Spanish hotel gone bust and no refund

[Dolwen]

We originally booked for a week in a hotel In Benahavis, Spain, in June 2020 that was rebooked due to COVID to June 2021, but couldn't go ahead again due to COVID. The hotel has now gone bust and isn't replying to any communication, and hasn't for months. The hotel is "permanently closed" on Google, aren't active of any social media, and I've just seen this
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9732437/One-Spains-luxurious-hotels-like-ghost-ship-15-month-pandemic-closure.html

We paid in full, by direct debit, 600 Euro. Any way of working towards a refund or are we doomed?

[HotToddyColdSauvignon]

You’d just claim it back from your travel insurance?

Unless you’re one of those people who 1) doesn’t get it or 2) waits until the day they travel to start it…

[CandyLeBonBon]

Travel insurance is your friend!

[Frenchfancy]

Travel insurance in 2020 probably didn't include covid. You could try your credit card company however as you have paid for something not received. But that relies on the card company being able to get money back from the hotel. If they have gone bust then you are probably a long way down the list of creditors.

[fallfallfall]

i'm confused that newspaper article is 6 months old?

[fallfallfall]

sorry about that...i get it now :(

[PAFMO]

Travel insurance, credit card company or bank chargeback.

[Eloraa]

It doesn’t matter whether or not her insurance covered COVID - the hotel has gone out of business, the reason for that isn’t relevant.

But given that’s the obvious answer I’m guessing OP didn’t get any.

OP when you say you paid by first debit, do you mean debit card? If so you might get some luck from your bank.

[Nonivknamesforcatapillars]

Your travel insurance would pay out as the hotel has gone out of business.

[BarbaraofSeville]

@Frenchfancy

Travel insurance in 2020 probably didn't include covid. You could try your credit card company however as you have paid for something not received. But that relies on the card company being able to get money back from the hotel. If they have gone bust then you are probably a long way down the list of creditors.

It doesn't rely on the credit card company getting the money back from the hotel, it doesn't work like that, the credit card company pays.

We got money back for flights lost from my credit card when Monarch went bust.

I also don't understand what the OP means by direct debit, because I've never heard of hotels being paid like that, except possibly for corporate accounts.

Your best bet is your travel insurance or the payment card if you used one, rather than bank transfer, either section 75 guarantee or a chargeback. Look on Moneysaving Expert for advice and hopefully one of these options is open to you.

But this sort of thing is a lesson to everyone. Always pay by credit card, because of the protection it brings.

[CloseYourEyesAndSee]

Credit card charge back. It's easy. Call them quick though as there is a cut off point.