The refund will be at the hotel's discretion, so your best bet is to appeal to the management's compassion. Although this is a stressful time, you are more likely to succeed if you can keep as calm and polite as possible.

In 2026, getting a refund on a "non-refundable" room is difficult but not impossible. The primary strategy is to contact the hotel directly rather than the booking site, as local managers have the authority to make exceptions for "extraordinary circumstances" like medical emergencies or major travel disruptions. Often, they won't give cash back but may offer a boutique credit or allow you to shift the dates of your stay to a later time without penalty. If you booked via a third party, you'll need to get the hotel to agree to a waiver first before the booking site can process it. Additionally, check your credit card benefits; many premium travel cards in 2026 include built-in trip cancellation insurance that covers non-refundable bookings if the reason for cancellation is a "covered event" such as illness, injury, or a jury summons.