It is no secret that
non-refundable rates for hotel reservations are lower than refundable, Take a chance and save or possibly lose it all .
Some hotels may offer only non refundable reservations,
Hilton in Berlin was one some years ago.

Non refundable implies the hotel is open and operating. If the hotel is closed and the country is locked down things are more than a little different.

A hotel can't just close its doors and keep the booking fee.

my hotel in London did email me this week that I will get a full refund for my thee day stay (it had been booked non refundable) as the hotel is closing because of COVID 19...

Exactly.

I got full instant refund of my non refundable reservation at Embaay Suites.

I have been getting money into accounts this week. For some reason, I booked a hotel in Paris for two nights and it wasn't refundable. I got a voucher this morning for almost 300 euro but this is what surprised me. It is good till Oct 2021. It was for this May. We are waiting a bit on Eurostar to get a voucher for a longer timeframe to use.

France issued a new "ordonnance" that provides for tour operators, hotels, car rental agencies, etc to offer a credit valid for a period of 18 months, in lieu of a refund. If the credit is unused at the end of the period, a refund is still possible. There are important restrictions and other conditions around the contract cancellations, however, and I believe a confinement must still be in place even though the regulation spans from March 1st to September 15th. Flights that are booked direct are not covered, but follow the EU law. It was enacted because the sector could not stand the cash flow hit to issue refunds for all at once.

so sad followup
 

VRBO and I have been after a gite owner for my refund under this law but no response. I did cancel after his cut off date for a refund but under this law he still owes me a future credit if not a cash refund. Dont know where to go next if VRBO cant get the guy to make it right. would rent from him again if we go back to Brittany

Got caught in this ordinance today in an attempt to cancel a small hotel in Provence. They had a deposit on a fully refundable booking made directly with them...cancel at least 15 days in advance and you get this deposit back. The booking is for July 2020. That is no longer the case. I am finding some hotels are choosing to invoke this rule while others are not. The assumption that the traveler is somehow is so much of a better position than the hotel owner is false...many are furloughed from jobs and don't have a clue when a trip to France will be in their future if ever. I find the response I received from the hotel short sighted and frankly if I do rebook for the area in the future will choose not to stay there. They are still taking bookings for after June and while I think bookings from abroad will be slow or not happening I think domestic bookings for peak Lavender season may be okay from French travelers if Macron allows it. I am going to respond and ask for my refund based on the terms and conditions under which I booked and hope they understand the value of customer service given the unusual circumstances this year. They are a well established small hotel in the Luberon and while I get non refundable this was not that kind of reservation.

the owner did come back with a credit for what I had paid him even tho it was passed his cutoff. Think he had to comply with French law. I have all of 2020 and 2021 to use subject to availability If I can't I think ha has to refund me in cash what I had paid.

Hopefully we can return to Brittany but only time this year is October which may be a bit deary and cold . Wait till May next year.


Any thoughts on Brittany weather

@dsevig -- that is great. The law is new and there is some uncertainty of how it applies to "particuliers" (individuals) versus "professionals". A small hotel should be covered under the law.

I also asked for refund but the hotel didn`t agree on that and thank god they were decent enough to offer to change the dates. So now I am planning my trip for the next year. Hope the situation will ease up till that time. So frustrating.