How can I get a refund on a non-refundable hotel room?

Today, non-refundable hotel rooms are becoming more commonplace, with perks for both the hotel and the customer. For the hotel, it's the guarantee that once they've sold the reservation, they get the money no matter what. There's no chance of a guest cancelling, getting a refund, and rebooking at a better price. For the customer, it's an opportunity to save money on hotel rooms, as non-refundable hotel reservations are usually cheaper.

But what happens if something goes wrong and your travel plans change? Unfortunately, when your hotel room is non-refundable, there's a risk that your money will go to waste, and you'll be out of pocket. Thankfully, it is possible to get a refund on a non-refundable hotel room by reselling it on Plans Change. Here we'll answer your FAQs about non-refundable hotel rooms and explain how our hotel room resale marketplace works.

Can I get a refund on a hotel room?

Whether or not you are eligible for a refund on a hotel room depends on your reservation type. Different hotels have different cancellation policies. Some allow you to cancel a hotel room, some change the dates, and others won’t offer either. It’s, therefore, crucial that you check the terms and conditions before making a reservation.

Even if a hotel reservation is refundable, a penalty clause might be attached to it. This means you will be charged a fine for cancelling or changing the dates for your hotel room. So always check the small print!

If you’ve booked a non-refundable hotel room and your plans change, you’re unlikely to get a refund from the hotel. It’s always worth asking - some hotels may be sympathetic to unforeseen circumstances, such as severe illness or a death in the family. But this isn’t a given.

If you can’t get a refund on a prepaid reservation or a non-refundable room, selling it to get some of your money back is best.

How can I get my money back from a non-refundable hotel room?

While you’re unlikely to receive a refund for a non-refundable hotel reservation (the clue is in the name), nothing stops you from selling it to someone else. The easiest and best way to sell a non-refundable reservation is to list it on Plans Change.

Our worldwide hotel resale marketplace connects sellers with prepaid or non-refundable rooms they can no longer use, with buyers looking for great hotel deals. Sell your bookings on PlansChange.com and recover your money up to the day of check-in. All we ask is that you list your hotel reservation at the same price (or less than) you’ve paid.

Visit our hotel Resale Deals page to see our sellers’ hotel reservations. For example, one of our current listings shows a Travelodge in Birmingham that the seller has listed for £30 - 40% off the price they originally paid. A great deal like this is almost guaranteed to get snapped up by a savvy traveller needing an overnight stay in the city. While the buyer saves money on their hotel booking, the seller benefits from getting some of their money back. Money that would have otherwise been taken by the hotel, whether they used the reservation or not!

How do I sell my hotel booking to someone else?

To sell a reservation on Plans Change, you must register (for free) and agree to the Terms and Conditions. As part of the registration process, we will need to validate your credit card, and you’ll need to tell us where you wish to receive your funds when your booking sells.

 You will then be able to create your first listing, which will involve the following:

●       Entering the booking details and price

●       Uploading proof of your reservation

Plans Change will create a listing with all the booking information and photos, which you will review and approve before it goes live on our marketplace. We’ll also tell you upfront the modest fee you’ll pay when your reservations sell. Remember, we only charge selling fees - not listing fees. So if no one buys your reservation, you won’t owe us a penny.

Once your hotel reservation sells, we’ll notify you, secure your funds and transfer the booking to the buyer. We only need to share the booking name with the buyer (no other personal details), and you don’t need to lift a finger. Plans Change will provide all the details and documentation. Your funds will be available to withdraw 24 hours after the checkout date. It’s as simple as that!

How can I increase my chances of selling a hotel reservation on Plans Change?

Focus on getting the price right to make your hotel reservation stand out on our marketplace. We don’t need to tell you a lower price will attract more buyers. However, to get the balance right in creating an attractive listing and ensure you get some of your money back, we recommend pricing your hotel room at least 25% less than the original price.

Remember, you remain in control of your listing and can edit or delete it at any point (unless it has sold.) This includes changing the price. So, if you’ve got a few months until the hotel reservation date, you might want to set the price slightly higher, and then if it doesn’t sell, lower it to increase the chances of your room getting booked.

The more visible your hotel room resale listing is, the more chance of it getting sold. We will help to get it in front of buyers looking for the best hotel deals by featuring it on our Resale Deals page, and others pages of the Plans Change website. We also share Resale Deals on our social media pages and email newsletters.

We recommend that you do the same. Click on the social media sharing buttons next to your hotel listing to share it to your profiles and get it in front of as many people as possible!

Get money back on a non refundable hotel

We hope we’ve answered your questions about hotel reservation refunds and how to get your money on a non-refundable room. If you’ve got a hotel room to list on our resale marketplace, head to our registration page to get started. Once registered, creating your listing will take no longer than 5 minutes, and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly customer support team.