Choice Hotels Just Tightened Its Cancellation Policy To Pre-COVID Times

If you booked a future stay with Choice Hotels on or after July 10 for an arrival date that’s before September 30, 2020, you’d be able to modify or cancel your reservation within 24 hours of your arrival date without any modification or cancellation fees. Those reservation changes are, of course, subject to availability and rate differences.

However, reservations made with pre-paid rates, such as their Advance Purchase Rate, cannot be canceled, refunded or changed. (italics are mine, for emphasis)

If you made a new reservation on or after July 10, 2020 for an arrival date that’s on or after October 1, 2020
If you book direct with Choice Hotels on or after July 10 for an arrival date that’s on or after October 1, the hotel’s individual cancellation policy that’s in place at the time of your booking will apply.

Here’s what their cancellation policy was before this most recent change:

• For guests with existing individual reservations, including reservations with non-cancellable, pre-paid rates made directly with Choice Hotels (again, emphasis made by me), we will allow changes or cancellation without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival as long as the change or cancellation is made by June 30, 2020 and is compliant with hotel country regulations. You can cancel or modify your reservation here.

• For a limited time, guests making new individual reservations directly with Choice Hotels, we will allow those reservations to be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before a guest’s scheduled arrival date.

So the main difference is if you get an Advance Purchase Rate, it’s like the olden days, before coronavirus – you can’t cancel, change or get a refund, period. Which I think, with cases increasing exponentially right now, is crazy.

If you get any other rate, you can still do what you want, without fees, until 24 hours ahead of time.

My advice? Don’t get an Advance Purchase Rate.

*** Feature Photo: Choice Hotels

#stayhealthy #staysafe #washyourhands #wearamask

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary