Hospitality: Noun
: hospitable treatment, reception, or disposition
When is the last time anybody felt that the hotel industry actually appreciated your business? The policy to keep your hard earned money when you have to cancel at the last minute (there are actually legitimate reasons) is worth exposing.
Best Western is not the only company that does it, all of them do, even RV Parks have gotten into the racket. Explain to me why they should be entitled to keep our money if we do not use their services? Is it legal? Yep, but that does not make it moral or ethical?
The argument the industry makes is it is lost revenue however it does not cost the company a dime. The only scenario that would even come close to that would be if the hotel was 100% full with a full waiting list of people wanting to make reservations. However that is a rare scenario, the more common truth is that they have many empty rooms. So does my cancellation actually cost them anything. Nope. I would consider a cancellation fee for admin costs (you know the 3 minutes it takes them to cancel) but keeping the full amount is theft and fraud.
I am sick of it but the reality is its our fault. As consumers we have allowed it without challenging it. Well its time to challenge it and get it changed. I know in my business I can not, and would not, charge for a service I did not provide. Its time the "Hospitality" industry did the same.