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Tourism & Hospitality vocabulary · Reservations & Rates

Non-refundable

Meaning in tourism & hospitality, with examples

/ˌnɒn rɪˈfʌndəbl/adjectiveCore term

In tourism & hospitality, non-refundable means: Describes a rate or payment that the guest does not get back if they cancel, change or do not use the booking.

In Turkish: iadesiz, iade edilmeyen, iptal ve iadesi olmayan

How it is used

Non-refundable rates are cheaper than flexible rates and are usually paid in full at the time of booking. Front desk staff often have to explain politely that a non-refundable booking cannot be refunded, even if the guest leaves early.

Example sentences

  1. This is a non-refundable rate, so the full amount will be charged today.

  2. I'm sorry, your booking was non-refundable, so we can't give the money back for the unused nights.

Common collocations

  • non-refundable rate
  • non-refundable booking
  • non-refundable deposit
  • fully non-refundable
  • cancellation policyThe rules of a hotel or agency about how and when a booking can be cancelled and what the guest pays after a late cancellation.
  • free cancellationA booking condition that lets the guest cancel without paying anything, usually only until a certain date or time before arrival.
  • depositMoney paid in advance to secure a booking, or money held by the hotel during a stay to cover possible extra charges or damage.
  • room rateThe price a hotel charges for a room for one night, which can change with the season, room type and booking channel.

More terms: Reservations & Rates

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