Many hotel reservations allow you to cancel the booking in the event that something comes up. For example, you may need to cancel due to an emergency or a change of plans, or even because you found a better deal elsewhere. But don’t assume you can back out at any time or get a full refund if you do — the terms of each booking dictate just how much flexibility you have. Here’s what you need to know before canceling a hotel reservation to avoid fines or penalties.

Always Check the Fine Print

There’s no uniform rule when it comes to hotel cancellation policies. Instead, specific properties set their own policies. Even hotels under the same brand umbrella might have different terms. For instance, a Marriott in one location may impose a 24-hour cancellation window, while a Marriott hundreds of miles away may have a 72-hour deadline. So, even if you always stay at the same hotel chain and think you know the rules by heart, it’s a good idea to check each time.

Some reservation types may prevent free cancellation altogether. But if you’re allowed to cancel, the good news is that hotels explicitly state the cancellation deadline before you book and in your reservation details, so it’ll never be sprung on you after it’s too late.

Hotels typically list the date, the time of day (often in local time, which is important to note if you’re traveling to a different time zone), and whether the booking is partially refundable or nonrefundable after the deadline passes.

Types of Cancellation Policies

One of the most common cancellation policies you’ll encounter is flexible cancellation, which typically permits free cancellation up to a certain time before check-in (often 72 to 24 hours). Any cancellations beyond that window often result in a forfeiture equivalent to one night’s stay or the cost of the entire booking. Some hotels, such as Motel 6, are more flexible and offer same-day cancellation, though this is rare.

Many hotels offer a nonrefundable, nonchangeable booking option in which the traveler pays for the booking upfront. From the hotel’s perspective, these reservations are put in place to guarantee revenue and avoid empty rooms. To account for the lack of flexibility, nonrefundable rates are usually priced lower than refundable ones. This low cost may be appealing to many guests, especially people who have no intention of changing their plans. Just be aware that if you do need to change plans, you may be out of luck.

Know Your Grace Period

After you confirm your booking, you may be entitled to a grace period in which you’re allowed to cancel for free, even if the booking is technically nonrefundable. For instance, California mandates that all reservations made at least 72 hours in advance are granted a 24-hour free cancellation window after the booking is confirmed. This is helpful if, say, you have second thoughts after confirming and would prefer to shop around a bit more. The exact rules vary from state to state, so be sure to consult the fine print before booking so you’re aware of what rules apply to your situation. 

Call in Case of Emergency

While nonrefundable bookings are largely set in stone, if an emergency situation arises and you’re no longer able to travel, first try calling the hotel and politely explaining the details of your emergency. They might be able to reimburse you, or at least provide you with a travel credit for a future stay. In some cases, they may even be able to postpone your booking to a later date for free. While there’s no guarantee that this will work, it may be worth trying.

What About Prepaid Deposits?

Some reservation types require a deposit at the time of booking. But if you need to cancel, will that prepaid deposit be returned to you? The answer is dependent on the cancellation policy you agreed to. If you cancel prior to the deadline, the entire deposit will be refunded. If you cancel after the deadline, then either some or all of the deposit will be withheld.

One helpful note if you decide to cancel: Make sure the form of payment you used to book the room is still valid. If it isn’t, contact the hotel and provide them with a new form of payment so they can refund your deposit to that account.

Always Get Confirmation

Whenever you cancel a hotel booking, make sure that you walk away with a confirmation number or a confirmation email for the cancellation. Let’s say you cancel a hotel reservation, but your credit card still gets charged for the stay. When you call the hotel to figure out why, they may say that nobody ever called to cancel. If you provide them with the confirmation number, however, they should be able to look it up in their system and see there was a mistake. If they still give you a difficult time, you can dispute the charges with your bank and provide the confirmation number as evidence.

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