Mistake on 6-Month Advance Booking. Reported to Hotel Within 8 Min - Hotel Refuses to Switch Dates!

I agree it's a hardship and I'm very sorry that it happened, but I don't see how you would have any legal recourse to force them to switch the date. You made a booking that was non-refundable, and then tried to change it afterward. The hotel is within its right to refuse.

Your best bet would be to see if there is anything in the Capital One terms that might get you out of it, but I don't see how you will be able to force the hotel to do this.

You also need to name and shame this hotel on this site, TripAdvisor, and Booking.com. They are seeing this as an opportunity to sell the same room twice-the way the airlines do with seats. This is not a last minute cancellation where the room might sit empty and unpaid for because you cancelled.

can you rearrange your nights?

What naming and shaming? The hotel followed its rules. Your beef, if any, is with the travel agency who are not helping you. They have more clout than you, if they want to.

Oh the perils of using a third party.

Welcome to the RS Forum, Steve!

I'll reference this from #9 of the community guidelines so it's understood that my reply is meant to be helpful and not "blame the victim".
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/community-guidelines

Expect replies that give advice about how the experience could have
been avoided. Expect replies that consider the other side of the story
and not yours. These responses are helpful for our community so that
they can make the best decision for themselves.

Unfortunately, non-refundable nearly always means exactly that: non-refundable for any reason including an unintentional error. If it's clearly stated, it is what it is. These sorts of bookings are inflexible to the point that I rarely ever make them, especially for multi-day stays, for trips abroad, or for reservations months in advance. Considering that one booking misstep or complication with the trip could end up costing much more than just going with the refundable rate is a deal-breaker for me: it's just safer to go with refundable. Can't afford that rate? I go with a different accommodation that suits the budget.

So not being without some sympathy, I'm afraid you're at the mercy of the hotel and their stated cancellation terms. :O(
But I sure hope your trip to my favorite country (so far) ends up to be well worth this unexpected snag! Please come back with some tips for other travelers and/or a trip report of your adventure?

Kathy, cala and Mardee, thank you for your replies. And Kathy, thank you for your warm welcome. I hope we'll enjoy Italy, but being honest, this is really casting a shadow on plans.

Nigel: The hotel has refused to make any modifications. I proposed, among other solutions, shifting the dates and invoicing me for the difference, plus any processing fees. It declined. The third party (Capital One) was willing to make modifications with consent from the hotel, which of course it did not receive.

I doubt the hotel is legally required to make any modification (though I reiterate that if anyone can think of a loophole. I'd sincerely appreciate it). If there is no other way, I will spell it out clearly with the hotel that I will share my story with all would-be guests on every corner of the internet I can find so that they can decide whether or not they want to do business with this hotel in light of my experience. Perhaps many won't be swayed. If at least one is, it will be a loss to the hotel compared to the cost-neutral solution of changing my dates.

What state do you live in? Just on the outside chance that you live in California— the state has a law— California Civil Code 1689– that says ANY credit card purchase must be rescinded if the credit card holder attempts to rescind the purchase within 24 hours of the original transaction time. It applies to all transactions — even so-called “non-refundable” hotel reservations.
The statute states: “An agreement may be rescinded if the rescinding party’s consent is based on a MISTAKE OR misunderstanding of facts… ( California Civil Code Section 1689B)
The fact that you contacted them within the hour of discovering the mistake proves you believed a mistake was made.

Capital One has a legal presence in California and, therefore, must abide by the statute which applies to California residents.

I think you have good cause to insist on a credit card chargeback. Your communication with the hotel was not as you intended due to a computer idiosyncrasy and w/o your informed consent, it's not a valid contract. Your immediate steps to remedy is very much in your favor. To make a chargeback that sticks, both initially and through an appeal by the hotel, you'll need to research the process as the credit card's 'Core Rules' have different procedures and policies for different industries. One website to read is: https://chargebacks911.com/hotel-chargebacks/ which offers some info, but it also seems to have its own agenda. Some procedural information in a different context is here: https://www.apathtolunch.com/2020/05/get-refund-for-cancelled-flight-ticket.html

Did you actually call the hotel and speak directly with them? If not, try calling them. I have found that speaking to a human (not Capitol One) at the hotel has made all the difference. If the first person at the hotel refuses, ask to speak with their supervisor. Good luck to you. While the hotel might be within their "rights", they are not being customer-friendly. I don't expect businesses to "bend over backwards" but I do expect them to do their best for their customers.

Steve, I am sad this happened to you, and the hotel is being so uncooperative! I guess your only option is to try to get your Capitol One Travel credit card to do something further.

I have had a few hotels honor a non-refundable issue. All of these had been reserved through Booking.com:

1. During Covid, one of my non-refundable hotels - the Gombit Hotel in Bergamo, Italy gave me a refund, not even just a voucher! I have stayed there since as a big “thank you!”, and I will be staying there this year - wonderful hotel!
2. Last year I had a train strike upcoming in Italy, and I contacted the Rome Airport Hilton to see if they would shift my non-refundable reservation one day. Surprisingly, they did at no extra cost.
3. Two week-long apartment non-refundable reservations for southern Spain needed to be cancelled after a death in our family. These were not going to happen for 7 months. I contacted them both and explained the situation l. Both cancelled the reservation with no fee.

