Writing a Hotel Reservation Cancellation Email (with Sample)
Use this sample hotel reservation cancellation email as a template for your formal cancellation email.
Last updated on November 25, 2023
So you’ve found a great deal online for your family vacation hotel and you booked it. The hours of searching for the perfect spot with the best price paid off, and now you have a great hotel. All that would be great but what happens when you need to cancel or make alterations to the reservation?
Most hotels either charge a healthy deposit up-front or they will charge your credit card if you cancel within a certain number of days. The best way to prevent be charged or having a deposit held is to write a Hotel Reservation Cancellation Email.
All hotels, except some small local motels, use the internet as a way for customers to book rooms. Because everything is so automated, it can leave some room for error. If you know that the dates your booked for your vacation are not going to work, you need to let the hotel know as soon as possible.
Most hotels either charge a healthy deposit up-front or they will charge your credit card if you cancel within a certain number of days. The best way to prevent be charged or having a deposit held is to write a Hotel Reservation Cancellation Email.
All hotels, except some small local motels, use the internet as a way for customers to book rooms. Because everything is so automated, it can leave some room for error. If you know that the dates your booked for your vacation are not going to work, you need to let the hotel know as soon as possible.
Online Cancellation Services
Some websites have online cancellation services where you can go in and cancel without issue. But it is best to always follow up with an email to ensure you get your deposit back.
Some people wait till it’s too late and then try to file a charge back with their credit card company. Filing a charge back won't usually work in this instance, as the company has procedures in fine print that you agree to.
This email doesn't have to be all formal and such, but it needs to be packed full of information. First, it should have the parties’ names that appeared on the reservation, followed by the lasts four digits of the credit card used and the reservation number.
The dates and location should also be put on the form, lest there be any confusion. The more details the better, in case the agent can't find your reservation one way, they can find it using other information.
Some websites have online cancellation services where you can go in and cancel without issue. But it is best to always follow up with an email to ensure you get your deposit back.
Some people wait till it’s too late and then try to file a charge back with their credit card company. Filing a charge back won't usually work in this instance, as the company has procedures in fine print that you agree to.
This email doesn't have to be all formal and such, but it needs to be packed full of information. First, it should have the parties’ names that appeared on the reservation, followed by the lasts four digits of the credit card used and the reservation number.
The dates and location should also be put on the form, lest there be any confusion. The more details the better, in case the agent can't find your reservation one way, they can find it using other information.
Hotels Cancellation Policy
Before writing any letter, make sure you know the hotels cancellation policy. If you are already outside the terms of the cancellation period, it may be a moot point drafting an email and a phone call might be better.
Most hotels will hold to their cancellation policy and will not waiver, but there is always some room for negotiations. Know the policies before drafting any email; it will help you be able to specify your rights.
Start the email out and get straight to the point. List the reservation number and who the reservation was for, the name. State the dates of the reservation and the location. Get right to the point quickly, as hotel chains get 100's of letters on a daily basis.
Most hotels will write you a letter in return confirming the issue has been resolved. Be sure to ask them for some sort of confirmation. Most hotels will be able to give a cancellation number. Here is a sample of how the letter should look.
Before writing any letter, make sure you know the hotels cancellation policy. If you are already outside the terms of the cancellation period, it may be a moot point drafting an email and a phone call might be better.
Most hotels will hold to their cancellation policy and will not waiver, but there is always some room for negotiations. Know the policies before drafting any email; it will help you be able to specify your rights.
Start the email out and get straight to the point. List the reservation number and who the reservation was for, the name. State the dates of the reservation and the location. Get right to the point quickly, as hotel chains get 100's of letters on a daily basis.
Most hotels will write you a letter in return confirming the issue has been resolved. Be sure to ask them for some sort of confirmation. Most hotels will be able to give a cancellation number. Here is a sample of how the letter should look.
Sample Hotel Reservation Cancellation Email
To: Hotel's Email Address
Subject: Cancellation of Reservation
Dear Sir or Madam,
I made a reservation for the Windjammer Las Vegas, NV hotel on October 3-October 17th for the year 2013. The reservation number for this transaction is C39093FG341.
I used the online system to make my reservations and the credit card used to book this room was a MasterCard with the last four digits of 7845. I was charged a deposit of $400, to my credit card, upon booking this reservation.
Due to circumstances that are beyond my control, I am unable to fly to Las Vegas for this vacation and need to cancel my reservation.
According to your hotel's cancellation policy, I am entitled to a 100% refund, as I made my cancellation within 30 days preceding the reservation.
I am requesting a cancellation at least nearly 60 days in advance so there should be no problems getting this reservation cancelled and a refund of my initial deposit.
