Canceling due to weather

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Baygirl

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How do you guys handle a cancellation due to weather? I'm usually pretty flexible, but this week we're supposed to get a big storm that falls on New Years.. Ouch if last minute cancellations come in due to weather, it'll be hard to fill the rooms.
Just curious how any of you handle this, since weather is really beyond any of our control.
 
If the weather was truly dangerous, we just took their cancellation, no hassles.
No refunds...we offered a gift certificate for a future stay. So no re running the credit card.
 
Since I do not run a deposit it does not involve anything other than lost revenue. For Special Day packages, I make my cancellation a 50% charge for cancellation for any reason due to the expense incurred for that package. With my overnight stabling, a cancellation due to weather will be charged the stable fees only. I cannot afford to lose the stables - they are not mine!
 
This is a good question. In general, if we are full and I will lose revenue I stick to the cancellation policy. But if we were not full I would probably do a refund less our processing fee. I like the idea of a GC in this situation though, you don't have to refund anything and the guest will probably rebook. Or as was discussed in another thread, offer a discounted stay if they want to come in the day before and beat the weather.
 
I saw an interesting take on weather-related cancellations on another B&B website. It was a 'no fault' policy that allowed the guest to come at another time BEFORE the end of March (could be different based on your weather patterns) and use the deposit that way. After the end of March you lost the deposit.
Like a GC, but a very short-lived one.
If you take deposits, it might be a good policy if you think the folks coming might become repeats. If they're 'one offs' you can feel free to hold them to your policy as it stands.
 
I cancel with full refund for hurricanes. Somehow I just don't think it's right to charge them when their room won't even be here. And I make all guests who are already here leave at the 48 hour warning....because the "house" is leaving. Other than that, I don't have any weather issues.
 
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