Master List: Coronavirus Hotel Policy On Changes And Cancellations

Master List: Coronavirus Hotel Policy On Changes And Cancellations

With the continuing spread of COVID-19, all major hotel brands have some type of Coronavirus hotel policy on changes and cancellations. In this article, we’ll look at the policies by brand regarding changes, cancellations, and anything else you need to know about your upcoming booking. If you’re worried about your trip and want to know whether you can cancel or change your non-refundable hotel room without a hefty penalty, you’re in the right place.

We also covered the relevant airline policies related to the Coronavirus and flight changes / cancellations. If you’re looking for that information, it’s in this post.

Coronavirus Hotel Policy By Major Brand

Each major brand has its own policy at this time. They share similarities but also have differences. Parent company policies will apply to all brands in the portfolio, unless noted in the policy (i.e. Marriott policies will apply to Aloft, JW Marriott, St. Regis, etc.). Here’s what you need to know about each chain and major brand in this uncertain time.

Choice Hotels

On March 11, 2020, Choice Hotels announced a policy valid through March 31, 2020. It offers free cancellations for customers with the following bookings:

1. Guests residing in China, South Korea, Japan and Italy with reservations at Choice Hotels in the United States and Canada.
2. Guests with reservations at Choice Hotels in China, Japan and Italy.

Additionally, all bookings made directly with Choice Hotels on or before March 10, 2020 for travel through April 30, 2020 have a cancellation option. Guests can receive a set number of points to use for future travel:

• Reservations less than $75 total (local currency) receive 5,000 points
• Bookings between $75-$150 total (local currency) receive 7,500 points
• Reservations above $150 total (local currency) receive 10,000 points

This option is available by calling (888) 770-6800. Changes must be confirmed at least 48 hours before check-in. This does not apply to bookings made through third-party sites. Guests with these bookings must contact the original source of the booking.

Hilton

On March 12, 2020, Hilton announced its Coronavirus hotel policy, which is found here. The chain will continue to waive change fees or offer full refunds on the following bookings:

• China (including travel to & through) bookings between January 23-March 31, 2020
• Israel (including travel to & through) bookings between March 10-March 31, 2020.
• Italy (including travel to & through) bookings between February 24-April 30, 2020.
• Saudi Arabia (including travel to & through) bookings between February 27-March 31, 2020.
• South Korea (including travel to & through) bookings between February 24-March 31, 2020.
  
• Certain European countries (including travel to & through) bookings between March 13-April 12, 2020. Countries included:
  • 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 and Switzerland.

As COVID-19 continues to expand dynamically, Hilton has applied its policy to all bookings through April 30, 2020. This includes nonrefundable and advanced purchase rates. Changes and cancellations completed at least 24 hours before check-in will have fees waived.

Beyond this, Hilton is offering a waiver period on new bookings. You can change or cancel without a fee on any bookings made for future travel between March 12-April 30, 2020. The changes must be made at least 24 hours before check-in.

Lastly, Hilton brand says it is pausing points expiration until May 31, 2020. They plan to update elite status earning requirements through the end of 2020, but this plan has not been published yet. They are also extending the validity on Free Night Certificates (see more details here).

Hyatt

World of Hyatt has a Coronavirus hotel policy covering all reservations made before March 13, 2020 for stays between March 14-April 30, 2020. These bookings can be changed or canceled at no charge. You need to change at least 24 hours before check-in. This includes non-refundable “Advance Purchase Rate” bookings. Additionally, any new reservations booked between March 13-April 30, 2020 can be changed or canceled at no charge. This must be done at least 24 hours before check-in. The policy covers all future travel dates booked in the waiver period.

First, Hyatt offered 10,000 World of Hyatt points to customers wishing to cancel nonrefundable, prepaid rates that were booked before March 8, 2020. The offer still works and is available on bookings now through the end of June. This does not apply to bookings made through sites like Expedia or Hotels.com, though.

The program is postponing award category changes on nearly all hotels. They’re also delaying the start of peak and off-peak award pricing. The plan is to delay it until 2021, even though it was supposed to start March 22, 2020. Hyatt also is suspending points expiration through the end of May 2020.

