To complain to the banking ombudsman over this?

[ShittingHell]

I've had a 'non refundable' hotel only booking in Paris for the end of March. It was booked at the beginning of last year. Not covered by insurance I've already checked. Obviously the trip will not be going ahead. The hotel and associated theme parks are all closed. Flights were cancelled and tickets refunded. Just the hotel which is an offsite partner Disney hotel. They won't budge and refund despite several requests. They may let me amend but I'm going to struggle with this as have limited holiday from work, other things already transferred from last year and no idea when we would be allowed to go abroad anyway! I've claimed on my credit card. They've rejected it because I tried to cancel before the hotel did apparently. This is true but only because I knew this was going to happen. I feel it's a cop-out. The CMA states you can't be charged for services you haven't received yet I'm being told tough! Not sure whether to leave it, try and squeeze the break in later in year and hope for the best or keep on fighting. Help!

If they cannot provide the service you have booked and paid for (the exact hotel, on the exact dates) then you are entitled to a refund. They would be very unlikely to cancel it with a few weeks to go, last year mine was cancelled at the point I would have already been on the plane (had I not checked the website and known they were shut!). The same with the credit card, they won't refund before the trip was due to take place, without cancellation by the hotel.

If YOU cancel the booking however, then no, they do not have to refund, even if they had been unable to fulfil the contract. You have to let them make the cancellation. So what it all hinges on is have you cancelled the booking with the hotel, or is it still active? If still active hold tight and they will very likely be forced to cancel in the next few weeks if they're shut themselves. If you have cancelled it then they are being more than generous offering a date transfer, as they don't have to.