Refund & Cancellation Policy

1. Policy Overview — Plain Language Summary

• You may cancel any booking; eligibility for refund depends on the timing and the property's rules.
• Standard platform rules: 100% refund (7+ days before), 50% refund (2–6 days before), 0% refund (within 24 hours).
• If a property displays a stricter or different policy during booking, that policy overrides the standard rules.
• If your stay is disrupted because the host refuses service, overbooks, or gives your room to walk-in guests (Host Failure), we provide a full refund (for platform-processed payments) + on-ground assistance.
• If travel is disrupted due to government orders, landslides, or natural disasters (Force Majeure), we work to secure refunds or date-changes on your behalf.
• Refunds are always processed to the original payment method only.

This summary is for convenience only. Please read the full policy below.

2. Key Definitions

• Booking — A reservation confirmed through a Booking Voucher or confirmation message.
• Service Provider — Independent hotels, lodges, homestays, camps, or operators listed on the Platform.
• Host Failure — Overbooking, refusal of a confirmed booking, unjustified price increase after confirmation, or giving booked rooms to walk-ins.
• Force Majeure — Events outside control: landslides, floods, snow blockage, road closures, government Yatra suspension.
• Platform-processed payment — Payments made online through StayKedarnath.in.

3. Standard Refund Rules

These apply unless the property's own cancellation rules (shown during booking) differ.

3.1 Cancellations made 7 or more days before check-in

• 100% refund of amount paid on the Platform.
• Processing time: 5–10 working days.

3.2 Cancellations made 2–6 days before check-in

• 50% refund.
• The remaining 50% is retained by the Service Provider to cover blocked inventory.

3.3 Cancellations made within 24 hours of check-in

• No refund.
• If the situation involves medical emergencies, road closures, or similar constraints, we attempt mediation — but refunds are not guaranteed.

3.4 Same-day or urgent bookings

Some properties require non-refundable payments during peak days. Those rules override the standard policy.

4. Amendments (Date Changes, Guest Changes)

• Date changes depend only on availability and the Service Provider's approval.
• Any price difference must be paid by the traveler.
• If amendments are denied, the standard cancellation rules apply.

5. Host Failure — Our Local Protection Guarantee

Because we operate regionally, StayKedarnath provides stronger protections than typical aggregators.

If a Service Provider commits Host Failure, StayKedarnath will:

1. Issue a 100% refund for platform-processed payments.
2. Provide on-ground assistance via our local network to help find alternative accommodation (subject to availability).
3. Investigate the issue and may suspend or remove the property from the Platform.

6. Force Majeure & Government Orders

Natural disruptions on the Kedarnath route may include:

• Landslides, floods, snowfall,
• Road closures or restricted entry,
• Official Yatra suspensions by local administration.

In such cases:

• We work to secure full refunds or date changes from the Service Provider.
• If the Service Provider refunds us, we transfer 100% of that amount to you.
• If only date-change or credit-note options are offered, we will relay those options.

StayKedarnath cannot be held liable for refunds that Service Providers deny in force-majeure situations, but we always advocate on your behalf. See our Terms of Service - Force Majeure section for more details.

7. No-Show Policy

If you fail to arrive and do not inform us or the host:

• Booking will be marked as No-Show.
• No refund applies.

If you anticipate delays, you must inform us or the Service Provider as early as possible.

8. Payment Gateway Failures & Pending Transactions

• Refunds begin only after we verify that the payment was successfully received by us.
• If payment is deducted but not received due to UPI or bank issues, the amount is typically reversed automatically by your bank.
• Such reversals are not processed by StayKedarnath.

Normal bank reversal times: 3–7 working days. For payment security details, see our Terms of Service - Payments and Security.

9. Refund Processing & Timelines

• Refunds are transferred only to the original payment method.
• UPI refunds: 2–5 working days.
• Bank/card refunds: 5–10 working days (depending on the bank).
• We will notify you by email when the refund is initiated.

StayKedarnath is not responsible for delays caused by banks or payment networks.

10. Local Support Advantage

As a regional platform, we may offer additional help:

• On-ground mediation with Service Providers,
• Assistance in locating alternate stays during Host Failure,
• Support during local disruptions.

This support is best-effort, not guaranteed, especially during peak Yatra days. Learn more About Us and our local presence.

11. Fraud, Abuse & Misuse of Refund System

Refunds may be denied if we identify:

• False claims or misrepresentation,
• Attempts to exploit cancellations strategically,
• Repeated last-minute cancellations harming Service Providers,
• Suspicious chargeback or refund behaviour.

Accounts involved may be reviewed, restricted, or suspended per our Terms of Service - Measures Against Unacceptable Behavior.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may modify this Policy to reflect operational, legal, or seasonal updates. The"Last Updated" date indicates the latest revision.

Material changes will be communicated appropriately via the Platform. See Terms of Service - Changes to Terms for our update process.

13. Contact & Support

For cancellation, refund, or booking-related queries:

We aim to acknowledge queries within 24–48 hours.