Cancellation and Refund Policy

Overview and How It Works

This Cancellation and Refund Policy explains when a guest may receive a refund for a reservation booked through palmabook.com, how Palmabook calculates refunds, how cancellation deadlines work, and what happens when a host cancels, a guest disputes a stay, or extraordinary events affect travel.

Palmabook is a marketplace for short-term and vacation rental accommodations. Each listing is assigned one cancellation tier by the host, subject to Palmabook platform rules. The cancellation tier that applies to a reservation is shown at checkout and in the guest’s booking confirmation.

A reservation is officially cancelled when the guest clicks the cancellation button on the cancellation confirmation page (Dashboard > Your Trips > Change or Cancel).

Until that step is completed, the reservation remains active, and refund eligibility is calculated based on the time Palmabook records the completed cancellation action.

Cancellation policies may be superseded by the Guest Refund Policy, safety cancellations, or extenuating circumstances.

Applicable taxes are retained and remitted.

Cleaning fees are refunded if the guest did not check in.

If a listing does not specify a check-in time, the default check-in time for cancellation calculations is 3:00 PM local time at the property.

All deadlines are measured using the local time zone of the booked listing.

If a guest arrives and later leaves early, any refund is governed by the applicable cancellation tier and any other applicable Palmabook policy.

Guests who believe a property is materially misrepresented, inaccessible, unsafe, unavailable, or otherwise not as promised must notify Palmabook promptly. For all cancellation tiers listed below, dispute notice must be given to Palmabook within 24 hours of check-in where stated.

Nothing in this policy limits rights that cannot be waived under applicable consumer protection law.

Summary Comparison of the Four Tiers

The Four Cancellation Tiers

Flexible

The Flexible tier provides the broadest guest refund rights among Palmabook’s standard cancellation options.

The following rules apply exactly:

Full refund if cancelled 1 day (24 hours) before listing local check-in time (or 3:00 PM if unspecified)

If cancelled less than 24h before check-in: first night is non-refundable, remaining nights refunded

If guest arrives and leaves early: nights not spent 24 hours after the official cancellation are 100% refunded

Cleaning fees always refunded if the guest did not check in

Dispute notice must be given to Palmabook within 24 hours of check-in

How the Flexible deadline works

For Flexible reservations, the guest must complete the official cancellation at least 24 hours before the listing’s local check-in time to receive a full accommodation refund.

If the listing does not specify a check-in time, Palmabook uses 3:00 PM local time.

Worked example

Assume check-in is Friday at 3:00 PM local time.

To receive a full refund, the guest must officially cancel no later than Thursday at 3:00 PM local time.

If the guest cancels on Thursday at 2:59 PM local time, the cancellation is more than 24 hours before check-in, so the reservation qualifies for a full refund of the nightly accommodation charges.

If the guest cancels on Thursday at 3:01 PM local time, the cancellation is less than 24 hours before check-in, so the first night is non-refundable and the remaining nights are refunded.

If the guest checks in on Friday and then officially cancels during the stay, nights not spent 24 hours after the official cancellation are 100% refunded.

Moderate

The Moderate tier balances host revenue certainty with guest flexibility.

The following rules apply exactly:

Full refund if cancelled 5 days before check-in

If cancelled less than 5 days before: first night non-refundable, remaining nights refunded at 50%

Early departure: nights not spent 24h after cancellation are refunded at 50%

Cleaning fees always refunded if no check-in

Dispute notice: 24 hours of check-in

How the Moderate deadline works

For Moderate reservations, a guest must officially cancel at least 5 full days before the local check-in time to receive a full refund of the nightly accommodation charges.

If the cancellation occurs less than 5 days before check-in, the first night is non-refundable and the remaining nights are refunded at 50%.

Worked example

Assume check-in is Friday at 3:00 PM local time.

To receive a full refund, the guest must officially cancel no later than Sunday at 3:00 PM local time.

If the guest cancels on Sunday at 2:59 PM local time, the reservation qualifies for a full refund of the nightly accommodation charges.

If the guest cancels on Sunday at 3:01 PM local time, the cancellation falls less than 5 days before check-in. In that case, the first night is non-refundable and the remaining nights are refunded at 50%.

If the guest checks in and then departs early, nights not spent 24 hours after the official cancellation are refunded at 50%.

Strict

The Strict tier offers limited refund rights and greater booking certainty for hosts.

The following rules apply exactly:

50% refund if cancelled 7 days (one week) before check-in

If cancelled less than 7 days before: no refund

Early departure: nights not spent are not refunded

Cleaning fees always refunded if no check-in

Dispute notice: 24 hours of check-in

How the Strict deadline works

For Strict reservations, a guest may receive a 50% refund if the reservation is officially cancelled at least 7 days before the listing’s local check-in time.

