Italian hotel cancellation policies
 

We've booked a couple of Best Westerns in Italy (easy to cancel, if need be, just 24 hours prior to arrival). However, we're also interested in a couple of Italian hotels that only have web sites in Italian (we were thinking of booking on line).
We're wondering if there is a general rule about cancellations in Italian run hotels. (Read that hotels in Italy consider the room booked from the time the credit card # is received and that if cancellation is necessary, it must be done 30 days prior to arrival in high season - 14 days otherwise.)
Would appreciate hearing of anyone's experiences in having to cancel hotels in Italy.

In my experience, there is no standard rule and each hotel had a different policy. When I fax or e-mail a hotel for information on availiability and price, I always ask for their cancelation policy. Have fun planning!

I agree with the above. When you say you are thinking of "booking on-line" do you mean through a booking service like venere or are you dealing directly by e-mail with the hotel? The services (like venere) usually tell you up front about the cancellation policy although sometimes the cancellation (if there is to be one) has to be done DIRECTLY with the hotel..watch out for that.
If you are booking with the hotel via e-mail my experience has always been that they will tell you their cancellation policy up front. If they don't then be sure to ask them to state it.

If possible, do it via fax. They should send you their cancellation policy and room rates before you comit.

Rules On Deposit (Caparra)
According to Italian Civil Law and the regulations of IHA (International Hotel Association) and FIAVET (International Federation of Travel Agents), a hotel booking is considered valid as soon as a deposit is paid. IHA and FIAVET regulations further state that a deposit will be refunded if the reservation is cancelled at least 14 days in advance and 30 days in advance during the high season.

The hotels I checked asked for a credit card number/expiraion date as a guarantee and they've got their own cancellation policies so if you don't cancel on time, your c/c is charged one night's deposit usually. They don't require a deposit to be paid. So bookings done this way are really not considered valid by Italian law?

Hotels vary widely in their policies. You need to ask, and get the answer in writing via Fax, e-mail, or mail. Sometimes the actual cancellation policy is much more lenient than the one stated in a hotel's website. I think the information posted by Tancredi is a statement of the mandatory minimun standard for refunds in the event of cancellation, but the hotel can choose to give refunds on much shorter notice of cancellation. As a gross, gross generalizaion, Italians tend not to be obsessed with strictly following rules and using rules to make people miserable.

Thanks for your helpful replies.

We were planning on booking directly with the hotel (Hotel Puccini in Lucca, for one) but the hotel's web page booking instructions are in Italian.

We're novices at this - have either gone on tours or used an 800# in the states (like Best Western). I think we pay a premium for doing so (e.g., the Best Western in Lucca is so much more expensive than the Puccini, although the latter has many favorable reviews).

Hotel Puccini in Lucca...it's a very cute hotel right in the middle of things and the manager speaks perfect english...just e-mail him in english and I'm sure he will respond quickly.

Susana -
Thanks so much for the info!

Hi Suzy,

For those times when you can't get help translating try
http://www.freetranslation.com/.

I found that sometimes a web site is in Italian but they will respond if e-mailed in English. Almost all the hotels I booked in Italy for an upcoming trip have a very fair cancellation policy. I did book one room from In Italy online and they required a 20% non-refundable deposit and of course that's the one I now wish I could change. Just know whan the cancellation policy is before you book. Have fun!