One note I will add - I always write the request through the Booking.com communication and save both a screenshot of my question with their answer. If a reservation is shifted later by a day, the former communication string is lost - as if it’s a new reservation. The correspondence string was critical one time when I needed the paper trail to prove a voucher, the Covid year.

My sympathies. I've made this mistake myself and suffered similar consequences. But they hold all the cards. They are just following their rules. Luckily, my hotel bookings were made far enough in the future and I had not yet purchased train/bus tickets, so I adjusted my itinerary around my mistake. Not a perfect solution, obviously, but it worked well enough for us.

Welcome to the forum. I’m sorry you’re having to go through this and I hope you don’t let it ruin your trip. I have learned in life that things happen that can affect a trip so I make it a point to only make reservations that I can cancel or revise. I will pay extra for that option if necessary. I have found in the past that after booking my dates may be off by a day or two, sometimes done by a computer and sometimes because I have changed my plans. While this may not help you now, I suggest that in the future you may want to avoid situations like this. Good luck getting a resolution to your problem.

WOW!!! So sorry that happened. People make mistakes, and it seems, since you noticed and acted to correct said mistake so quickly, there could have been a bit of "human kindness" extended.

Valuable to know that Capital One Travel was not able to take care of its customer in this situation (likely stuck following legal agreement for the program.......with no wiggle room).

Hope that your trip is wonderful. Sometimes we just all need to take the perspective of: "If this is the worst thing that happens....." and "How many millions and millions of people would gladly trade problems with me right now?" I know that does not help you solve this issue, but sometimes I just have to remind myself and ask myself that. And, it could be some Karma thing protecting you from staying in that particular hotel.......some reasons not known now. Yep, a "reach," but maybe just "choose to believe that" to bring some mental peace.......................... Maybe in some future review you will read someone got exposed to a bunch of bedbugs...unlikely, but not impossible.

We all have some story or another about some "jerk" situation we have had to experience/endure. You now have yours. Soooo very sorry it could not be reasonably resolved. I do think the hotel is being difficult, especially since you just wanted to QUICKLY correct a mistake and still stay with them............and offered to cover transaction fees. Jeez............. Maybe it Capital One Travel gets a bigger initial cut than just the transaction fees......hard to know without reading their business-to-business contract.

Press on.................................do let us know if some miracle happens.

Enjoy your trip! You could always choose to nicely, politely "pay a visit" to the hotel when in town (or not). Eyes to eyes, with gentle kindness, sometimes works miracles. Or, alternatively, they might be major jerks in person, and that would cause more stress and disappointment............causing self-induced stress that day........likely best to "let it go."

I lined up several hotels in different cities in different tabs on Capital One Travel and started to make reservations. My mistake was, after closing my window for the Bologna booking, my Verona window refreshed and switched the dates to match those for my previous (Bologna) booking. But I didn't notice it prior to clicking the button to confirm my non-refundable reservation.

Is it normal for the CapOne site to "switch dates" like that?

Are hotel rates through CapOne, really better than what the hotel offers? I saw an ad that there is a 5% rebate for booking through their travel website, but wonder if they cover the rebate by having a higher rate.

Despite this one intractable innkeeper, Italy is enjoyable.

Well that's one hotel were they obviously don't enjoy having to meet and care for humans. Makes you wonder how they react when a child accidentally breaks something. Remind me to never ever stay there, where the harbingers of the scourge of travellers reside. What was the name of the hotel again?
All four sources for Verona I have had these last months have all painted a grim picture. Now I feel sure I'll never go there. That Californian Civil Code should be mandatory throughout the civilized world, or at least the places where credit cards are used. Perhaps it one day will be.

As has already been suggested I would personally call the hotel, using my most most lamenting and, yes, vulnerable voice to implore them to reconsider the decision, accepting their every utterance as gospel, except I would then instantly return to the request and try again, repeatedly (in ameri-speak it could be called grovelling).

PLAN B: Call the OTHER hotel and explain the situation to them, to see if they can help provide a solution even though they are not obliged to. People in Bologna are probably nicer (they were very nice when I went there three months ago). If I worked at that other hotel, in Bologna, which has many visitors, and could adjust the dates for you on the terms you specified without loosing any substantial amount of money, half a year in advance (!), I would most definitely accommodate you, without blinking twice! Perhaps that would be PLAN A in this scenario, all facts considered.

You have handled this very well. We all make mistakes at times. That's part of life. When you have done what you can, put this behind you, accept it as a mistake that will fade into memory, and turn your thoughts toward what you love about travelling. Enjoy Italy.

Thanks everyone for your replies and support!

Kenko: I live in MA. Don't think there are the protections here that exist in CA, regrettably.

