Hyatt clamps down on cancellations

THE HYATT hotels group has amended its minimum cancellation policy, joining the likes of Marriott, Hilton and IHG in imposing restricted terms.

Guests must now cancel rooms at least 48 hours in advance of their stay to avoid a cancellation fee. Hyatt says the amended policy “allows hotels to manage guestroom availability more effectively, including offering rooms and upgrades to rooms that would have gone unoccupied”. World of Hyatt loyalty programme can make penalty-free cancellations up to 24 hours ahead of their stay.

Corporates had mixed reactions to similar moves from Marriott, Hilton and IHG, with some saying cancellation policies in their corporate deals would be honoured and others considering moving their business elsewhere.