Lastly, Hyatt is extending elite status and benefits for all those in the Asia-Pacific region (as well as some outside this region). Those whose status was set to expire 2020 will have it extended to 2021. Any status set to expire in 2021 is extended through 2022. This goes for the status AND the benefits that come with it.

IHG

IHG announced on March 11 that it is waiving all cancellation fees for new and existing hotel bookings worldwide. This is for bookings made March 9-April 30, 2020.

This comes after their previous policy allowing people to cancel without penalty for the following bookings. This applies to reservations for Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan between January 23-March 9, 2020. It covers bookings in Italy and South Korea between February 28-March 9, 2020. If your booking is within these regions & covered times, you can change or cancel without penalty. They are applying this to non-refundable bookings, as well.

IHG also announced it is reducing the number of required stays by 25% or more for its elite members. This effectively means earning or keeping IHG elite status becomes much easier. Gold Elite members now only need to complete seven qualifying nights or earn 7,000 points. It’s 30 qualifying nights or 30,000 points for Platinum Elite, and the requirement is55 nights or 55,000 points for Spire Elite.

Marriott

After a previous policy that was quite restrictive, Marriott updated its changes and cancellations regarding its Coronavirus hotel policy. This previous policy only allowed for waiving cancellation fees for select countries in Asia and Italy.

Yesterday, Marriott released a much broader policy. It now allows customers with existing reservations, including prepaid rates (which are non-refundable), to change or cancel without charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival or April 30, 2020 (whichever comes first). Additionally, Marriott instituted a waiver period for new bookings between March 13-April 30, 2020. All bookings made in this period can be changed or canceled at no charge, as long as it’s done at least 24 hours before check-in. If the rate has gone up, a fare difference will be charged.

Marriott Vacations are included, but Design Hotels are excluded. Availability and special event times may create dates you can’t change to, so be flexible.

Marriott also paused points expiration until August 31, 2020 and extended certain benefits. They’ve and extended the expiration of Suite Night Awards to Dec. 31, 2021. Marriott Bonvoy members with a Free Night Award expiring in 2020 can use it through Jan. 31, 2021. The hotel also noted that it was “too early” to make changes to elite status qualification policies.

Airbnb

Home-rental site Airbnb updated its existing “extenuating circumstances” policy. The latest update is March 14, 2020. Existing reservations booked on or before March 14, 2020 for stays and Airbnb Experiences with a check-in date on or before April 14, 2020 (with at least one night of the booking occurring between March 14-April 14, 2020) are covered. Guests who cancel can receive a full refund. Hosts can cancel without charge or impact to their Superhost status. Normal cancellation policies per host will apply to reservations made after March 14, 2020. The same applies to existing bookings made on or before March 14, 2020 with check-in dates after April 14, 2020.

Prior to the update, Airbnb was only offering free cancellations on bookings in Mainland China, South Korea, and Italy.

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and Third-Party Booking Sites

OTAs are working to manage the huge demand for rebookings and cancellations. Expedia and Orbitz instructed customers with bookings more than two months out to “wait before contacting us.” When I contacted eDreams yesterday about a booking for next month where the airline has cancelled my route (not related to COVID-19, just no longer serving that city), I was told not to contact them for any bookings more than 5 days away.

Trip.com is offering additional coverage to those “directly and unavoidably affected by the outbreak”.  This includes those who contract COVID-19 and also healthcare workers involved in fighting the outbreak, for example. They will be eligible for full refunds.

Final Thoughts On Coronavirus Hotel Policies

Managing the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 isn’t simple. Many people are cancelling their bookings. Customer service lines via phone, chat, and email over overrun and understaffed. The simples solution is when you have a fully refundable booking, elite status that guarantees fee-free changes, or points bookings that never carry fees. Advance rate bookings and non-refundable bookings aren’t so simple. To help you know your options these are the Coronavirus Hotel Policies from the major chains. We also looked at Airbnb and OTAs/Third-Party Booking sites, since the hotel policies only cover bookings made directly with them.

As things change, we will work to keep this article updated.

Disclosure: Miles to Memories has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Miles to Memories and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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