Voucher instead of cash refund for Utah grandpa after mysterious hotel room cancellation

LAYTON — Ron Udy is not an architect. But with detailed models tucked around his apartment, let's just say, the apple did not fall far from the structural tree.

His grandson recently earned a master's degree in architecture from Columbia University in New York City.

"I said, 'I want to go to his graduation,'" Udy said.

Udy booked a New York hotel room through the online travel agency HotelPlanner, paying $954.19 in advance. His paperwork showed the reservation status as "confirmed."

But when Udy arrived at the hotel, he received a surprise.

"They said, 'Oh, your reservation has been canceled,'" Udy said.

Udy was told the reservation had been canceled that morning, less than 24 hours before he was scheduled to check in.

"I have not been able to find out who canceled it, why it was canceled, or anything else," he said.

Udy found another hotel room so he could attend the graduation. When he returned home, he contacted HotelPlanner, the company that had confirmed his original reservation.

Udy said the company initially refused to issue a cash refund. Instead, he was offered a $954.19 voucher that could be used for future travel booked through the company.

"The voucher is no value to me," Udy said.

When the company told him to take the voucher or leave it, Udy tried a third option: He contacted the KSL Investigators.

"I want a full refund, is what I want," Udy said.

Unlike airlines, which are covered by federal refund and compensation rules when certain travel disruptions occur, hotels do not have the same broad federal protections. That often leaves travelers relying on the terms and conditions of their reservations.

Many hotels and travel companies have contracts stating that customers who cancel outside a specified window are not entitled to refunds. The problem in Udy's case is that he said he did not cancel the reservation, but he has not been able to prove who did.

The KSL Investigators contacted HotelPlanner on Udy's behalf, asking who canceled his room and why the company was offering a voucher instead of a cash refund.

HotelPlanner did not respond to the KSL Investigators, but Udy soon heard from the company.

About a day after the KSL Investigators contacted HotelPlanner, Udy said he received a new email from travel support stating, "Your refund is being processed."

It may be a good ending for Udy, but he said more than two weeks have passed, and he is still waiting for the money to appear.

For other travelers, Udy's experience offers a reminder: Third-party travel agents can sometimes save customers money, but they can also add another layer between travelers and the hotels they believe they have booked.

Before leaving for a trip, travelers may want to call the hotel directly and confirm that the hotel can see the reservation in its own system.

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