Before you click "Book," check four things: the full price, the exact cancellation deadline, who will charge you, and whether the property has confirmed any room, pet, family, or accessibility request. Save the terms while they're on screen. A confirmation proves that a reservation was made, but the rate rules determine what happens if your plans change.

For U.S. lodging offers covered by the Federal Trade Commission's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, a mandatory fee that can't be avoided must be included in the advertised total price. The rule doesn't ban resort fees or give every traveler a free cancellation right.

Hotel booking checklist before payment

Use the final room and payment pages, not just the search results. Check that they show:

• The property's name and address, your dates, room type, bed configuration, and number of guests.
• The total price, including any mandatory fees.
• The cancellation deadline, its local time, the no-show penalty, and date-change terms.
• Whether payment is due now, at the property, or in installments.
• Any deposit, incidental hold, parking charge, pet fee, or optional service.
• The seller's website, email address, and charging merchant.
• Written confirmation of connecting rooms, accessibility features, or pet arrangements.
• The confirmation number and a receipt or other payment record.

If the price or policy might later be disputed, take a screenshot before submitting payment. Include the dates, room, total, and cancellation terms. A screenshot of a search result alone may not show what you actually agreed to.

Mandatory hotel fees and the FTC total-price rule

The FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees FAQ says the rule took effect on May 12, 2025. It covers covered short-term lodging in the United States, including hotels, motels, inns, short-term rentals, and vacation rentals.

For a covered offer, a mandatory fee that the consumer can't avoid must be part of the total price shown. The business may provide a truthful itemized breakdown, but the prominent price can't hide an unavoidable charge.

Suppose a hotel advertises a $199 nightly rate and adds a mandatory $39 resort fee per day. You shouldn't have to discover that $39 only at the final payment step. The advertised total should account for the mandatory fee and show the charge clearly.

The rule:

• Applies to mandatory fees for covered short-term lodging.
• Doesn't prohibit resort, destination, or property fees.
• Doesn't automatically cancel a reservation or require a refund after purchase.
• Doesn't make every optional or use-based charge part of the room price.

Parking, room service, upgrades, and some pet or damage-related charges may depend on what you choose or do. Read the conditions instead of assuming that a charge is included or excluded.

The FTC FAQ also discusses offers limited to a group, such as rewards-program members. In that example, the total price is based on the price offered to everyone. If you qualify for a member rate, compare the actual member offer with the public offer and review the fee breakdown for both.

If the price rises between the search page and checkout, stop before paying. Save both screens, ask the hotel or platform for an itemized explanation, and keep the evidence. If a mandatory fee was left out of the advertised price, that record can support a complaint or a payment dispute.

Refundable versus nonrefundable hotel rates

"Refundable" is not a complete policy. The deadline, no-show rule, deposit terms, and change conditions matter more than the label.

Look for:

• The exact cancellation date and local time.
• Whether the penalty is a fixed fee, percentage, one night, or the full booking.
• A separate no-show or early-departure rule.
• Whether a deposit or prepayment can be refunded.
• Whether a date change creates a new rate or cancellation penalty.
• The currency used for the charge and refund.
• The required way to cancel.

There isn't a universal U.S. rule that makes every hotel reservation free to cancel 24 or 48 hours before arrival. Each property and rate can set a different deadline. Booking platforms may also display a detailed schedule. For example, Booking.com's cancellation-policy documentation distinguishes scheduled cancellation terms from nonrefundable policies.

How to cancel a hotel reservation

1. Open the confirmation and read the rate's cancellation schedule.
2. Cancel through the platform that took your payment whenever possible.
3. Save the cancellation number, timestamp, email, and confirmation screen.
4. If the website fails, contact the hotel and platform promptly using verified contact details.
5. If a representative offers an exception, ask for it in writing.
6. Watch the card account for the expected refund or final charge.

A hotel may waive a fee because of illness, weather, or another emergency, but a goodwill exception isn't guaranteed. Travel insurance, card benefits, and the reservation's own terms can provide separate protections, each with its own conditions.

Booking directly with a hotel or using an OTA

An online travel agency, or OTA, can make comparison easier. Direct booking may make it simpler to discuss a special request with the property. Neither option is automatically cheaper or safer for every reservation.

Compare equivalent offers, including:

• The same room type and bed setup.
• Occupancy limits.
• Breakfast, parking, Wi-Fi, and other inclusions.
• Mandatory fees and the final total.
• Cancellation and no-show terms.
• Payment timing and the name of the charging merchant.
• Loyalty points or status eligibility.
• Whether the hotel or platform handles changes and refunds.

An OTA confirmation doesn't necessarily mean the platform operates the hotel. Booking.com's terms, for example, say that properties on its platform are independent and that Booking.com doesn't control or manage them. Other OTAs use different arrangements, so read the terms for the service you choose.

For an OTA booking, start with the OTA when the problem involves a platform change, cancellation, or refund. Contact the property as well when the issue concerns room availability, check-in, amenities, or the hotel's condition. A direct booking usually starts with the hotel's reservation desk.

How to spot hotel booking scams

A scammer can copy a hotel's name, photos, confirmation style, or support messages. A polished page isn't proof that the seller is genuine.

Before paying:

• Type the hotel's web address yourself or use a saved official site.
• Look for extra words, misspellings, or an unfamiliar domain ending.
• Compare the contact details with those on the hotel's official website.
• Call the property using a number you found independently, rather than relying only on a suspicious email.
• Don't click an unexpected "verify your reservation" or payment link.
• Be cautious if someone moves the conversation to a private messaging app.
• Reject an unexpected request for a wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or another hard-to-reverse payment.
• Confirm that the booking includes the hotel's address and a real confirmation number.