If the guest officially cancels less than 7 days before check-in, there is no refund for the accommodation charges.

Worked example

Assume check-in is Friday at 3:00 PM local time.

To receive a 50% refund, the guest must officially cancel no later than the previous Friday at 3:00 PM local time.

If the guest cancels at the previous Friday at 2:59 PM local time, the reservation qualifies for a 50% refund of the nightly accommodation charges.

If the guest cancels at the previous Friday at 3:01 PM local time, the cancellation is less than 7 days before check-in and no accommodation refund is available.

If the guest checks in and leaves early, nights not spent are not refunded.

Super Strict 30 Days

The Super Strict 30 Days tier is an invitation-only cancellation option and is intended for limited use where heightened booking certainty is justified.

The following rules apply exactly:

50% refund if cancelled 30 days before check-in

If cancelled less than 30 days before: no refund

Early departure: nights not spent are not refunded

By invitation only

Cleaning fees always refunded if no check-in

How the Super Strict 30 Days deadline works

For Super Strict 30 Days reservations, the guest may receive a 50% refund if the reservation is officially cancelled at least 30 days before the listing’s local check-in time.

If the guest officially cancels less than 30 days before check-in, there is no accommodation refund.

This tier is available only by invitation and may be restricted to select properties, inventory types, destinations, or commercial circumstances determined by Palmabook.

Worked example

Assume check-in is Friday at 3:00 PM local time.

To receive a 50% refund, the guest must officially cancel no later than Wednesday, 30 days before that Friday check-in, at 3:00 PM local time.

If the guest cancels at 2:59 PM local time on that 30th day before check-in, the reservation qualifies for a 50% refund of the nightly accommodation charges.

If the guest cancels at 3:01 PM local time on that 30th day before check-in, the cancellation falls less than 30 days before check-in and no accommodation refund is available.

If the guest checks in and leaves early, nights not spent are not refunded.

Cleaning fees are treated separately from the nightly accommodation amount.

Cleaning fees always refunded if the guest did not check in.

If the guest has checked in, cleaning fees are generally not refundable unless Palmabook determines, in its reasonable discretion, that a refund is warranted under the Guest Refund Policy, a safety-related issue, an extenuating circumstance, a host cancellation, a duplicate charge correction, or applicable law.

Taxes are handled according to applicable tax law and remittance obligations. Applicable taxes are retained and remitted.

Where a booking includes third-party charges, local charges, security deposits, utility charges, resort fees, damage claims, or add-on services that are not part of the Palmabook checkout total, those items may be governed by the listing terms, host terms disclosed at booking, and applicable law.

Host Cancellation Penalties

Hosts are expected to honor confirmed reservations. A host cancellation undermines guest trust, disrupts travel plans, and may create consumer protection and payment dispute risks. Palmabook may impose monetary penalties, ranking consequences, temporary suspensions, listing restrictions, or account review if a host cancels a confirmed reservation without a valid reason accepted by Palmabook.

The following standard host cancellation penalties apply unless Palmabook waives or modifies them due to force majeure, safety concerns, fraud, government restrictions, material guest misconduct, payment failure, or other exceptional circumstances:

For purposes of this policy, the timing of a host cancellation is measured from the scheduled local check-in time at the property.

If a host cancels during an active stay, Palmabook may in addition require the host to cooperate with relocation efforts, emergency support, refund processing, and loss mitigation for the affected guest.

Repeat cancellations above 3 in 12 months trigger account review.

An account review may result in one or more of the following actions:

Listing quality and reliability measures

Reduction in listing visibility

Loss of eligibility for preferred placement or promotional programs

Restrictions on instant or accelerated booking features

Temporary suspension of payout capability pending review

Platform enforcement measures

Mandatory retraining or compliance attestations

Temporary deactivation of individual listings

Removal from the platform

Referral to legal or payment risk review where fraud, abuse, or repeated misconduct is suspected

Palmabook may offset unpaid host cancellation penalties or related guest remediation amounts against current or future payouts where permitted by the host agreement and applicable law.

Extenuating Circumstances

Palmabook may override the standard cancellation tier and provide a full refund, partial refund, travel credit, or free rebooking assistance when an extenuating circumstance materially prevents completion of the stay or makes the property unavailable, illegal to occupy, or unsafe.

Extenuating circumstances may include:

Natural disaster

Declared pandemic

Government travel ban

Serious illness or death with documentation

Property unsafe

Host breach

Where applicable, the resolution may be a full refund or free rebooking at Palmabook's reasonable discretion.

