Marriott International and Hyatt Hotels Corp. each have revised its cancellation policies to cover global reservations as a result of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, following InterContinental Hotels Group's move last week to do the same.
Airbnb too announced it would allow hosts and guests to cancel reservations through mid-April without penalty.
Marriott in a message from CEO Arne Sorenson and in an update to its policy on its website announced that the company will allow guests with existing individual reservations for any future arrival date, including reservations with prepaid rates that typically are more restrictive, full changes or cancellations without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival as long as the change or cancellation is made by April 30, 2020. The company will allow guests making new individual reservations before April 30, 2020, including reservations with prepaid rates, for any future arrival date, to change or cancel them at no charge up to 24 hours before a guest's scheduled arrival date.
Note that any changes to the reservations will be subject to availability and any rate differences.
Marriott Vacations Worldwide is included in this policy for transient reservations only. Design Hotels and Homes & Villas by Marriott International are excluded. For individual reservations booked into a pre-existing group block, refer to cancellation terms quoted at the time of reservation and contact the group organizer or the hotel for more information. Marriott also is instructing group organizers with questions on terms and agreements of group contracts to contact their hotels directly.
For Marriott Bonvoy members, the company has paused points expiration until Aug. 31, 2020. In addition, it has extended to Dec. 31, 2021, the expiration of Suite Night Awards set to expire Dec. 31, 2020. Also, members who currently have an active Free Night Award expiring in 2020 as part of their credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to use it through Jan. 31, 2021.
Hyatt has adjusted its policy to cover the following: All existing reservations made before March 13, 2020, that are for arrivals between March 14 and April 30, 2020, can be changed or canceled at no charge up to 24 hours before the scheduled arrival. This includes Advance Purchase Rate reservations. Any new reservation made between March 13 and April 30, 2020 for any future arrival date can be changed or canceled at no charge up to 24 hours before the scheduled arrival. This also includes Advance Purchase Rate reservations.
In addition, special exceptions are in place for all Advance Purchase Rate nonrefundable reservations made direction with Hyatt on or before March 8, 2020, for arrivals before June 30, 2020. Guests holding these fully prepaid reservations who have decided not to travel may still opt at least 24 hours before their stay to receive 10,000 World of Hyatt bonus points compensation in lieu of both their stay and the offer above (if eligible).
Hyatt also will suspend the forfeiture of World of Hyatt points through May 31, 2020. Generally, points do not expire but will be forfeited if a member's account is inactive for 24 consecutive months. The company also is postponing the introduction of off-peak and peak point redemption, originally planned for March 22, 2020, until 2021. This means that free-night redemptions will continue to be at standard rates for the rest of this year.
Airbnb also has updated its Extenuating Circumstances policy, which now allows hosts and guests to cancel with no charge or penalty existing reservations for stays and Airbnb experiences made on or before March 14, 2020, with check-in dates between March 14 and April 14, 2020. The policy applies to stays and Airbnb Experiences globally, with the exception of domestic travel in mainland China, which is scheduled to return to normal rules on April 1, 2020.
(Update, March 17): Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has waived cancellation charges for all bookings globally before April 30, 2020, regardless of booking channel.
Other hotel companies in recent days have updated cancellation and loyalty policies and provide additional updates as the pandemic evolves.
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