HTTPS encrypts the connection, but it doesn't prove that the site belongs to the hotel. An unusually low price, urgency, or a request to pay outside the original booking flow calls for a separate check.

Use a credit card when practical and when the merchant accepts it, but don't assume a card dispute guarantees a refund. The issuer applies its own agreement and card-network process. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and wire transfers may follow different procedures, so contact the payment provider quickly if you suspect fraud.

Family, group, pet, and accessible-room bookings

Families and groups

A room advertised as sleeping four may still have separate rules for adults, children, beds, and extra guests. Ask about:

• Maximum adults and children.
• Cribs, rollaway beds, and age limits.
• Extra-person charges.
• Connecting or adjoining rooms.
• Parking for multiple vehicles.
• Group deposits and cancellation deadlines.

Connecting rooms are often a request, not a guarantee. Ask the hotel to confirm the arrangement in writing, and check whether the confirmation says the rooms are guaranteed or merely noted.

Pet-friendly hotels

"Pet-friendly" doesn't describe every restriction. Confirm the current policy before paying:

• Which animals and sizes are accepted.
• The fee and deposit, and whether either is refundable.
• Breed or number limits.
• The rooms or floors where pets are allowed.
• Whether a pet may be left alone in the room.
• Leash, carrier, and common-area rules.
• Required vaccination records or other documentation.

Keep the policy and the name of the employee who confirmed the arrangement. A platform's pet filter may not show every property-specific condition.

Accessible hotel rooms

An "accessible room" label may not tell you whether the layout meets your needs. Ask about the features that matter to you, such as:

• Step-free routes from parking and the entrance.
• Doorway and bathroom clearance.
• A roll-in shower or a tub with grab bars.
• Toilet and sink configuration.
• Bed height and space beside the bed.
• Visual or audible alarms.
• Accessible parking and the route to the room.
• Pool, dining, and emergency-access arrangements.

Request written confirmation of the specific features, not just a general accessibility label. The ADA National Network lodging factsheet discusses accessibility obligations and existing buildings. If the assigned room doesn't match what was confirmed, photograph the problem, ask for a manager, and document the solution you requested before leaving.

Credit-card holds, deposits, and the hotel folio

Hotels commonly place a temporary authorization for the room, taxes, incidentals, or potential damage. An authorization hold isn't necessarily a completed charge, but it can reduce available credit or tie up funds on a debit card.

At check-in, ask:

• How much the authorization will be.
• Whether it's a hold or a completed payment.
• Which charges can be added to the room.
• When the property normally releases the hold.
• Whether a separate deposit is required.

Release times can depend on the property and card issuer. Leave enough available funds for the hold, particularly when using a debit card.

At checkout, request an itemized folio. Compare it with the booking confirmation and question unfamiliar resort fees, minibar charges, parking, or damage claims before departing. If the hotel says a charge was removed, ask for an updated folio or written confirmation.

What to do when a hotel charge or reservation is wrong

Gather the record before escalating:

• The booking confirmation and cancellation terms.
• Screenshots of the advertised price and mandatory-fee disclosure.
• Emails, chats, and call dates.
• Names or reference numbers from hotel and OTA staff.
• Receipts, folios, and payment statements.
• Photos showing a materially different room or missing feature.
• Proof of cancellation and any promised refund.

Then work through these steps:

1. Contact the party that charged you. Give the reservation number, date, disputed amount, and remedy you want.
2. Contact the hotel or OTA. If responsibility is unclear, send the same evidence to both.
3. Ask for a written response. Request an itemized explanation or refund reference if the merchant agrees to return money.
4. Contact the card issuer when appropriate. Ask about its deadline and documentation requirements for an unauthorized charge, incorrect amount, or service not provided as agreed.
5. Use the appropriate regulator or consumer complaint route. A complaint can document an undisclosed-fee practice, but it doesn't replace the merchant and payment-provider steps for seeking an individual refund.

Don't dispute a valid nonrefundable charge just because the trip became inconvenient. Explain accurately whether the issue is fraud, an incorrect amount, a service failure, or a pricing disclosure problem.

Quick answers about hotel reservations

Can a U.S. hotel charge a resort fee?

The FTC rule doesn't prohibit resort fees. For covered short-term lodging, a mandatory fee that can't be avoided must be included in the advertised total price and clearly itemized. Check the checkout total and save evidence if the fee appears only at the end.

Can I cancel a nonrefundable hotel booking?

Usually, the rate's terms control. You can ask the hotel or platform for an exception, but illness or a change in plans doesn't automatically cancel the charge. Check travel insurance and card benefits separately.

Is a refundable rate always fully refundable?

Not necessarily. Confirm the cancellation deadline, no-show rule, deposits, partial penalties, and conditions for changing dates. The written rate policy is more reliable than the single word "refundable."

Is booking directly always better than using an OTA?

No. Direct booking can make property requests easier, while an OTA can offer comparison tools or package pricing. Compare the exact room, total, cancellation policy, charging merchant, and support process.

What should I do if a hotel has no accessible room matching my needs?

Contact the property before arrival, describe the features you require, and request written confirmation. If the assigned room differs, document it and ask a manager for an immediate solution. Don't rely only on a generic accessibility filter.

What evidence matters in a hotel-fee dispute?

Keep the original price display, final checkout screen, confirmation, fee breakdown, folio, payment record, and written communications. Evidence showing what was advertised and what was charged is more useful than a general complaint.

On the final payment screen, check the local cancellation time and charging merchant, then save the complete price and policy before you leave the page.