Palmabook may require supporting documentation, including medical documents, death certificates, government advisories, transportation cancellation records, utility outage evidence, photographs, inspection reports, police reports, or other materials reasonably necessary to evaluate the claim.

Palmabook may also consider whether:

The event was unforeseen and outside the guest’s or host’s control

The event directly affected the booked location, the route to the destination, or the ability to lawfully complete the stay

The party seeking relief took reasonable steps to mitigate loss

The issue could be solved through rebooking, date modification, relocation, or property remediation

Events that are foreseeable, personal preference changes, pricing dissatisfaction, routine weather, minor listing inconveniences, or missed transportation not caused by a covered event generally do not qualify.

Palmabook reserves the right to interpret and apply this section in good faith and at its reasonable discretion, consistent with applicable law, platform integrity, fraud prevention, and case-specific facts.

Nothing in this section obligates Palmabook to issue cash compensation beyond amounts actually paid through the platform, except where required by law or where Palmabook separately agrees to do so.

Chargebacks and Disputes

Guests must first contact Palmabook to seek resolution before initiating a payment dispute with their card issuer or bank.

For listing-condition, access, cleanliness, amenity, safety, or misrepresentation complaints, guests should contact Palmabook as soon as possible and, where the cancellation tier so provides, within 24 hours of check-in.

Palmabook may request photographs, videos, messages, access logs, receipts, and other evidence reasonably necessary to investigate.

Palmabook provides a mediation window of 7 days from the time a qualifying dispute is opened, unless a shorter period is needed to address an active stay, immediate safety issue, or payment deadline imposed by a card network or financial institution.

During that period, Palmabook may contact the guest and host, review messages and booking data, assess applicable policies, and attempt to reach a fair operational resolution.

Palmabook uses fraud and payment risk controls, including Stripe Radar and related payment authentication tools, to monitor suspicious activity, unauthorized payment use, abuse patterns, and chargeback risk.

If a guest files a chargeback after receiving the services booked, after accepting a resolution, or without first making a good-faith effort to resolve the issue through Palmabook, Palmabook may treat the chargeback as unjustified where supported by the available evidence.

Unjustified chargebacks lead to termination.

In addition to termination, Palmabook may:

Restrict future bookings

Contest the chargeback with supporting evidence

Recover amounts owed through lawful collection methods

Deny duplicate refunds

Suspend or close related accounts associated with abuse, fraud, or repeated bad-faith disputes

Nothing in this section limits a customer’s right to contact their bank regarding genuinely unauthorized transactions or rights that apply under mandatory law.

Refund Processing

Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method used at checkout unless otherwise required by law or operationally impossible.

Palmabook does not provide cash refunds.

Refund timing depends on payment rails, card network processing, banking systems, and fraud review. In most cases, once Palmabook or its payment processor initiates an approved refund, Stripe timing is 5 to 10 business days.

Some banks or card issuers may take longer to post the refund to the guest’s account.

If the original payment method is closed, expired, or otherwise unable to receive a refund, the guest should contact the issuing bank first. In many cases, the bank can redirect the refund to a replacement card or associated account. If that is not possible, Palmabook may request additional information to determine whether an alternative lawful refund method can be used.

Palmabook may delay or withhold a refund where necessary to investigate fraud, abuse, sanctions risk, money laundering concerns, duplicate claims, payment reversal exposure, or legal compliance requirements.

Where a reservation was paid using multiple payment methods, installment-like processing, promotional credits, discounts, or partial manual adjustments, Palmabook may allocate the refund across those components in a commercially reasonable manner.

No-Shows

If a guest does not arrive for check-in and does not complete a cancellation through the Palmabook platform, the reservation may be treated as a no-show.

A no-show is treated as cancellation under applicable tier.

No refund after first night.

For clarity, if the applicable cancellation tier would have produced a better refund outcome had the guest officially cancelled earlier, Palmabook will calculate the reservation based on the actual timing of the no-show or late cancellation, not a hypothetical earlier action.

Cleaning fees are refunded if the guest did not check in.

Hosts should make reasonable efforts to document no-shows accurately, including preserving arrival communications, access logs, or check-in records when relevant to a dispute.

Modifications

Reservation modifications include shortening a stay, changing dates, changing the number of nights, or making similar material changes after booking.

Modification requests are not automatically effective unless confirmed through the Palmabook platform or otherwise approved by Palmabook.

If a host approves a guest request to shorten the stay or reduce the booking value, any resulting refund is handled as a partial refund per tier.

