Lodging flexibility during COVID

You need to ask the places you are considering and get an answer IN WRITING also google hotel name refunds to see how they did in the last year or so with doing the right thing.

I won't be pre-paying any hotel in Europe further out than 24 hours of arriving - but that's my normal policy - nothing has changed.

AirBNB has been a bloody nightmare - even retaining funds over owners objections in NZ - I'd never use them

I do my initial lodging research on booking.com and often end up making my reservations through that website. Cancellation policies are laid out clearly there, and many hotels offer both refundable and non-refundable options. The option(s) you find on the hotel's own website may be different, so maximum caution is required under the current conditions. We are way past the point in the pandemic where I'd expect a hotel to allow free cancellation of a non-refundable reservation.

I wouldn't expect you to have much difficulty finding reasonable cancellation policies in Spanish hotels unless your trip is during a very high-demand period. Holy Week policies can be quite restrictive. I had a Seville reservation in 2019 that became totally non-refundable fourteen days before arrival. That made me nervous even pre-COVID; I wouldn't make such a booking for 2022 unless it was for just one night and I was totally prepared to lose the money.

I have a trip planned for mid-2022. Most of the hotels are Paradors, one an Ibis, and one in Madrid; hotel Europa. Europa did charge one night in case I cancelled within the one day. All allow cancellations up to a day before arrival without any charge. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding one.

I would absolutely get the refund policy in writting and then don't worry about it. Spain is very inexpensive even if you lost your money for a weeks lodging it will not sting like other countries. Have a consveration with your hotel/airbnb prior to booking. I had to cancel many an Airbnb and hotels due to COVID, and some I moved. I did loose money with booking . com but that was because I picked the cheaper pay-now-no-refund option. As far as Airbnb goes, no host was a problem, everyone understood "it was Covid". I love Airbnb I use them several time a year here in the USA, and in Europe, and especially in Spain where you can rent a home with several bedrooms and bathrooms for less that $100 a night. Good luck with the airfare thing: much is promised and little is given. J

It is a two way street. The hotel/lodging/etc., need to stay in business. We just lost $1200 on a reservation when the granddaughter tested positive just two days prior to travel. The hotel had a decent refund policy -- 100% until the week before, Then a rapid drop till the day before check-in when it dropped to zero. Two days prior was a 75% refund, three days was 80%. We took our 75%. Cost of doing business and current travel risk. Nothing is risk free.

All hotels, Airbnb’s, etc post their cancellation policy. I would not expect ANY to alter their posted policy due to anything related to COVID (you testing positive, the country going into lockdown, etc). COVID is now a very known risk. You accept that risk when traveling. You can purchase cancel-any-time trip insurance to cover reservations that do not allow cancellation. Or you can book lodging that allows cancellation up to 24 hours prior to check in. And get you COVID test earlier than 24 hours checkin so you can cancel your first lodging if you test positive.

I suggest paying for cancellable lodging on pretty much any trip. Even apart from Covid, there are too many unknowns. With airfare you can change to future dates, with tour payments you can buy insurance against unpleasant surprises (like getting Covid, not mounting anxiety about it). A hotel is turning away other customers because it promised you a room. The additional amount you pay for a cancellable reservation lets you hold onto your money until check-in or shortly before, putting the hotel at risk if you cancel. Think of it as insurance.

We are way past the point in the pandemic where I'd expect a hotel to
allow free cancelation of a non-refundable reservation.

I suggest paying for cancellable lodging on pretty much any
trip....The additional amount you pay for a cancellable reservation
lets you hold onto your money until check-in or shortly before,
putting the hotel at risk if you cancel. Think of it as insurance.

Suzanne, I'll echo the points above. If we were booking for travel abroad during these strange days, we'd make sure ALL of our reservations would be cancellable up to 24 hours before the stay. While lower, non-refundable rates are attractive, they mean exactly that: non-refundable regardless of situation. Heaven knows the forums have seen umpty tales of woe from travelers who didn't think their chosen accommodation actually MEANT that! So whether using, say, booking.com or reserving directly through hotel/apt. management, be sure to carefully read what their cancellation policies are.

Thanks All. Good points, exactly what I needed as I sit here with only my own thoughts!

I had had to rebook 2020 and 2021. Now, I am cautiously optimistic for 2022 travel. Because we often travel with a family of 5-6, we almost always use Airbnb. We have been very pleased with their service; however, I only book flexible cancellation policy apartments.