Cancellation time frame

[Morticia]

Let's say you have a cancellation policy of '7 days prior to arrival'.
If the reservation was for Thursday night (of the following week from the week you are presently in) what is the last day they can cancel before the penalty phase kicks in? (Also helpful is if you have a time, like '6 PM' or the like.) A little contretemps here over a guest who just cancelled, so any and all opinions taken!

 

[IronGate]

I have always interpretted "n days prior" as ending when check-in begins on the nth day before my reservation. If my reservation is for next Friday, I had until check-in started today (Friday) to cancel for a 7-day cancellation period. FWIW.

 

[JBloggs]

If the booking is next Friday then they have until today to cancel. Tomorrow would be 6 days away.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

If the policy is 7 days and the reservation starts on Thursday, a non-penalty cancellation would need to be received by Thursday of the prior week.
While reason would say that close of business is the time, I generally allow them until midnight of the last day.
Which really means that if there's a cancellation waiting the next morning (either on voice mail or by email) and it's dated the last day they can cancel, then I'll honor that.

 

[Morticia]

So, what I am hearing is it is basically the same day of the week. Fri-Fri, Mon-Mon? Not reserve for Thursday, cancel on Friday?

 

[wendydk]

If the policy is 7 days and the reservation starts on Thursday, a non-penalty cancellation would need to be received by Thursday of the prior week.
While reason would say that close of business is the time, I generally allow them until midnight of the last day.
Which really means that if there's a cancellation waiting the next morning (either on voice mail or by email) and it's dated the last day they can cancel, then I'll honor that..

While reason would say that close of business is the time, I generally allow them until midnight of the last day.
Which really means that if there's a cancellation waiting the next morning (either on voice mail or by email) and it's dated the last day they can cancel, then I'll honor that.

Ditto

 

[gillumhouse]

Mine is 48 hours prior to expected arrival. If check-in starts at 4 pm the clock stopped ticking 48 hours prior.

 

[Copperhead]

So, what I am hearing is it is basically the same day of the week. Fri-Fri, Mon-Mon? Not reserve for Thursday, cancel on Friday?.

Yes, that is correct. The easiest way for you to explain it is for you to start with the check in date and count 24 hr periods backwards for 7 days.
I had so many people confused as to exactly when their cancel date was that I now include in the confirmation the DATE / TIME the cancelation must reach me.

[U][B]Cancellations or changes must be made by 5PM on 6/16/10[/B][/U], at which time your credit card 
will be charged a deposit of 1 nights stay ...

 

[JBloggs]

If the room is for Friday and they call on Sat Morning I will accept that. They gave me as much as possible. Shhh! Don't tell anyone though.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

So, what I am hearing is it is basically the same day of the week. Fri-Fri, Mon-Mon? Not reserve for Thursday, cancel on Friday?.

Yes, that is correct. The easiest way for you to explain it is for you to start with the check in date and count 24 hr periods backwards for 7 days.
I had so many people confused as to exactly when their cancel date was that I now include in the confirmation the DATE / TIME the cancelation must reach me.

[U][B]Cancellations or changes must be made by 5PM on 6/16/10[/B][/U], at which time your credit card 
will be charged a deposit of 1 nights stay ...

.

Yes, that is correct. The easiest way for you to explain it is for you to start with the check in date and count 24 hr periods backwards for 7 days.

That's exactly how I get confused guests to come around. Okay, so yesterday would have been 1 day, the day before would have been 2 days, and just keep doing that til you get to the right number of days. Then they will always always always say, "oh, you're right that is X days" and then that's it.

 

[Joey Camb]

I work on the principle I am more flexible with nice people if you act like a

and try to strong arm me then it is full charges or if you are nice and reasonable then if I re sell you aren't charged if I don't then I take off for laundry, food and chamber maid. we say 48 hours so it is 48 from check in time which is oficially 2pm

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

I'm annoyed because I know she booked someplace else after me spending all that time with her.

