A hotel or travel agent is refusing to refund my cancelled booking. What can I do?

Question

I cancelled my hotel booking within the free-cancellation window shown at booking, but the hotel is refusing to refund. What are my options? I have been reading conflicting things online and I would like to understand what Indian law actually says about this, which Act and Section applies, what the realistic timelines and costs are, and what I should be doing right now to protect my position. If the matter can be resolved without litigation I would prefer that route, but I want to know what my rights are before I agree to anything or sign any document.

MyVakeel Legal Desk · Accepted Answer

A hotel or travel agent is refusing to refund my cancelled booking. What can I do? is governed in India primarily by Consumer Protection Act 2019, Section 2(11) and Consumer Protection Act 2019, Section 2(47). The short answer is set out below, followed by the practical steps most people in this situation need to take. Read it alongside the specific provisions named, because the exact relief available to you turns on the facts you can prove on paper.

Refusing a refund that was promised as part of the booking terms, such as a free-cancellation window, is a deficiency in service and can also be an unfair trade practice under Section 2(47).

Travel aggregators and hotels are jointly answerable where the aggregator's platform displayed the cancellation policy that the hotel later refused to honour.

Screenshots of the booking confirmation, cancellation policy displayed at the time of booking, and payment receipt are the key evidence in such disputes.

For force majeure cancellations, such as government-imposed travel restrictions, courts have generally required a reasonable refund or credit rather than outright forfeiture.

Consumer Commissions can direct refund of the full amount along with compensation for the harassment of a wrongful denial.

What to do next: 1) Screenshot the cancellation policy shown at the time of booking, and the actual cancellation confirmation; 2) Send a written refund demand to both the hotel and the booking platform; 3) Escalate through the platform's customer grievance channel citing the promised policy; 4) File a consumer complaint for refund and compensation if the demand is ignored.

If the other side has already issued a notice, filed a case or set a deadline, treat the matter as time-sensitive — most remedies under Consumer Protection Act 2019, Section 2(11) carry limitation periods, and a delay you cannot explain weakens an otherwise strong case. You can post the details on the MyVakeel forum for a practising advocate to review, or book a paid consultation with a Bar Council verified lawyer in this practice area.