Maybe I'm missing something, but why should a person pay for a room and services for 5 days that they don't get to use? The hotel may pin it on an act of God, but to me it's just bad PR. Whether the money is technically "owed" or not, they've just lost one customer and probably more. <BR> <BR>If people shouldn't go there during the hurricane season then maybe, as Cedar said, the Hilton Head Resort and all others should close down during those times so as not to encourage people. And maybe they shouldn't allow people to live there either because it's costing the country a whole lot of money. <BR>

I re-read Pat's original posting. Nowhere do I percieve it as "whining" about a refund. She was simply asking a question ABOUT refunds ... and if the possibility existed. She does NOT deserve to be slammed by CANDACE or BILL about "whining". Sh was simply asking a question about the possibility of pursuing a refund. I honestly don't know how some people make themselves judge and jury of others based on their own personal OPINION! <BR> <BR>Pat - I was also evacuated from Hilton Head that week. Several people I met at hotels on the way inland said that they DID get a refund. Some said they WILL BE getting refunds. So it IS possible. Pursue it with the property owners with as much courtesy as possible.... and good luck!!! I know I'm going to try! <BR>

Candance: why must people like yourself take your frustrations out on others? there are other forums i am sure that can help you. Please understand that although sometimes it feels good to vent, we should not vent on others, especially another woman(we women have to stick together)regardless if our views differ. I think rudeness on this site is rampant. I hope you and others like you use this site to extend helpful suggestions in a fair tone. You can express your opinion in a respectful way. Even if I thought you may be right, I can't align myself with such rudeness. Respectfully, sally

Candace you were out of line, particularly to say that Americans are whiners. We invented the phrase "can-do" when the rest of the world gave up. <BR> <BR>Sally, I agree with your gentle reminder to Candace to be more respectful, but disagree that "we women have to stick together, even when our opinions differ". Wrong. I will uph old my beliefs, regardless of what other people think, even my fellow women. But I will try to be respectful.

Even if hi'n'dri was a a bit flippant, he/she makes a good point, which April just proved in her "people shouldn't live there" comment. Who can know ahead of time what's going to happen? Should everyone on the San Andreas fault leave? What about the New Madrid fault line through St. Louis? What about tornado alley? As hi'n'dri mentioned, some of those people in the Carolinas were much further inland than New York City or Boston -- should people be kicked out of those cities? <BR> <BR>And anyone so grudging about helping out people caught in disasters should probably quit carrying any form of insurance, so they won't burden anyone else.

Pat - Who told you that info? Just the desk clerk? While I've never been in your position, my advice would be to take it up the ladder as far as you can.....hotel manager, the person higher up than him/her, etc. Exhaust all your efforts. You never know, it just might work and even if it doesn't, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you tried as best you could. As they say with the lottery, "you can't win if you don't play". Good luck.

Amen to Hi'n'dry and Charlie! <BR> <BR>Vacations are almost always a gamble. Write a polite letter, ask if you can make up some days -- and take your lumps. Whining and threatening only makes it worse for everybody. <BR>

You guys are so easily baited it's pathetic.

My dear Candace, you are the pathetic one!

ok ok, if you all take it back, so do I. Not only that, but I will do it first--I am truly sorry to all those I have offended, especially Pat. The question was valid and, as many posters have pointed out, Pat may even get some $ back. Best of luck to Pat in those efforts. Please keep us posted.

Sorry for the late response - I own a villa at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort. I had a renter that had to evacuate due to Floyd. I refunded the money for the unused portion of the vacation. <BR> <BR>Pat, did you rent from an individual owner, an off-site rental company, or from the on-site rental agency? If on-site, try contacting Clay Rice - Clay is the general manager of the resort. <BR> <BR>I do know, however, that the rental contracts in HHI, Myrtle Beach, etc. do note that no refund will be given due to Acts of God. <BR>

Did you ever get you money back? I hope so. I'm neither a whiner or a complainer, but if I didn't get something I paid for, I certainly would <BR>want my money back. Also were you made aware of the fact that the money was non refundable in the even of a hurricane? <BR>Only because I don't think I would book <BR>with a company who had those type of cancellation penalties, which are beyond my control. It would be like gambling with very poor odds. If they never advised you of this you should get not just a credit for future travel, but you money back too. Then and only then would I think of returing to this resort. <BR> <BR>P.S. I don't think that was really Candace who wrote that apology.

Pat..hope by now you've gotten a refund, in which case you'll no longer be reading here! ;) <BR> <BR>I just happened on this BB tonight and as my husband is a Hyatt GM in FL, I found the topic interesting but confusing. Put off saying anything until he got home, so I could get his input and answer accurately. <BR> We've lived here 3 years, have had to evacuate our guests once and have lost track of the close calls where there's been a storm in the Gulf aiming in our general direction. There is no question about it, if you were evacuated from a Hyatt,(or any of the comparable chains) or even if a storm was in the Gulf and a threat, you would receive either a refund or an invitation for a stay at another date. Hotels do have insurance for loss of business because of the storms, and it doesn't take an evacuation for it to kick in. There just needs to be a hurricane in the vicinity. We've had to use ours each of the past three years. <BR> <BR>Glad not everyone has the attitude that it's your own fault for booking in hurricane season! The hotel before this he had the Hyatt Regency Savannah, an hour from Hilton Head, and we had no threats or evacuations in the 4 years there. That little section of the GA/SC coast has been lucky to be hurricane free for the most part. Some attribute it to a dip in the coastline, some to the gulfstream. <BR>