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Question

MEWS cancellation policies versus OTAs

  • January 22, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 15 views
Charlene

Hi MEWS Community,

We currently use non-refundable rates, but on Booking.com we still allow a certain level of flexibility:
Guests can modify their stay dates prior to arrival with no penalty for the cancelled nights. The stay itself remains non-refundable, only date changes are permitted.

This flexibility works very well for us commercially and helps reduce full cancellations while keeping the revenue secured.

However, we’re finding it difficult to replicate this exact logic in MEWS.
At the moment, MEWS treats non-refundable rates as fully rigid, without the option to allow date changes while keeping the payment non-refundable.

When a guest shortens or changes their stay in MEWS, the system will:

  • Add a cancellation fee to the cancelled dates, and

  • Add new charges for the modified dates

This results in a double impact for the guest, whereas our intended logic is that:

  • The total stay remains non-refundable (same original number of nights as reserved)

  • Cancelled nights are not charged

  • Dates can be moved (up to X days before arrival or after original reservation) without extra penalties

  • Only the new stay dates should be charged if they differ in price

Question:
Is there a way (or a planned feature) to support a hybrid policy like this in MEWS?
For example:

  • Rate remains non-refundable

  • Guests may change dates up to X days before arrival

  • Total stay remains non-refundable, but movable

If not currently possible, we would love to see this added as a future enhancement, as it aligns well with OTA flexibility standards and guest expectations.

Thanks in advance for your insights!

    1 reply

    A
    • AnjH
    • Apprentice
    • January 22, 2026

    Hi,

    We don’t have this type of rate but maybe you can try adding a different “Payment Policy” and “Cancellation Policy” for the specific rate code that you have Booking.com mapped to.

    For the payment policy, apply the usual non-refundable principles where the full amount will be charged at the time of booking. Since MEWS does not have a feature to auto-refund cancelled bookings payments.

    Meanwhile for the cancellation policy setup in MEWS, you can choose up to which extent (a day before even) for the guests to cancel or amend their booking hence the cancellation fee will not apply but the payment has already been taken. You just have to ensure that this is internal and the OTA will not apply this “free” cancellation feature on their end and refund your guest if they paid VCC.

    The only issue here is, if the guest decides to cancel the booking altogether, then you will have to deal with the Open Folio of payments and manually post the cancellation fee.

    This is just an idea and I have not tried this on our property. But as far as I am aware, MEWS does not have a hybrid policy at the moment, unless you consider the “Policy Exceptions” they offer (but you have to choose the dates when this exception applies).

     

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