Wrong hotel dates or double-charged? How to get your refund when the platform and hotel pass the buck
Booked a hotel on Agoda, Trip.com or another platform and picked the wrong dates, added an extra night, or got double-charged? The platform says the hotel must approve; the hotel says to ask the platform. This page shows how to work on both at once and get your money back.
Last updated: 2026-10-16
Quick answer: spotted a mistake? Do these 3 things now
- 1. Screenshot your evidence: confirmation, payment record and the cancellation policy screen.
- 2. Contact the platform and hotel in writing at the same time: don’t rely on just one, and ask both to reply in writing.
- 3. Still passing the buck? Get outside help: complain to the Consumer Council; for overcharges or duplicate charges, raise a dispute with your card issuer.
- Free to use
- Independent, not linked to any booking platform or hotel
- Information from the Consumer Council and banks
Why do the platform and hotel pass the buck?
When you book through a platform, you pay the platform but the room is provided by the hotel. To change or cancel a non-refundable booking, the platform may want the hotel’s agreement before refunding, while the hotel may say bookings made through third-party platforms must be handled by the platform – so each side points to the other.
Consumer Council case: one extra night booked by mistake
A traveller planned a one-night stay in Hong Kong at the end of December, from the 29th to the 30th, but selected the 29th to the 31st and only noticed after paying about HK$900. He asked the platform to cancel and rebook; the platform said it needed the hotel’s written confirmation of a free cancellation before arranging a refund. The hotel said it had no authority to approve cancellations of third-party bookings and told him to go to the platform. As check-in was close, the Consumer Council contacted the hotel on the day it received the complaint. The hotel agreed, at its discretion and working with the platform, to a free cancellation, and the money was refunded through the platform.
Source: Consumer Council press release (15 June 2026). The Council did not name the platform or hotel involved.
The Consumer Council says it has received close to 1,000 local accommodation complaints a year over the past three years, and has urged hotels, guesthouses and booking platforms to state clearly who is responsible for changes, cancellations and refunds.
Online hotel booking problems: 4 scenarios
| Scenario | Do this first | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong dates / an extra night | Check the cancellation policy; if free cancellation applies, cancel and rebook as soon as possible. | Non-refundable bookings need the platform and hotel to agree – contact both in writing. |
| Duplicate charge | Screenshot your card transactions and ask the platform to refund the duplicate. | If the merchant won’t fix it, raise a dispute with your card issuer. |
| Charged a different amount from what was shown | Check the confirmation, currency, taxes and service charges. | It may involve currency conversion (DCC) or a cross-border fee – not necessarily a platform error. |
| Prepaid, but the hotel charged you again | Show the platform confirmation and ask the hotel to check. | Check the receipt before checking out; raise any overcharge on the spot and keep the paperwork. |
Terms differ between platforms and hotels – this is a general guide only; your own booking terms apply.
“Wrong amount” isn’t always an error: check these 3 things
Dynamic currency conversion (DCC)
The merchant converts a foreign-currency price into HKD for you, and the rate may include a markup – typically about 1.5% to 4%, according to the HKMA.
Cross-border fee
Even if you pay in HKD, your card issuer may charge a fee if the merchant is overseas – it usually only shows on your statement.
Taxes and service charges
Check the total on your confirmation, and whether taxes, service charges or pay-at-hotel fees are added.
Tip: before paying, ask your card issuer about fees for foreign-currency and HKD transactions. If a Hong Kong trader’s price is misleading, report it to the Customs and Excise Department’s 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
5 steps to get your refund
- 1
Screenshot and keep evidence now
Screenshot the booking confirmation, payment record, card transaction and the cancellation policy shown at booking, and note when you spotted the mistake.
- 2
Contact the platform in writing
Open a case through the platform’s app or website customer service, stating the booking number and what you want. If the platform says it needs hotel confirmation, ask it to state exactly what is needed and to contact the hotel directly. Note every case number and reply.
- 3
Contact the hotel in writing at the same time
Email the hotel’s reservations team with your booking number, asking it to confirm a free cancellation or date change in writing or through the platform’s system – then forward the reply to the platform.
- 4
Complain to the Consumer Council
If the platform and hotel still pass the buck, complain to the Consumer Council, hotline 2929 2222. Say if check-in is close – in the case above, the Council contacted the hotel on the day it received the complaint.
- 5
Card chargeback
If you were double-charged, charged the wrong amount, or cancelled but not refunded, and the merchant won’t fix it, you can raise a dispute with your card issuer, with your confirmation, payment record and proof of cancellation. Success isn’t guaranteed and there are time limits (for example, Hang Seng Bank asks for disputes within 60 days of the statement date), so act early.
