Once the free-cancellation deadline shown on your booking passes, the rate's penalty applies — commonly a charge equal to the first night, and in some cases the full stay. The exact penalty is stated in your booking's cancellation policy; any refundable portion goes back to your original card within 5–10 business days.
Where to find your deadline and penalty
Open your booking in My Trips or check your confirmation email — both show the cancellation policy word for word, including the deadline and what a late cancellation costs. Every booking is different, so always read your own policy rather than assuming.
Common penalty structures
- First night — the most common: you pay one night, the rest is refunded.
- A percentage of the stay — some rates charge a share of the total.
- The full amount — close to arrival, many rates keep the whole payment.
Whatever remains refundable returns to your original card, typically within 5–10 business days.
Mind the clock — and the time zone
Deadlines have a date and a time, set in local Dubai time. If you are cancelling from another time zone, do not cut it close: cancel a few hours early rather than discovering you were minutes late.
Emergencies: it is worth asking
If illness, a cancelled flight or another genuine emergency stopped you cancelling in time, open a ticket at support with your booking reference and any evidence. Waivers are entirely at the property's discretion, but we can ask on your behalf — hotels do sometimes say yes.
More cancellation answers in hotels help.