vacation whistler
Who is right? What is the fairest solution?
Let’s say you booked a few nights a hotel to go skiiing (think Aspen, Whistler type towns) and on the way there the roads are hit with a snowstorm and you won’t be able to make it to your hotel for the first night.
You call to cancel, but because your booking is for that day and the hotel has a 24 hours cancellation policy (which you knew of) they will still charge you for the first night.
Do you think the hotel should not charge you because it was due to circumstances beyond your control? Or do you think that since it is a ski vacation, this is something you risk and the hotel obviously has no control over the weather either?
If you think the hotel should not charge, how do you argue the fact that they’ve held that room for you and refused other reservations in doing so? Who should take the loss?
This is just a conversation me and my friend were having (we both work in the tourism industry; I’m not looking for advice, just your opinions, Thanks!)
I think they should have to charge you. While the weather is not your fault, it is not their fault either, and as you said, the weather in those areas is always a risk. Now if the hotel reservation was in So California and the roads got covered with snow my answer would be different.
Policies are in place for a reason. In an area with weather such as that, if they made the exception for you, they would have to make it for everyone, and “everyone” would be quite a few people quite often. If it truly is an extenuating circumstance they should work with you (like the Cali scenario) but I don’t consider weather conditions in a mountain area to be extenuating- they are to be expected
Truong Christmas Vacation at Whistler 2009