That is very annoying.
This is what I do. It doesn't always work but it does work surprisingly often. If a guest seems at all tentative, ie. they're asking when they can cancel and it's becoming clear that they will likely cancel in that timeframe, I just tell them that we only accept confirmed reservations, that we do not accept tentative bookings.
They will usually then ask what that means. And I'll say that we are a very small inn and that we would really prefer that they wait until they are sure of their plans before making a reservation. That we know they want to shop around but we'd prefer they did their shopping first and not reserve until they know we're the right inn for them.
Now there are still those few who will book then just for spite. You know the ones.
But most of the time they will do whatever calling around they're going to do and when they do call back to reserve, it sticks.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I'm annoyed because I know she booked someplace else after me spending all that time with her.

That is very annoying.
This is what I do. It doesn't always work but it does work surprisingly often. If a guest seems at all tentative, ie. they're asking when they can cancel and it's becoming clear that they will likely cancel in that timeframe, I just tell them that we only accept confirmed reservations, that we do not accept tentative bookings.
They will usually then ask what that means. And I'll say that we are a very small inn and that we would really prefer that they wait until they are sure of their plans before making a reservation. That we know they want to shop around but we'd prefer they did their shopping first and not reserve until they know we're the right inn for them.
Now there are still those few who will book then just for spite. You know the ones.
But most of the time they will do whatever calling around they're going to do and when they do call back to reserve, it sticks..

That's when having a cancellation fee really helps.

 

[Morticia]

I'm annoyed because I know she booked someplace else after me spending all that time with her.

That is very annoying.
This is what I do. It doesn't always work but it does work surprisingly often. If a guest seems at all tentative, ie. they're asking when they can cancel and it's becoming clear that they will likely cancel in that timeframe, I just tell them that we only accept confirmed reservations, that we do not accept tentative bookings.
They will usually then ask what that means. And I'll say that we are a very small inn and that we would really prefer that they wait until they are sure of their plans before making a reservation. That we know they want to shop around but we'd prefer they did their shopping first and not reserve until they know we're the right inn for them.
Now there are still those few who will book then just for spite. You know the ones.
But most of the time they will do whatever calling around they're going to do and when they do call back to reserve, it sticks..

Never spoke with her, it was all emails...she made the rez, asked some questions, I responded, she asked some more and then she cancelled. I may be 'assuming' here, but we were going along great guns until she asked for a discount.

 

[Morticia]

So, what I am hearing is it is basically the same day of the week. Fri-Fri, Mon-Mon? Not reserve for Thursday, cancel on Friday?.

Yes, that is correct. The easiest way for you to explain it is for you to start with the check in date and count 24 hr periods backwards for 7 days.
I had so many people confused as to exactly when their cancel date was that I now include in the confirmation the DATE / TIME the cancelation must reach me.

[U][B]Cancellations or changes must be made by 5PM on 6/16/10[/B][/U], at which time your credit card 
will be charged a deposit of 1 nights stay ...

.

OK, that works. So, if check-in is 3 PM - 7 PM on Thursday and she cancelled at 6 PM Friday (yesterday), she has given 6 days' notice. Friday, out of luck. I'm annoyed because I know she booked someplace else after me spending all that time with her.
(Just edited to say she cancelled on Fri, not Thurs, so she's on the hook. That WAS in her cancellation email.)

 

[Copperhead]

Morticia -
I may be 'assuming' here, but we were going along great guns until she asked for a discount.After she booked? What the .....!

 

[Copperhead]

I'm annoyed because I know she booked someplace else after me spending all that time with her.

That is very annoying.
This is what I do. It doesn't always work but it does work surprisingly often. If a guest seems at all tentative, ie. they're asking when they can cancel and it's becoming clear that they will likely cancel in that timeframe, I just tell them that we only accept confirmed reservations, that we do not accept tentative bookings.
They will usually then ask what that means. And I'll say that we are a very small inn and that we would really prefer that they wait until they are sure of their plans before making a reservation. That we know they want to shop around but we'd prefer they did their shopping first and not reserve until they know we're the right inn for them.
Now there are still those few who will book then just for spite. You know the ones.
But most of the time they will do whatever calling around they're going to do and when they do call back to reserve, it sticks..

Now there are still those few who will book then just for spite. You know the ones.Yes, I know them.

 

[Morticia]

Morticia -
I may be 'assuming' here, but we were going along great guns until she asked for a discount.After she booked? What the .....!.

Yup, after booking. Get them all the time. 'Oh by the way...'