What is a free cancellation window and when does it expire?
Many hotel room rates include a free cancellation window - a period during which you can cancel your booking and receive a full refund with no penalty. Understanding when this window expires is important to avoid unexpected fees.
What is a free cancellation window?
A free cancellation window is the deadline set by the hotel by which you must cancel to receive a full refund. If you cancel before this deadline, no cancellation fee is charged and the full amount you paid is returned to your original payment method.
Not all rates include a free cancellation window. Non-refundable rates do not offer any refund regardless of when you cancel.
Where to find your specific deadline
The free cancellation deadline is shown in several places:
- Booking confirmation email - sent immediately after your booking is confirmed
- Booking details page - accessible from My Bookings (signed-in users) or via the link in your confirmation email (guests)
- Cancellation preview screen - displayed when you initiate a cancellation, before you confirm
Always refer to the specific policy on your booking rather than any general estimate.
Time zone
The free cancellation deadline is expressed in the hotel's local time zone. For example, if the deadline is shown as "11:59 PM on 15 August", that time applies in the time zone of the hotel's location - not your local time. If you are in a different time zone, make sure to account for this when calculating how long you have to cancel.
What happens after the window expires?
Once the free cancellation window has passed, cancelling the booking may incur a fee. The penalty depends on the specific rate and can range from a partial charge (such as the cost of the first night) to the full booking amount. You can always check the exact penalty on the cancellation preview screen before confirming any cancellation.
If you are unsure about the policy on your booking, review the booking details page or contact ReserveTheNight support via the contact form before proceeding.