As Covid-19 cases continue to rise throughout the world,
hotel companies are now updating their cancellation policies on a regular
basis.
Accor guests with existing bookings with non-flexible rates
for stays prior to 30 April 2020 may modify their reservation for future travel
through 31 December 2020 without penalty by contacting the hotel directly,
according to a company spokesperson. Guests travelling to or from mainland
China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea through 31 March 2020 will be
able to modify or cancel a valid booking without a fee. Guests travelling to
Italy through 3 April 2020 will be able to modify or cancel an existing
reservation with no fee. Guests who booked and planned a stay between now and 22
April 2020 in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi
Arabia can cancel or modify their stay until 30 September 2020 without penalty.
Choice Hotels is providing penalty-free cancellations
through 30 April 2020 to guests residing in China, South Korea, Japan and Italy
with reservations at Choice Hotels in the United States and Canada, and to
guests with reservations at Choice Hotels in China, Japan and Italy, according
to a company statement. For travel within the US or Canada, guests with
existing individual reservations, including those with non-cancellable, prepaid
rates made directly with Choice Hotels, can change or cancel them without a
charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival so long as the change or cancellation is
made by 30 April 30 2020. For guests making new individual reservations
directly with Choice Hotels before 30 April 2020 the company will allow those
reservations to be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before a
guest's scheduled arrival date. The company also has paused Choice Privileges
points expiration until 31 May 2020.
Hilton Worldwide will continue to waive change fees or offer
full refunds in regions affected by government-issued travel restrictions,
according to a company statement. Existing reservations, even those described
as non-cancellable ("advanced purchase") that are scheduled for
arrival before 30 April 2020 can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24
hours before the scheduled arrival. New reservations booked between today and 30
April 2020 for any future arrival date, can be changed or cancelled at no
charge up to 24 hours before the scheduled arrival. The company also is pausing
the expiration of all Hilton Honors points scheduled to expire before 31 May
2020.
Hyatt Hotels Corp previously updated its policy.
InterContinental Hotels Group is waiving cancellation fees
for existing and new bookings at all IHG hotels globally for stays between now
and 30 April 30 2020, according to a company statement. The company is working
with customers to manage changes needed to group and meetings bookings on a
case-by-case basis. Organisers should contact the hotel the booking was made with
to discuss further.
Langham Hospitality Group will waive cancellation fees for
all individual stays booked directly through 30 April 2020, according to a
company spokesperson.
Marriott International previously updated its policy.
Peninsula has extended its cancellation waiver to May for
all groups and travellers to Peninsula hotels globally. The company is also
allowing guests to postpone reservations through May at all hotels to the
following 12 months, according to a company spokesperson.
Radisson Hotels Group will allow free modifications or
cancellations for all existing and new reservations globally for stays until 30
April 2020, according to a company statement. Note that modifications will be
subject to availability and any rate difference. Groups or meetings travelling
from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Belgium, Spain, France and the US
to any of those countries can cancel without a fee through 30 April 2020. This
also applies to cancellations resulting from government travel and meeting
restrictions for the duration of the restricted measurement. This includes, but
is not limited to, the travel suspension from the European Union to the US and
the visa suspension for India. In all other instances, the company's hotel
teams will work directly with clients to evaluate changes needed on a
case-by-case basis. Radisson also has extended its Radisson Rewards expiration
policy by six months, effective 1 March 2020 and has extended the elite status
of members through February 2022 for those that would have expired in February
2021.
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts previously updated its policy.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will waive cancellation or
change penalties for guests travelling to or from Greater China, South Korea,
or Italy with direct bookings for stays in any of its hotels through 31 March
31 2020, according to a company statement. Guests who are prohibited from travelling
to their booked hotel under applicable law will have their cancellation or
change penalties waived on direct bookings. Globally, for existing direct
bookings, all Wyndham properties are required to accommodate non-cancellable
rate reservation changes if the request is received at least 48 hours prior to
arrival and the same number of room nights or more are booked for a future
stay. In addition, the company is extending current Wyndham Rewards member
status for all gold, platinum and diamond members from the Greater China and
the Southeast Asia and Pacific Rim regions through the end of 2021.