I would like the deposit to be put back on my credit card upon receipt of this letter and to cancel the reservations. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at my email address name@gmail.com or on my cell phone at 555-123-4569. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Your Name
By Andre Bradley
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the best way to ensure a good hotel cancellation policy?
Answer: Generally, booking directly online offers the best hotel cancellation policy. Typically, rooms are fully refundable if canceled within 24-48 hours of the stay. Some hotels may offer refunds even within 24 hours if you call them and have a valid reason.
Q: How do different rates affect the hotel cancellation policy?
Answer: Hotels often offer various rates for the same room (e.g., regular rate, member rate, 60-day advance rate, prepaid rate), each with its own cancellation policy. Usually, regular or member rates offer better cancellation policies, though they may cost more. The cancellation policy can also be stricter during holidays or specific periods. It's essential to read the terms and conditions of your rate details for complete understanding.
Q: Should I avoid non-refundable rates?
Answer: Non-refundable rates are typically the lowest in price but offer no refunds, regardless of the circumstances, unless you have travel insurance. However, some hotels might offer refunds for valid reasons if the cancellation is made before the deadline.
Q: Does the hotel chain affect the cancellation policy?
Answer: Even within a large hotel chain, specific properties may have their own cancellation policies that differ from the standard policy of the chain. It's not unusual for different brands within a chain to have different policies.
Q: How does booking through a third-party website or travel agent affect the cancellation policy?
Answer: When booking via a third-party website or travel agent, the cancellation policy is based on the entity you booked with. They might issue only a credit to be used within a certain period, regardless of the hotel's open cancellation policy. Each website and agent has different policies, so it's important to be aware of these details before booking.
Q: What about booking with loyalty points?
Answer: Booking with loyalty points usually offers flexible cancellation policies. For instance, free nights booked with Marriott Bonvoy are fully refundable if canceled at least 24 hours before arrival. However, policies can vary with different bank travel loyalty programs, so it's important to read the fine print. Generally, if you cancel your reservation, your points will be refunded.
Q: Can travel insurance help with hotel cancellation?
Answer: Travel insurance might allow for a refund in cases of strict, non-refundable hotel cancellation policies, provided there's a qualifying reason for the insurance to apply. If you're using a credit card with travel insurance, you'll need to charge part or all of your hotel stay to the card for the insurance to be valid. The insurance will typically reimburse only the non-refundable portion of the stay.
Q: What is the general cancellation policy for hotel reservations?
Answer: Reservation cancellations must comply with the policy outlined by the hotel for the specific rate and dates booked. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the specific cancellation policy for each reservation.
Answer: Generally, booking directly online offers the best hotel cancellation policy. Typically, rooms are fully refundable if canceled within 24-48 hours of the stay. Some hotels may offer refunds even within 24 hours if you call them and have a valid reason.
Q: How do different rates affect the hotel cancellation policy?
Answer: Hotels often offer various rates for the same room (e.g., regular rate, member rate, 60-day advance rate, prepaid rate), each with its own cancellation policy. Usually, regular or member rates offer better cancellation policies, though they may cost more. The cancellation policy can also be stricter during holidays or specific periods. It's essential to read the terms and conditions of your rate details for complete understanding.
Q: Should I avoid non-refundable rates?
Answer: Non-refundable rates are typically the lowest in price but offer no refunds, regardless of the circumstances, unless you have travel insurance. However, some hotels might offer refunds for valid reasons if the cancellation is made before the deadline.
Q: Does the hotel chain affect the cancellation policy?
Answer: Even within a large hotel chain, specific properties may have their own cancellation policies that differ from the standard policy of the chain. It's not unusual for different brands within a chain to have different policies.
Q: How does booking through a third-party website or travel agent affect the cancellation policy?
Answer: When booking via a third-party website or travel agent, the cancellation policy is based on the entity you booked with. They might issue only a credit to be used within a certain period, regardless of the hotel's open cancellation policy. Each website and agent has different policies, so it's important to be aware of these details before booking.
Q: What about booking with loyalty points?
Answer: Booking with loyalty points usually offers flexible cancellation policies. For instance, free nights booked with Marriott Bonvoy are fully refundable if canceled at least 24 hours before arrival. However, policies can vary with different bank travel loyalty programs, so it's important to read the fine print. Generally, if you cancel your reservation, your points will be refunded.
Q: Can travel insurance help with hotel cancellation?
Answer: Travel insurance might allow for a refund in cases of strict, non-refundable hotel cancellation policies, provided there's a qualifying reason for the insurance to apply. If you're using a credit card with travel insurance, you'll need to charge part or all of your hotel stay to the card for the insurance to be valid. The insurance will typically reimburse only the non-refundable portion of the stay.
Q: What is the general cancellation policy for hotel reservations?
Answer: Reservation cancellations must comply with the policy outlined by the hotel for the specific rate and dates booked. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the specific cancellation policy for each reservation.