This means the applicable cancellation tier continues to govern how unused nights are treated unless Palmabook expressly confirms a different adjustment.

If a host declines the requested modification, the original policy applies.

If the parties agree to move dates rather than cancel, Palmabook may treat the change as a reservation modification instead of a cancellation. In that case, the original cancellation policy may continue to apply to the modified reservation unless Palmabook states otherwise at the time of the change.

Palmabook may reject or reverse modifications that appear abusive, fraudulent, designed to evade cancellation rules, intended to avoid host penalties, or inconsistent with platform risk controls.

Multiple Occupants

For reservations involving multiple guests, the account holder who makes the booking is the lead guest and is the refund recipient.

Palmabook issues refunds only to the original payor or booking account associated with the reservation, except where law requires otherwise.

It is the responsibility of the lead guest to distribute any shared travel funds among additional occupants, invitees, or co-travelers.

Palmabook is not responsible for disputes among members of a travel group concerning cost-sharing, reimbursement, private agreements, or allocation of any refund once issued to the lead guest.

Any notice of cancellation, dispute, or modification submitted by the lead guest is deemed submitted on behalf of all occupants on the reservation.

Contact and Appeals

Guests and hosts may contact Palmabook regarding cancellations, refunds, no-shows, host cancellations, extenuating circumstances, or appeals of a refund decision at partners@palmabook.com.

Palmabook’s standard response time is 24 to 48 hours, although urgent active-stay and safety issues may be prioritized sooner.

To help Palmabook review an appeal efficiently, please include:

Reservation number

Listing address or property name

Name of the lead guest

Date and time of the issue

Clear explanation of the requested outcome

Supporting photos, videos, receipts, travel records, or other evidence

If the matter involves legal process, privacy rights, regulatory requests, or formal counsel communications, contact partners@palmabook.com.

If the matter concerns advertising or affiliate issues rather than booking cancellations, contact ads@palmabook.com.

Palmabook may request additional information before issuing a final determination. Failure to provide requested evidence within a reasonable period may result in denial of the appeal based on the available record.

Final decisions are made by Palmabook in accordance with the applicable cancellation tier, any overriding Palmabook policy, fraud and trust review, platform records, and applicable law.

Additional Interpretation Rules

To avoid ambiguity, the following interpretation rules apply throughout this policy:

Official time of cancellation

The official time of cancellation is the time recorded by Palmabook systems when the guest completes the cancellation flow on the cancellation confirmation page.

Local time controls

All deadlines are based on the local time zone of the listing, not the time zone of the guest.

Non-waiver

If Palmabook does not enforce a provision in one case, that does not waive its right to enforce it in another case.

Legal compliance

Where a mandatory law in a customer’s jurisdiction provides stronger refund or cancellation rights, Palmabook will comply to the extent required.

Practical Examples of Refund Logic

The examples below are illustrative only and do not replace the exact tier language above.

Example 1: Flexible booking cancelled shortly before check-in

A guest books a five-night stay under the Flexible tier with Friday 3:00 PM check-in and cancels on Thursday at 8:00 PM local time. Because the cancellation is less than 24 hours before check-in, the first night is non-refundable and the remaining nights are refunded. If the guest did not check in, the cleaning fee is refunded.

Example 2: Moderate booking cancelled three days before check-in

A guest books a four-night stay under the Moderate tier and cancels three days before arrival. Because the cancellation is less than 5 days before check-in, the first night is non-refundable and the remaining nights are refunded at 50%. If there was no check-in, the cleaning fee is refunded.

Example 3: Strict booking cancelled eight days before check-in

A guest books under the Strict tier and cancels eight days before the scheduled Friday 3:00 PM arrival. Because the cancellation is at least 7 days before check-in, the guest receives a 50% refund of the accommodation amount. If the guest never checked in, the cleaning fee is refunded.

Example 4: Super Strict 30 Days booking cancelled two weeks before check-in

A guest books under Super Strict 30 Days and cancels 14 days before arrival. Because the cancellation is less than 30 days before check-in, there is no accommodation refund. If the guest did not check in, the cleaning fee is refunded.

Relationship to Other Palmabook Terms

This Cancellation and Refund Policy forms part of the Palmabook platform terms and applies together with any applicable Guest Refund Policy, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, host terms, payment terms, and safety policies.

Where this policy conflicts with a mandatory law or an expressly applicable Palmabook policy created for fraud, safety, sanctions, government orders, payment processor compliance, or consumer protection, Palmabook may apply the overriding rule to the extent necessary.

Questions about this policy may be sent to partners@palmabook.com or partners@palmabook.com.