2020
  • For check-in dates between 14 March 2020 and 14 April 2020 – Guests who cancel will receive a full refund
  • For check-in dates after 14 April 2020 are not covered under Airbnb’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy unless guest or host has contracted Covid-19. Normal host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual.
• Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made after 14 March 2020
  • Not covered under Airbnb’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy unless guest or host has contracted Covid-19. Normal host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual.

How to cancel your Airbnb booking:

Reservations covered under the Extenuating Circumstances Policy will be indicated as such on the reservation details page which you can find under Trips.

• Go to Trips and find the trip you want to cancel
• Click Show details
• Click Change or cancel
• In the page that you are redirected to, click the Next button under Cancel Reservation to start the cancellation process.
• A full refund of your reservation and service fees will be refunded.

If your refund is successful, there is minimal need to contact Airbnb in this case. But do note that refunds usually take 10 days to reach you and might take longer in light of the current situation.

Airbnb Help Centre: Here

Airbnb’s Official Statement: Here.

8. IHG

IHG will be waiving all cancellation fees for existing and new bookings at all IHG hotels globally for stays between 9 March 2020 and 30 April 2020, in addition to the existing cancellation policy measures as below.

Guests travelling to or from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, or the Taiwan region for any stay between 23 January 2020 to 9 March 2020; Italy and South Korea for any stay between 28 February and 9 March 2020 will be able to change or cancel a valid booking reservation made via the hotel directly (IHG.com, the IHG App, or the IHG Central Reservations Centre, without financial penalty. For bookings made by a travel agent or an online travel booking platform, IHG advises guests to contact the relevant agent/platform.

You may refer to the IHG Travel Advisory Policy here,

9. Marriott International

Marriott International will be waiving cancellation fees for hotel stays through 31 March 2020 for guests travelling to or from:

• Asia Pacific: Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, French Polynesia, Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa
• Europe: Italy
• Inbound to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Philippines, Singapore, India, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Somalia, Vietnam, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt.

Reservations applicable under Marriott International’s policy includes:

• Guests with existing reservations for any future arrival date
  • are allowed to make full changes or cancellations at no charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival* (change or cancellation must be made by 30 April 2020).
  • Any changes to existing reservations are subject to availability and any rate differences.
• Guests making new reservations for any future arrival date between today (13 March 2020) to 30 April 2020
  • are allowed to change or cancel their reservation at no charge up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled arrival date*. 
  • Any changes to existing reservations are subject to availability and any rate differences.

* Refer to Important Information for a clear guideline.

Marriott International Official Statement: Here.

10. Accor Live Limitless (ALL)

Guests travelling to OR from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR China, Macau SAR China or Taiwan, China through 31 March 2020 will be able to change or cancel a valid booking.

Guests travelling to Italy through 3 April 2020 will be able to change or cancel a valid booking.

Guests travelling from Italy who have booked travel prior to 9 March 2020 for stays through 3 April 2020 may postpone their travel through 31 December 2020.

How to change/cancel ALL bookings:

• For guests who have booked directly* AND:
  • Reserved a flexible rate, can modify or cancel their reservations by
    1. Visit all.accor.com
    2. Click My Bookings
    3. Contact the ALL Global Reservations Center (list of phone numbers below)
  • Reserved a non-flexible rate, can modify or cancel their reservations by
    1. Contact the ALL Global Reservations Center (list of phone numbers below)

Phone Contact List for ALL Global Reservations Center here.

*Via all.accor.com, the ALL app, Global Contact Center or Directly with one of ALL’s hotels.

ALL advise guests who have booked through a travel agent, online booking platforms or other third parties to contact the booking provider directly for assistance.

Accor Live Limitless Official Statement: Here.

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