What is the host's cancellation policy?

When a host cancels a confirmed booking — or is found to be responsible for a cancellation under this policy — Holidu reserves the right to apply cancellation fees, except for extenuating circumstances.

These measures reflect the impact and costs that cancellations create for guests, other Holidu hosts, and Holidu. They help maintain the reliability of the service and the trust guests place in their holiday plans.

Why host cancellations matter

Host cancellations may not happen often, but when they do, the consequences extend beyond a single booking:

• For guests: Cancellations disrupt plans, create frustration, erode trust, and threaten their willingness to book again.
• For hosts: They undermine credibility, harm the property's reputation, lower visibility in search rankings, and put future performance on booking channels at risk.
• For Holidu: They create operational costs from managing disrupted bookings, finding replacements, and handling the added administrative work.

Learn more about the impact of cancellations and how to avoid them.

What to do if you have to cancel

We understand that exceptional circumstances can sometimes make a cancellation unavoidable. However, accepting a booking is a commitment to your guest, and cancellations should only happen when there is truly no other option.

If you find yourself genuinely unable to honour a booking, please act as quickly as possible — either by offering an alternative property where feasible, or by canceling early to limit the disruption for your guest.

Requirements for offering an alternative property

Any alternative you offer should meet these conditions:

• Be listed on the same channel where your guest originally booked.
• Be in a similar price range and meet the same or higher standards compared to the original listing.

When you offer a suitable alternative that meets these requirements, our customer support team can step in to coordinate with the booking channel and the guest — helping to secure the guest's acceptance and reduce the likelihood of additional charges.

When (and how) the cancellation fee applies

If you cannot offer an alternative that meets the conditions above and is accepted by your guest, Holidu reserves the right to apply a cancellation fee. The fee reflects the impact on guests and the operational costs of finding replacements and managing disrupted bookings.

The cancellation fee is calculated based on the booking amount and the timing of the cancellation. If the calculated fee is less than €50 EUR, it is adjusted to a minimum of €50 EUR.

Cancellation fee schedule

Time until check-in	Cancellation fee (% of booking amount)
48 hours or less	25%
Between 48 hours and 30 days	10%
More than 30 days	5%

Understanding the booking amount

The booking amount is the total cost your guest agrees to pay when confirming a booking. For you, this amount determines your expected payout, minus any applicable platform fees or deductions. This is the figure used to calculate your cancellation fee percentage.

Example: calculating a cancellation fee

To help you understand how cancellation fees are calculated, here is a practical example:

Booking details:

• Booking amount: €500 EUR
• Check-in date: 20 days away
• Cancellation timing: Falls in the "Between 48 hours and 30 days" bracket

Calculation:

• Applicable cancellation fee percentage: 10%
• 10% of €500 = €50 EUR
• Since €50 meets the minimum threshold, no adjustment is needed
• Final cancellation fee: €50 EUR

In this scenario, if you cancel the booking, Holidu would apply a €50 EUR cancellation fee to cover the impact and operational costs associated with the cancellation.

When the cancellation fee might be waived

We understand that extraordinary situations can happen. In cases involving major disruptive events or other valid circumstances beyond your control, Holidu may waive the cancellation fee.

Requesting a fee waiver

If you believe your situation qualifies for a waiver, please share supporting evidence. Our customer support team — backed by your local Holidu team — will review it carefully before making a final decision.

Learn more about qualifying circumstances and how to request a waiver.

How to submit a cancellation request

Before requesting a cancellation, we strongly recommend you consider the full impact beyond just the fee.

If, after reviewing the consequences, you still wish to proceed, you can submit your cancellation request here.

Important: Cancellations are only legally valid if submitted through the process outlined on this page — requests sent by email or through other channels will not be accepted.