What are my rights when booking a hotel?

You can book a hotel room in several ways. For example, by e-mail, by phone, at a travel agency, through the hotel's website or a booking website.

The booking agreement is valid once you and the hotel agree on:

• The type of accommodation (for example, the type of room)
• Price
• The period of your stay

No other things are required to make the booking legally valid. For example, you do not have to make a down-payment first. You also do not have to sign a contract, send additional e-mails or make further verbal agreements.

#validity-hotel-booking

In summary, the hotel must provide you with the room as booked for the agreed period. As a guest, you are required to pay the agreed price.

#rights-obligations-hotel-booking

No. No cooling-off period applies. A hotel booking is a leisure appointment and concerns a specific date or period. In these cases, the right of withdrawal (the cooling-off period) does not apply. Are you cancelling your booking? You may have to pay a cancellation fee.

#hotel-booking-cooling-off-period

There are a range of reasons why you would want to cancel a trip. For example:

• You are dealing with the death of a family member
• You are dealing with an accident or illness
• You have a disagreement with your partner
• Your employer does not approve your vacation dates
• You found a cheaper offer
• You are concerned about weather conditions

If you decide not to travel, you should let the hotel owner know as early as possible. It depends on the terms of your booking whether you have to pay a cancellation fee.

#hotelbooking-cancellation

If you cancel, in most cases you must pay a fee to the hotel. The amount of this compensation varies from case to case. You can usually find this in the booking conditions. By booking the hotel, you have agreed to these terms and conditions.

The fee you have to pay is often part of the total price of the booking. This portion may increase as the booked date gets closer. Do you cancel the booking shortly before departure? In that case, you may have to pay the full price.

#hotel-booking-cancellation-fees

Free cancellation is only possible if the booking conditions permit free cancellation. Some hotels and booking websites offer this option. You often pay a slightly higher price for booking the room. In exchange for this higher price, you can cancel your stay until shortly before departure. Therefore, check before booking if this option is available and consider whether you want to take advantage of the free cancellation option.

#hotel-booking-free-cancellation

Consider whether you need travel insurance to cover potential cancellation fees. This is especially useful if:

• You book a hotel long before departure
• The cancellation fees are high

The terms and conditions of the travel insurance policy state the situations covered by the policy. For example:

• You or your family member dies
• You or your family member becomes ill
• You or your family member has an accident
• Your employment contract is terminated
• You have a new employment contract
• You have incurred damage to things you take with you on vacation

Do you want to get money back from your insurance company? Contact the insurer in writing as soon as possible. Your contract with the insurance company (the policy sheet) states within how many days you must contact them.

#hotel-booking-travel-insurance

Is the hotel not as you had imagined? For example, the food is bad, the rooms are dirty or the staff is very unfriendly? It is important to take the right steps. This is necessary to obtain compensation.

Step 1: Collecting evidence

It is usually not enough just to describe the problem. As the hotel booker, you need to gather evidence. Good photos and videos work best. Make sure these photos and videos show the full situation. Is the bathroom dirty? Then also take pictures of the entire bathroom. Do not just take one photo that shows a spot up close.

Step 2: Try to work with the hotel to find a solution

If you have a problem while travelling, it is important to report it on time. Tell the hotel about your problem and ask for a solution. Sometimes the problem can be solved immediately. For example:

• The hotel will clean your room again
• The hotel will bring you any items you are missing, such as a hair dryer, a towel or toilet paper
• The hotel offers you other accommodation, for example, another room

Step 3: Try to find a solution independently

Sometimes you can find a solution yourself if the hotel does not respond to your complaint. For example, have you booked full board, but the food at the hotel is very poor? You can then go to a nearby restaurant and ask the hotel to pay for it. This should be a fair solution, at a price about the same as in the hotel. If you are staying in a cheap hotel, you cannot expect to give the hotel the bill for an expensive five-star restaurant.

Step 4: Send a written complaint

Did you complain during your stay at the hotel, but no solution was found? First, please try again to find a solution without going to court. After leaving, send a complaint in writing. In this letter, demand compensation or a lower price.

#hotel-booking-not-to-expectations

Yes, you must report the theft to the hotel owner immediately. We also recommend that you report it to the local police.

#hotel-booking-report-theft

If you cause damage to the hotel, the hotel owner may hold you liable. This is why it is smart to purchase liability insurance in advance. Always check carefully whether your insurance covers this type of damage. Please note that you must always report any damage you cause to the hotel.

#hotel-booking-damage-liability

In many European countries, the hotel owner is responsible for the belongings you bring with you. For example, if they are stolen or damaged. You may be granted compensation.

Check the Convention on the Liability of Hotel Owners with respect to the Property of their Guests to see if this applies in the country you were travelling to. The ECC can help you in this respect.

Compensation

Is the Convention valid in the country of your hotel? Then the hotel owner is liable. You can get compensation for the value of the items that were stolen or damaged. The maximum compensation is one hundred times the hotel price for one night. An example: if your hotel room costs €50 per night, the maximum compensation is €50 euros x 100 = €5,000. In some situations, there is no maximum amount of reimbursement. The hotel is then liable for the full value of the items. For example, if you dropped off items at the hotel desk.

#hotel-booking-damage-theft