Mike, my Boston neighbor - thank you for the tip on the chargeback! I like the idea of negotiating from a strong position rather than begging (at this point), and it's something I'll investigate today.

Lindy, _____. I hear you, and normally I try to speak directly by phone rather than being an anonymous email. A bit hard with the time zone difference and international calling, but I may.

Jean, thanks for your tip and experience. Being honest, I've been shocked by how little Capital One has been willing to do. I heard conflicting stories from them and the hotel and requested some kind of three-way communication, either by email or phone, and was denied. I also requested a record of the communication they had with the hotel, and they also denied that. It's literally a game of telephone now, hence my feeling of being gaslit.

Andrea - yes, it's a costly lesson. I've traveled a LOT before, made tons of reservations. This is the first time I've been burned, and it feels terrible.

Maggie - I actually thought about popping in when we're in Verona (assuming the hotel doesn't ultimately acquiesce to my request), but I also don't want to get arrested.

joe32F - it's a bug in their software, but apparently yes - it is normal. Just hadn't had it happen before because typically when I search for dates, those are the dates that come up when I try to book. The rates on Capital One Travel are by default the best because they'll give a travel credit of the difference if you can find a better rate, even from a sketchy website. I've used the price match guarantee many times, although lately their algorithm has become better and they're just offering the best rates outright. Plus 10x points that essentially amounts to a 10% cash back to put towards future reservations. This, if not their customer service, is really good!

Cherryplanter - you've really hit the nail on the head: "Well that's one hotel were they obviously don't enjoy having to meet and care for humans." Some establishments try to make their customers feel welcome and valued. This just feels punitive with no justification. Regarding Plan B, it's a good idea, although I was planning Cinque Terre --> Bologna --> Verona --> Venice (then home)… Riomaggiore to Verona instead of Bologna isn't ideal, though throwing away $500 on a hotel room I can't stay in isn't either. Will consider reaching out to the hotel in Bologna.

I am so sorry this happened to you and hope that you find some relief. Hearing of your experience reinforces my inclination to avoid all non-refundable online bookings no matter how attractive they look. It seems to me that it is just too easy to have what happened to you occur. Many times on Booking.com, other booking sites and hotels' own booking pages, I have put in one set of dates but caught it reverting to other dates especially when I'm working on several different stays or possible dates. I have noticed that when a Capital One savings option pops up, that site seems especially likely to change my dates. Then there are also the risks of plans changing or just making a mistake on my end. At least with nonrefundable airline tickets, there is a legally required 24 hour grace period to cancel after receiving the email confirmation. I am now very curious how other folks feel about the risks of making non-refundable reservations online?

It seems to me that we can't have it both ways: Heavily discounted non-changeable offers, processed at low-cost (without human intervention), yet human consultation and hand-work available at the sign of any problem. I only book directly with hotels, so that I have a little more control over what is happening, and have a "relationship" (however tenuous) with the hotel. (For example, the opportunity to ask for a different room upon arrival.) The "internet" is a double-edged sword of anonymity.

I'm pretty sure I've had "glitches" even when dealing directly with a hotel, because the hotel itself saves vast amounts of money by shifting the reservation and payment process to a completely non-human interface. There is a "price" for that. Every time the American consumer has been offered a choice between "service" and "low prices", the choice has been "low prices". (I'm referring, for example, to the near death of Department Stores and small specialty merchants.)

Assuming you were able to accurately observe Capital One's telphone actions, you got rather good personal service from a company that's not noted for personal service. You tried, you lost. From your point of view, you are tiny little "exception", and thus entitled to exceptional services. From the hotel's point of view, they get hundreds of internet booking inquiries every day, at a microscopic cost. There are two sides to every issue.

Steve, have you tried calling the hotel directly instead of emailing? People are often more empathetic over the phone.

I'm pretty sure I've had "glitches" even when dealing directly with a hotel, because the hotel itself saves vast amounts of money by shifting the reservation and payment process to a completely non-human interface. There is a "price" for that. Every time the American consumer has been offered a choice between "service" and "low prices", the choice has been "low prices". (I'm referring, for example, to the near death of Department Stores and small specialty

But everyone insists on booking their airfare directly with the airline, on the airline's proprietary website. And everyone uses the transparency provided by these systems to track and compare prices over time, compare various routings, etc. to get a better price for their flight. We're all happy to pay the "price" in that case.

Small hotels may be better able to compete with larger organizations by having an automated reservation system, which also extends their marketing reach.

The marketing for Capital One Travel emphasizes the advantages of additional point/mile awards, the ability to redeem Cap One miles directly, etc. - this may be the real "price" of using the Cap One portal. And note that it's hosted on the Hopper platform, as opposed to being a branded system provided by Expedia [American Express Travel, for example] or Booking. Has anyone heard of Hopper? Used it?

Hopper policy for canceling a reservation: https://help.hopper.com/en_us/cancelling-your-hotel-reservation-ryyKLtdYD

For the booking in question, was a partially refundable option offered?