Booking concern: The Hotel Salem
Update: the hotel notified me that they charge half of the balance upfront, and the other a the time of your stay. Per the screenshots provided from the booking site and the email received, this “practice/policy” isn’t indicated anywhere in writing. Beware! I wish I had the opportunity to stay here. Unfortunately, I canceled my reservation about an hour after booking.
I reserved a 3-night stay through Booking.com using the “reserve now, pay at the property” option. The reservation clearly stated that I could cancel free of charge until 3/31/27 and that cancellations after that date could result in a fee of $320.63, which was half of the total cost.
Shortly after booking, an attempted charge for $320.63 was made to the card I had on file. As a precaution, I had used an Apple Wallet card that only works when funds are preloaded onto it rather than one of my primary bank or credit cards. Had sufficient funds been available, I would have been out $320.63 while waiting 14 days or longer for a refund. Initially, I thought the issue might have been with Booking.com. However, I’ve used Booking.com for years and have never experienced a premature charge when selecting the “reserve now, pay at the property” option. I also had no issues with the hotel I booked immediately after canceling this reservation. All screenshots to support my claims can be provided.
Based on the email I received (see screenshot), it appears that charging guests before their scheduled payment date and then issuing refunds when charges are disputed may simply be part of this hotel’s process. If that’s the case, it creates unnecessary inconvenience and confusion for guests who reasonably expect the booking terms to be honored as stated.
Because of the attempted charge, I canceled the reservation and booked accommodations elsewhere. It’s unfortunate, because I was looking forward to staying here.