Reader question: Can German hotels cancel reservations before Euro 2024?

As summer quickly approaches, the UEFA European championship, which will take place in 10 cities across Germany, is almost here. 

This map on UEFA's website shows the German cities where games will be taking place during the tournament, which runs from Friday June 14th to Sunday July 14th, 2024.

For the nearly three million football fans projected to descend on Germany for the tournament–planning transportation and finding the right hotel are top priorities. 

The event has left many early planners wondering how they are protected from late hotel cancellations before the big games: One reader wrote that a hotel in Berlin tried to cancel her stay, citing that they did not realise the Euro was taking place and that the price should have been higher - but is this legit?

 Here’s how German laws safeguard travellers from facing unexpected cancellations to hotel stays. 

READ ALSO: 10 unforgettable places to stay in Germany

Can hotels cancel bookings?

It depends. If you booked a hotel room and received a confirmation after the booking, then an accommodation contract has begun. This is a binding contract that must be met by both parties. In this case, cancellation is only possible if both parties agree in advance or a clause is included in the contract allowing for cancellation. 

What counts as “agreement”?

An agreement between parties can be proven through written communication like an email or orally through a recorded phone call. 

What happens when a hotel cancels a booking?

If a hotel cancels the booking and is at fault for the cancellation because of overbooking or poor cost planning (i.e., failing to increase the prices when the stay falls on a bank holiday) then it has the following options:

• Refund the customer 
• Pay the additional costs of booking an equivalent hotel

It is important to note, if the traveller decides to cancel the trip and stay home, the hotel will not be required to pay damages. 

What if I didn’t receive a confirmation?

If your booking was not confirmed, then you generally have no rights under the contract. In this case it would be considered a “rejection” instead of a cancellation.

My Airbnb host cancelled my stay…am I still protected?

If an Airbnb host cannot honour a stay request before your check-in, you will receive a full refund, including service fees. The refund will be made to the payment method originally used to book the stay. 

If your host sends you a message asking you to cancel, do not cancel for them. Instead, send them a message asking them to cancel, so that you will remain eligible to receive a full refund. 

What happens if my Airbnb stay is cancelled within a month of my stay?

All Airbnb bookings are protected by “AirCover” for guests who experience issues with their booking within 30 days of check-in. In this scenario, Airbnb would help you rebook a similar place to stay depending on availability at comparable pricing.