Cancel For Any Reason - Cancellation and Refund Guide

This guide outlines the reservation cancelation process and the refund flow for guests who have purchased the Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) add-on. It covers both hotel staff and guest actions, ensuring a smooth experience for all parties.

Cancel a Reservation with Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Add-on

How to Identify the Cancel for Any Reason Policy

In Cloudbeds PMS, there is no visual indicator in the reservation page that indicates whether a reservation includes the CFAR policy before cancelation.

However, once you begin the cancelation process, the system will display a notice confirming that the reservation is CFAR-protected:

CFAR Cancellation Scenarios

There are three ways a CFAR reservation might be canceled. All follow the standard cancelation flow, but the refund is handled externally by HTS.

Option 1: Guest Requests Cancellation Directly with the Hotel

In this case, follow the next steps:

1. Go to the reservation page
2. Change the reservation status to canceled
3. Select to email the guest
4. Confirm you want to proceed with cancelation

Option 2: Guest Cancels via the Guest Portal

The guest can cancel the reservation themselves through the Cloudbeds Guest Portal. They need to:

1. Access the Manage My Reservation section in the Guest Portal
2. Click to edit the reservation
3. Click to cancel the reservation
4. They are automatically directed to HTS to request a refund

No action is required from staff, but you can confirm that the reservation was canceled on your side.

Option 3: Guest Cancels via the CFAR (HTS) Email

Guests may choose to cancel directly via the HTS email they received after creating the booking. They need to:

1. Open the Cancel for Any Reason email
2. Click on the Cancel my reservation link
3. They will be redirected to HTS portal to confirm the cancellation request and automatically start the refund request process

No action is needed from hotel staff, unless the guest contacts you to verify cancelation status.

Refund Process for Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Reservations

• All refunds are handled by HTS (CFAR provider), not by the hotel.
• The hotel keeps the full reservation amount and the guest receives the refund from HTS.
• To be eligible for the refund, guests must cancel their reservation within the cancelation window [e.g., up to 48 hours before the scheduled check-in time (3:00 PM local hotel time)]. Cancelations after this point will follow the original booking's cancellation policy.

Here’s how it works:

What’s Refunded?

The original room cost, including taxes applied to that cost.

What’s Not Refunded?

• The CFAR fee (this is non-refundable).
• Any other non-refundable add-ons or services the guest purchased. Only room rate and taxes are refunded with CFAR.

Refund Processing Time

• Refunds are processed within 5–7 business days.
• Funds are returned to the guest’s original payment method.
• Cancellation Timing:
  • If the cancelation is requested within the hotel’s fully refundable policy window, the hotel may still process a refund directly.
  • After that window, HTS handles the refund.