It is the most skipped line in every booking, and the one that matters most when a ferry stops or a child gets a fever. Getaway uses four cancellation policies on every stay, so you only have to learn them once. Here is how we read them ourselves.
The four policies in one minute
- Flexible: full refund up to three days before check-in.
- Moderate: full refund up to seven days before, half back until three days before.
- Strict: full refund up to 30 days before, half back until 14 days before.
- Non-refundable: no refund, but about 10% cheaper.
Days are counted back from the check-in time, usually 15:00 Italy time, and the percentage applies to what you paid for the room and extras. The full rules are on the cancellation policies page.
Do the arithmetic on non-refundable
Take five nights at €240, which is €1,200 on the flexible rate. The non-refundable rate is around €1,080, a saving of €120. If the trip falls through you lose €1,080, and if it goes ahead you gain €120. The cheaper rate pays off only if the chance of cancelling is below about 11%, or roughly one in nine. For a trip booked six months ahead, with children or a long flight, that is a bet few of us should take.
Match the policy to the risk
- Booking far ahead: choose flexible or moderate. A lot can change in six months.
- Peak weeks, 25 July to 25 August: expect strict policies on villas, because late cancellations are hard to resell. Book early and decide early.
- Short notice: non-refundable is fine when you will be travelling within days.
- Ferry-dependent trips in winter: choose flexible. Weather cancels boats and a host cannot always help.
Check three things before paying
- The date. “Free cancellation until 14 June” is clear. “Up to three days before” needs a calendar and a pencil.
- What is refunded. A deposit rate refunds on what you actually paid, not on the full price. The checkout shows what you pay now and what you pay later.
- What is not covered. A policy deals with your decision to cancel. If a host cancels on you, you always get a full refund. Illness, strikes and missed flights are what travel insurance is for.
If you do need to cancel
Do it from My trips as soon as you know. The page shows the refund amount and the tier before you confirm, and the nights go back on sale immediately, which helps the host. If you are just outside a deadline, message the host: some will move your dates instead of keeping your money. We cannot promise it, but asking is free.
Not sure which rate to pick? Add two stays to compare and the table lines up their cancellation terms next to the price, which makes the cheaper rate’s real cost easier to see.
