Cancelling My $90 Hotel Stay Will Cost Me $600?!

Updated: October 27, 2018

Published: December 29, 2014

A few days ago I sorta kinda stayed at the Aloft Abu Dhabi. Due to a series of unfortunate events, I ended up just spending a few hours there (and lemme say I didn’t seem to be the only person using a room on an hourly basis).

While I generally love Aloft properties, I was not a fan of the Abu Dhabi property.

Anyway, here’s something I’ve never been able to figure out. I redeemed 3,000 Starpoints for my one night stay, which is a hell of a deal [update: the hotel can now be booked for 17,500 Marriott points, which is less of a hell of a deal]. The paid rate was reasonable at ~90USD, but since I earn stay credits even for award stays, I figured I was best off saving the cash.

Aloft-Abu-Dhabi

Here’s where it gets confusing. The forfeiture amount if I cancelled my stay within a day of arrival was… 2,200AED (~600USD)?!?

Starwood-Aloft

Now, not that I’d ever cancel an award stay within a day of arrival (I’d be better off just no showing), but why would the forfeiture amount be more than six times the cost of a revenue stay?

More generally, does anyone understand how forfeiture amounts on award stays actually work in the hotel industry?

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zzap New Member

January 9, 2015, 10:33 pm

Lucky, how do you earn stay credits even for award stays with SPG?

‼ 0

A lynch Guest

December 30, 2014, 7:16 pm

Usually you can postpone the reservation without penalty if you ask nicely and later cancel within the no penalty time. Just a little trick if desperate .

Rolf Guest

December 30, 2014, 3:18 pm

Tom: The only drift I get from you is that you like the scent of Ben's rear.

Travelista New Member

December 30, 2014, 12:29 pm

Lucky, Curious as to why you didn't like this property? I am not a fan of the aloft brand, but at 3k it seems like a good deal. I also noticed you can earn 3k by booking a suite at 699AED at the property using the EYD promo.

this really makes me angry Guest

December 30, 2014, 8:54 am

So I booked a spg hotel and they canceled my reservation claiming that the rate was an error and they would not honor. So I booked a spg and tried to cancel by calling with skype but they block skype calls so I cannot reach them. So I called the hotel directly but because its a points stay they refuse to cancel and say I must call the spg line directly. The hotel refuses to call spg on my behalf, its like they hope that I fail to cancel and they can collect RACK. SPG is kinda running a RACKET. They write the T&C and screw the customer and then create technical issues to hope that they can benefit. Hilton is no better since the Blackrock take over. The think is these chain hotels were suppose to offer better customer friendly policies than random individually owned hotels but I find that now the chains are abusing their positions and using Points Programs to screw customers, just like the airlines use FF programs to maintain monopolistic positions. This is why I prefer airbnb or non FF airlines whenever I can. Let competition disrupt the market

Cancelling My $90 Hotel Stay Will Cost Me $600?!

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