The Simple Hotel Hack That May Help You Avoid Fees When Canceling A Reservation

Changing your vacation plans at the last minute can, unfortunately, come at a cost. Maybe you got sick and need to cancel your trip, or perhaps you found some red flags in your hotel booking and want to reserve a different accommodation. No matter the reason, you can usually expect to be slapped with costly hotel cancellation fees if changes need to be made.

However, a little digging online reveals a simple hack that works for most bookings. When you need to cancel a room reservation, contact the hotel or access your reservation online and simply reschedule your stay for a future date outside the penalty period. For example, if your hotel charges a cancellation fee in the 48 hours leading up to the trip, modify the booking to, say, three days later to avoid charges. Once the change has been made, cancel the booking for free.

The hack has been shared on numerous platforms and websites, from Reddit to TikTok. But is it really a good idea? To find out, we asked Victoria Fricke — owner of Vic's Vacations travel agency — for exclusive expert advice. As she told us, "This IS a great hack and one I've used myself!" However, there are some considerations to keep in mind.

When it comes to ethics, some may raise an eyebrow at the popular hotel reservation hack. But when it comes to saving money, even those in the travel industry can agree it's a helpful strategy. Victoria Fricke explains that as long as your hotel allows booking modifications, the hack is a valid way to cancel without incurring fees.

"The key here is booking direct," the travel agent adds. "This will not work if you booked third party." According to Fricke, making your hotel reservation directly through the property is usually best, especially if you're traveling domestically. "If there's a cheaper price online, they will always price match. You earn status through the hotel which leads to perks such as early check in and late check out, free breakfast, resort credits, and more!" Most importantly, booking directly through the hotel typically makes it easier to modify reservations. If you still plan to travel, book a cheaper hotel at the last minute.

Modifying and canceling your hotel booking is one sneaky way to avoid paying fees. However, it's not the only solution. To arm yourself with extra protection against cancellation charges, Victoria Fricke suggests researching travel insurance when planning your trip. "Some insurance companies offer a cancel for any reason [policy]," the expert reveals. "There is of course a cost to buy insurance and that is nonrefundable." Still, if you don't mind paying for insurance — which can also reimburse you for flights, transportation, medical emergencies, and other travel-related expenses —it can be a useful option if you need some flexibility.

Fricke says she almost always includes cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance in her clients' trips to offer additional peace of mind. "They can cancel the day before travel due to a bad hair day if they'd like and they're fully refunded in cash or in a travel credit the whole cost of the trip less the cost of insurance," she explained. Just be sure to check the terms of your insurance before abandoning your vacation plans. Some policies only cover cancellations up to two days before departure, for instance, so you'll want to read the fine print first.