Card used without your permission rather than a booking mistake? See our credit card fraud guide.
Written request template: send to the platform and hotel together
Replace the [ ] parts with your details. Submit it through the platform’s customer service and email a copy to the hotel.
Subject: Request for free cancellation / booking change and refund (Booking no. [number]) To: [Platform name] Customer Service Cc: [Hotel name] Reservations I, [name], booked [hotel name] through [platform name] on [booking date], booking no. [number], and paid [amount and currency]. Problem: [For example: I intended to stay on [correct dates], but selected [wrong dates] by mistake and booked one extra night. / My card was charged twice; the second charge was [amount].] I notified you immediately on [date noticed], [time] before check-in. I request: 1. Free cancellation of the original booking and a full refund; or 2. A change of the booking to [correct dates], and a refund of the overpaid [amount]. To the platform: if hotel confirmation is needed, please state exactly what is required and contact the hotel directly. To the hotel: please confirm in writing, or through the platform’s system, that you agree to the above. Attachments: booking confirmation, payment record, screenshots. Please reply in writing before check-in. [Name] [Phone / email] [Date]
Other ways to pursue it
- Travel Industry Authority: the Consumer Council suggests checking whether a platform is a licensed travel agent in Hong Kong; the Travel Industry Authority can handle disputes involving licensed travel agents.
- Small Claims Tribunal: handles money claims of HK$75,000 or less, and neither side may be represented by a lawyer (CLIC). If the platform or hotel has no business entity in Hong Kong, filing and enforcing a claim may be harder – check with the Tribunal or get legal advice first.
Before you book: 5 checks
- Before paying, check the check-in and check-out dates, number of nights, guests and room type.
- Note which currency the price is shown in, and whether the total includes taxes and service charges.
- Compare free-cancellation and non-refundable prices, and check the cancellation deadline.
- Check whether changes, cancellations and refunds are handled by the platform or the hotel.
- For Hong Kong hotels and guesthouses, check the licence on the Office of the Licensing Authority (Home Affairs Department) website.
Online hotel booking refund FAQs
I booked the wrong hotel dates online. Can I cancel for free?
It depends on your booking’s cancellation policy. A free-cancellation booking can usually be cancelled and rebooked before the deadline; a non-refundable booking needs the platform and hotel to agree. In one Consumer Council case, a traveller booked an extra night by mistake; the platform said it needed the hotel’s written confirmation and the hotel said to deal with the platform. After the Council contacted the hotel, it agreed at its discretion to a free cancellation and the money was refunded through the platform.
The platform says the hotel must approve, and the hotel says ask the platform. What now?
Contact both in writing at the same time: ask the platform to open a case and state exactly what it needs the hotel to confirm, and email the hotel directly asking it to confirm a free cancellation or date change in writing or through the platform’s system – then forward the reply to the platform. If they still pass the buck, complain to the Consumer Council (hotline 2929 2222).
I was double-charged, or charged a different amount from what was shown. What can I do?
Screenshot the payment page, confirmation and card transactions, and ask the platform to explain and refund any overcharge. If the merchant won’t fix it, you can raise a card chargeback with your card issuer – duplicate charges, incorrect amounts and cancelled-but-not-refunded transactions are common dispute reasons – but success isn’t guaranteed and there are time limits.
If I pay in Hong Kong dollars, will there be no extra charges?
Not necessarily. If the platform or merchant converts the price into HKD using dynamic currency conversion (DCC), the rate may include a markup; and if an overseas merchant settles in HKD, your card issuer may still charge a cross-border fee. Check these charges with your card issuer before paying.
Can I claim at the Small Claims Tribunal?
The Small Claims Tribunal handles money claims of HK$75,000 or less, and neither side may be represented by a lawyer. If the platform or hotel has no business entity in Hong Kong, filing and enforcing a claim may be harder – check with the Tribunal or get legal advice first.
References
- Consumer Council: Unsatisfactory Accommodation and Unclear Responsibilities Could Lead to Disputes (15 June 2026)
- Hang Seng Bank: Chargeback information (Chinese)
- HKMA: Hong Kong Dollars or Foreign Currencies? Making the Smart Choice when Using your Credit Cards Overseas
- CLIC: Small Claims Tribunal
- Office of the Licensing Authority, Home Affairs Department
- Travel Industry Authority
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This page is general information only and is not legal advice. RightlyHK is not affiliated with Agoda, Trip.com, any booking platform or any hotel. Terms differ between platforms and hotels – your own booking terms apply.