Do motels have a right to go ahead and take from your credit card if you cancel?

Dully: Do motels have a right to go ahead and take from your credit card if you cancel?
Emergency came up & couldn’t make the trip. The motel said they don’t use your card if that should happen. Found out later that they charged me for both nights I was suppose to stay.

Answers and Views:

Answer by pookphi_89
Consult the motel’s cancellation policy. Most places allow you to cancel up to the day of the trip by say 6:00pm without penalty. That is not a hard and fast rule, though.

If you didn’t tell them you weren’t coming, they probably did have a right to charge your card. After all, they held a room for you that they could have rented otherwise, and you didn’t show up. Contact the motel operator and nicely ask them to credit the charges back. If they refuse, write a letter of dispute to to the dispute address on your credit card statement (look for it in the fine print) within 60 days of receiving the statement where the charge appeared. The credit card company might be able to help get some or all of your money back.

Answer by sassy25
In the US motels either have a 48 hour or 24 hour cancellation period.
After that they charge. You could write to corporate office and plead your case

Answer by OC1999
The cancellation policy depends on the Hotel as well if you just reserved it or actually paid it.

If you paid for it in advance such as through an place like Hotwire or Priceline, those are non-refundable. So you are charged the full cost of your stay if you go or not.

If you just reserved it you have to abide by the hotels cancellation policy. Most hotels have a 24 hour cancellation policy. Some allow you to cancel up to a certain point on the day of arrival, others(mainly resort and vacation destinations) could require 7-14 days.

So you need to find out the written cancellation policy of the hotel. If you canceled before the deadline talk to the hotel. If they refuse put in a dispute with your credit card company. If you canceled after the deadline, see if you can work something out with the hotel. If not then you are going to have to pay it.

Answer by Haiku Onicodnem
Dispute the charges. Demand a copy of a written contract agreeing to a “cancellation policy” if the motel claims they’re applying one.