I'm starting to make hotel reservations for our visit to Italy in October. Hotel La Floridiana (4 stars) in Capri has good reviews on Trip Advisor so I inquired about their room rates for mid-October. They responded with a couple of price rates. One of them is a non-refundable rate for a double w/seaview balcony for 100 euros. I had replied that we were interested and gave our credit card information and asked for an email confirmation on the reservations. I haven't heard back from hotel and it's over a week. Now I'm getting a bit worried. Has anyone made reservations that are non-refundable? I'm interested in your thoughts or advice.

Thanks in advice.

Sounds like you have two concerns: you haven't received confirmation for your reservation that you provided your cc info for and thoughts/advice on non-refundable hotel reservations.

I'd email them pronto and ask for confirmation. You gave your cc information and need to have proof that you have a reservation.

My only non-refundable hotel reservations have been ones I've made through Priceline. The savings were impressive, but one must be willing to lose the amount paid if something comes up and you can't use the room. This summer one of my traveling companions fell and had to return to the States for surgery. His prepaid hotel room would have been a loss, but my other friend and I just split the difference and used the extra room (I had booked both rooms with my credit card). One never knows what may happen (even to family at home that you may have to return to if something happens to them, etc). If the savings is really worthwhile and you can lose the prepayment without hardship, go for it. However,unless it's a great savings, I'd like the flexibility of being able to cancel without penalty, perhaps paying more.

Did you check you credit card online statement to see if the hotel charge has gone through?

Either way, you need to contact the hotel again. If the charge has gone through, you need to have the hotel send you a confirmation #.

If no charge has gone through, there's a possibility that your CC is blocking the charges ("suspicious activity") and you need to find out from the hotel if they have tried to put that charge through. If they did try and were rejected, you need to call your CC company to let them know of this charge so they won't block it again.

If your hotel just simply "forgot" your reservation, put through the request again if you want to hold that room at that rate.

Italians can be slow to respond to emails. At that amazing rate, it would be worth a phone call, but make sure they send you something in writing (email or FAX) so that you have written proof of your reservation, the rate and all the terms (even though it's nonrefundable).

I've only booked non-refundable rooms through booking sites like Wotif, lastminute.com, etc. I only book a non-refundable rate if I'm 99.9% sure I won't need to cancel and if the rate is so good I'm willing to take a chance. And generally only for short stays.

Has the charge hit your credit card yet?

Regardless, I'd call or send an e-mail to the hotel.

We booked a non refundable rate at the Holiday Inn Express near the Frankfurt Airport for our trip in September. But we also purchased trip insurance.

Thank you all for your fast responses. I will contact my credit card company. I don't know why I didn't think of doing that myself. I'll contact the hotel if charges hasn't gone through.

Thanks again for sharing your experience and advice! I really appreciate it.

I have only done this through booking services like Expedia or Orbitz, or through a hotel's own website--and usually a top hotel chain like Intercontinental or Ritz-Carlton.

Thin

Hope this is OK, don't forget the time difference between you and them, also if you booked just before you posted it was a weekend. Capri is normally heaving with people.

i booked on 1800hotels.com then emailed the hotel to be sure they had the reservation.They didin't-so I contacted 1800 again and they said they book a block. I told them I wanted the reservation in my name now as they had charged me in full. I got an email back from the hotel that it was confirmed. good luck

frenchwow -- Your advice about emailing the hotels is a good one. I've booked two non-refundable hotels, one through travelzoo which is confirmed by the hotel, the other from AA travel services which I need to double check. I also have several reservations which will be charged the full amount if cancelled at the last minute, so trip insurance is a must for me.

I've definitely heard of it, and yes, in general Italians are slow with email responses, but since you gave out details, it's worth a phonecall. And make sure you get WRITTEN PROOF of reservation if they've already charged your card, or even when it ends up being charged.

Yes, did it with Ibis. Worked fine and I got 20% off.