Hotels and Short Stays

A hotel stay or holiday rental you book on its own is usually an independent booking, not a package, so package holiday protections do not apply. Claims are harder, and a company based abroad may not be covered by UK law. source

If you booked the hotel and travel together from one company, you may actually have a package holiday with much stronger rights. Check what you booked. source

Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill (Consumer Rights Act 2015). If a stay is not as promised, you can ask for the problem to be put right or for a price reduction, and go straight to a price reduction if putting it right is impossible, takes too long or causes significant inconvenience. source

Tell the hotel or host about the problem as soon as it happens. Citizens Advice warns that if you say nothing until you get home you might get less compensation or none at all. source

For an independent booking, write to the hotel or service provider directly, not a travel operator. Include your booking reference, what went wrong, evidence such as photos, receipts, and the compensation you want. Email is fine, and registered post is a good option. source

Since 6 April 2025 the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has banned 'drip pricing'. A seller must show the total price, including all compulsory fees, taxes and charges, or explain how it will be calculated if it cannot be worked out in advance. Truly optional extras can be shown separately. The CMA can fine a business up to the higher of 300,000 pounds or 10% of its global turnover. source

Pressure tactics are restricted too. Falsely saying an offer is only available for a limited time to force a quick decision (for example a countdown clock that restarts) is banned outright. Other pressure messages, such as 'Be quick! We've sold 10 in the last 5 mins' when stock is plentiful, can still be misleading because of how they are presented (CMA guidance on unfair commercial practices, published December 2025). source

The CMA's 2019 guidance for booking sites also says they should not make false or misleading claims about popularity or availability (for example 'only 1 room left' when more are available elsewhere), that 'was/now' discounts should be real and like for like, and that they should say clearly if commission affects how results are ranked. source

If you paid by credit card and the hotel or host will not put it right, ask your card provider about a Section 75 claim (for items costing 100 to 30,000 pounds) or a chargeback. source

If the hotel is based in an EU country, the UK European Consumer Centre (ukecc.net) can help, according to Citizens Advice. source

Travel insurance may cover cancelling for personal reasons, so check your policy. source