Booking.com Rebooking and Refund Policy | What to Know

Booking.com is one of the leading online travel agencies commonly used among travelers. Thanks to their marketing techniques and huge user base, the platform will help get guests in your rooms who otherwise may not have known about your property.

Confidently, we, the hosts could say there is nothing to worry about giving your guests a refund, however sometimes in some situations not everything is as it may seem, and will be asked to refund guests. Therefore, policies are set clearly for guests which in turn makes it more likely for your property to be booked as well less the possibility of cancellations. Though, to maintain a clear and consistent guest policy across the site, Booking.com offers a set of standard options to build yours from.

With that being said, this article will help guide you through:

• What are Booking.com’s Policies?
• How do Claim Works?
• How does it affect both hosts and guests?

What are Booking.com’s Policies?

Refund/Cancellation Policy

Refunds/Cancellations solely depend on the policies and arrangements made by the provider/host. With that being said, the terms and conditions are available on the Booking.com platform, on the trip provider's/host information page during the booking process fine print, and/or in the confirmation email or ticket.

After making a reservation, take note, that some hosts will allow the guests to either make a prepayment or pay at check-in or check-out which then may be eligible for cancellation or a refund depending on certain rates, fees, or policies set. In addition, the host will also inform the guest/s on how long they will be allowed to cancel a booking.

Be aware that some bookings can't be canceled for free, while others can only be canceled for free before a deadline. Moreover, if a booking is canceled, any refunds will depend on the host's/service provider's cancellation or no-show policy.

More importantly, the service provider/host can cancel your booking and is not liable for the consequences if the guest does not arrive on time for the booking. Therefore, as a guest, it is important to contact your service provider/host to let them know if you think you are not going to arrive on time.

Force Majeure / Forced Circumstances Policy

Reservations made before 6th April 2020, Force Majeure conditions for guests wanting to cancel or modify their bookings will be applied especially in situations where the guests request cancellations as a result of Force Majeure, Booking.com expects hosts to refund any prepayment and waive any cancellation costs or offer guests relocation assistance in finding alternative accommodation. If you require assistance from Booking.com during this process, contact Customer Support where they will evaluate whether relocation costs can be waived.

Rebooking Policy

Guests that canceled non-refundable or partially non-refundable bookings during Force Majeure conditions will receive an email invitation to rebook the same property with a 15% cash-back incentive on the cost of rebooking.

The 15% cash-back is valid irrespective of other discounts that guests might receive, such as Genius or other types of partner-initiated promotions, and is capped at a maximum of 100 euros per reservation. The incentive will be deposited in guests’ Booking Wallet after the stay is completed and is valid for eligible bookings made until 31 December 2020 with a check-out date before or on 30 April 2021.

In addition, this policy encourages guests who have canceled to rebook a stay at the Host's/Service provider property while waiving commission as a way of investing in your recovery.

How do Claims Work?

Refunds/Claims can only be done in two ways which are via

• contacting customer support
• confirmation email

If you have any unanswered questions regarding your refund request, it is best to contact the help center where an employee will then ask questions about the canceled accommodation, time and date of cancellation, and the payment method used. Where then, the person will help solve the issue and inform if the payment has been issued or is pending.

Take note, if the host cancels the reservation, Booking.com refunds you immediately however the processing time may take 7 to 10 days depending on the bank.

Refund Waiting Period

Refunds will only be provided in the confirmation mail once the cancellation is confirmed. However, this depends on the host and your method of paying. Also, be aware that refunds are not issued on weekends and holidays.

How Does It Affect Both Hosts and Guests?

According to Arjan Dijk, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com, “The platform helps stimulate demand for our partners we’re introducing multiple new offers, products, and services, with Booking.com marketing activities reaching customers to ensure the most exposure possible. By incentivizing guests to rebook the same properties, where applicable and possible, we hope to inspire them to take action when travel and hospitality restart – offering partners an opportunity to recapture bookings as it becomes safe to travel again.”

With that being said, Booking.com policies encourage guests to postpone rather than cancel bookings. Moreover, the platform allows hosts to set up restrictions and gain control of their bookings by adjusting the minimum stay criteria while attracting specific traveler types. In addition, to avoid bookings that aren't prepared to take, an extra layer of security is given by setting up minimum and maximum advance reservation times.