According to eTNW, Marriott and Hilton plan to implement strict last-minute reservation cancellations that, effective 1 January, will charge guests a penalty of one night’s room rate if they fail to cancel a booking the day before their scheduled arrival.
A Hilton statement said: “Reservations made after 1 January must be cancelled by 23h59 local hotel time the day prior to arrival to avoid being charged for one night’s stay. Along with providing guests greater consistency in the booking process, we anticipate these changes will make more rooms available for travellers needing last-minute accommodation.”
Hilton adds, however, that cancellation policies may vary depending on the property and date of reservation, so guests are encouraged to verify the policy of the hotel they’ve booked with.
For Marriott, the policy only applies in the USA. “The policy referenced in U.S. media will not apply to any hotels in Africa, and the cancellation policy of Protea Hotels and African Pride Hotels remains unchanged,” said Mark Satterfield, COO of Marriott International Middle East & Africa.