Help on refund from Expedia
 

My dear husband bought a room in NY on expedia. Night of Sept. 8 2007. Very pricey $359 for one night at the Sheraton NY Towers. According to his documentation from Expedia the price is non-refundable. But I'm wondering if anyone has any inside scoop on how to get a refund. This was a birthday present and we can't make this date. thanks.

If it's not refundable, it's nonrefundable. How about seeing if they will give you a credit for the same amount that you can use another time. I wouldn't expect to get a refund.

I don't have any real tips on this, but I would never hesitate to beg and plead. Show that you understand you're asking for an exception to the rule. And don't expect an actual refund--be overjoyed with a credit. "nonrefundbale" in the travel world tends to be pretty hard and fast.

Try to call them. Then the next day to speak to another clerk :)

Usually Expedia sell rooms with $25 refund/rescheduling fee, try to reschedule maybe?

Never buy from Expedia again.

These big online companies make 25% of the hotel fee just for booking the room. That's why it's "nonrefundable".

If you book through the hotel, it's usually cancellable up until 6pm of the date of arrival.

A better bet for a noncancellable, nonrefundable rate is Priceline. Not quite sure if this is the same Sheraton, but you can get the MTW Sheraton for $120 right now on Priceline.

It's always better by far to book directly with the hotel, the car rental agency, the airline.

Good luck on getting your refund back. Sorry I have no suggestions on how to do this.

I love Expedia! Last trip to Vegas, I got lower price through Expedia then Tropicana's own website! Same happened when we went to Seattle.

Yes, you should be careful with the refund policy, some prices are marked as "non-refundable" (like Priceline! only you know what you're getting!) some are refundable with a $25 charge.

Can the reservation be transferred? i.e. can someone you know pay you for the room, you alert the hotel that someone else will be using your reservation, and they show up and enjoy the September 8th stay?

Just a thought incase you can not get a refund.

Hard to get this kind of refund from Expedia. Try to see if you can get a credit...play up the birthday present angle. Next time, try a site like
www.crshotels.com, where you pay the hotel, not the site (and no change/cancellation fees).

Sheraton has a best rate guarantee so there was no advantage to booking with Expedia except the stiff cancellation penalty. Also you may get a less desirable room over someone that booked direct. Don't know what else you could do, I'd consider it a lesson learned unfortunately. Happened to me before with a Priceline reservation. Alternatively you may try to find someone to go in your place and add their name onto the reservation, have done that before with success.

I would definitely call Expedia and see what they can do. I've used them several times, and have always received very good customer service. My resies must not have been non-refundable, because I've cancelled hotels with Expedia and paid the $25/per reservation penalty. I got the rest of it back on my credit card. Maybe they have a new policy, but I'd certainly call and ask them.

Good luck.

P.S. I've found better prices through Expedia several times, and have always been a satisfied customer.
:)>-

Maureen, now if you make reservations through Expedia, when you go to that screen which shows rates for one hotel of your choice per night, this is where you see if the rate is non-refundable, or refundable after $25 or other strings attached - BEFORE you choose your room.

Thanks for the heads up, FainaAgain. I'll look for that next time I'm searching for a hotel.

P.S. I've always wondered about your screen name. What does it mean, if you don't mind my asking?
:)>-

Faina is my real name - I have nothing to hide :)

I was registered as Faina, then for some reason lost my log-in, and came back as FainaAgain. See, I am not creative :)

Thanks for explaining. Faina is a pretty name. How do you pronounce it? Is it Irish? (Sorry to side-track the thread.)
:)>-

I simply say "Faina" ;) It's a russian name.

indietraveler2 is here marketing his/her website.

Hey indie, PAY for your ads you bum!

Overall, I love Expedia too..
The best thing to do since I have had this happen and I called within 24 hours, is to call them but call them during the day, more likely to get some from the US than India..
Tell them the situation and go from there..If not satsified, ask for a supervisor.
Best to you.

Faina..you are so great on this forum.