Always Ask for a Refund, Even if Something is Non-Refundable

We recently, and unexpectedly, had to cut a trip short.  Even though parts of our trip were non-refundable, here’s how we got partial refunds anyway.

The details of why we had to cut our trip short are unimportant, except that there was a hospital visit involved, which is important for reasons that come up later.

What was at stake?

The remaining nights on our condo totaling about $1,000,  and ski rentals to the tune of about $450 - both condo and skis were paid in advance.

First, the condo.  Here’s the condo cancellation policy:

“WINTER: Lodging canceled 22 days or more prior to arrival may be cancelled without penalty. Transaction processing fee and travel insurance are paid in full at time of booking and are nonrefundable. Canceling 21 days or less prior to arrival all money paid is non-refundable. Change of physical lodging property will be handled as a cancellation once deposit is paid. After final payment is made, this reservation is non-refundable. There are no refunds for late arrival or early departure.”Pretty straight forward.  Needless to say, our trip was cut short due to an incident that occurred while on the trip, so we were well beyond the forfeiture period.

What I did

While I had little hope that we would get any refund, I had nothing to lose.  I went to the front desk with the medical documentation and asked.  The front desk directed me to central reservations because the front desk advised that it couldn‘t authorize a refund.  Central reservations directed me back to the front desk because central reservations advised that we were already on the property.  While I wasn’t happy with the runaround, I figured that losing my cool wouldn’t be productive at this point.

I went back to the front desk and explained what I was told.  The staff members kindly reached out to the Director of Lodging, who authorized a one-night comp.  They didn’t want documentation, but I had it just in case.  While the one-night comp was nice, it only amounted to half of the cost we paid for one day, approximately $260.  Still, something was better than nothing.  I took it and thanked them for their help.

Next stop on the refund trail – File a claim with my credit card.  I have trip cancellation/interruption coverage with one of my credit cards.  I filed my claim online and am currently awaiting a response.  It wouldn’t surprise me if I have to battle it out with the credit card company.

Now, for the skis

Here’s the ski rental cancellation policy:

“Other Policy: Winter PolicyGuests can cancel lift tickets, activities, lessons, and rentals penalty-free up to 7 days in advance of arrival or rebook for later in the season. Purchases become non-refundable 7 days prior to arrival. Up to 9am MT the day prior to arrival, purchases may be rebooked for a different date during the current season. There is no rebooking fee and price differences will be charged. Guests who are not able to use purchased product in the current season may request a resort credit that may be used within a year.”

While clear, there seems to be more wiggle room than the condo policy. 

I took our skis back to the rental shop and asked if they could credit or refund me the days left.  The rental shop manager said that if I produced the medical documentation and the credit card I used, he would refund my entire rental.  Done.  Thank you very much.

Verdict

Having documentation of a hospital visit was key to getting any money back.  According to the policy, they didn’t have to refund anything.

What about airfare?

Airfare – ugh.  Our airline allowed one free change, but changing our flight was aggravating, and it cost me time I’ll never get back…but that’s another post. 

Final Thoughts

You might not be successful in getting back 100%, but it never hurts to ask the merchant directly.  If you have a credit card that offers trip protection, that’s another option to recover trip costs.  Know your cancellation and refund policies.  Finally, have your documentation in order.