Maui fires-need help getting refund please!

[Brightstar85]

Hi, I need help getting a refund through redweek for a 10/7 trip I had planned to Westin Kaanapali Lahaina. This is all due to the Maui fires. Redweek and the owner are not helpful and will not issue refund. The government doesnt want us there. I dont know where to turn. Please help, any advice is appreciated.
Thank you!

 

[jabberwocky]

Hi, I need help getting a refund through redweek for a 10/7 trip I had planned to Westin Kaanapali Lahaina. This is all due to the Maui fires. Redweek and the owner are not helpful and will not issue refund. The government doesnt want us there. I dont know where to turn. Please help, any advice is appreciated.
Thank you!

What was the refund policy in the Redweek rental contract you agreed to. Do you know if the resort has canceled the reservation for the owner?

If the resort is open and receiving guests then you would have to look at whether this situation is covered by any travel insurance policy you may have purchased.

If you want you could try seeing if the owner would be willing to change your reservation to another date. Otherwise if you cancel because you decide you don’t want to go then I would expect Redweek and the owner to follow their cancellation policy.

 

[VacationForever]

If the resort is open, then you don't have a way out of it, unless the owner is able or willing to make a change. Do not expect a refund. Gov is discouraging travel until Oct 17 but it is not prohibited.

 

[geist1223]

Where on Mau'i is the Resort?

 

[dioxide45]

Was this full service and protected, or did you rent directly from the owner? Was there a contract? What does it say about cancellations?

 

[dioxide45]

What was the refund policy in the Redweek rental contract you agreed to. Do you know if the resort has canceled the reservation for the owner?

If the resort is open and receiving guests then you would have to look at whether this situation is covered by any travel insurance policy you may have purchased.

If you want you could try seeing if the owner would be willing to change your reservation to another date. Otherwise if you cancel because you decide you don’t want to go then I would expect Redweek and the owner to follow their cancellation policy.

If the resort is open, then you don't have a way out of it, unless the owner is able or willing to make a change. Do not expect a refund. Gov is discouraging travel until Oct 17 but it is not prohibited.

As far as I know, none of the Vistana resorts in Ka'anapali are accepting new guests.

Where on Mau'i is the Resort?

It is north of Lahaina.

 

[maui-or-bust]

Hopefully you paid by credit card. Call them and dispute the charges. Tell them the resort is not excepting patrons, if this is true.
The Governor said shouldn't go, not "You Can't".

 

[rickandcindy23]

Hopefully you paid by credit card. Call them and dispute the charges. Tell them the resort is not excepting patrons.

This is the message on Vistana's website:

Update:

Wildfires have caused widespread damage to West Maui. Unfortunately, hundreds of our associates have lost their homes, loved ones, and memories in the fires. The Hawaii governor’s proclamation is strongly discouraging nonessential travel through October 17, 2023, to allow an effective emergency response.

Our disaster assessment and response team continues to respond to this crisis and provide relief. We will provide updates as conditions warrant. Please know that we are continuing to work to bring the resort back to normal operations. Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time, as our associates focus on recovering their lives and community.

 

[TAT]

As a owner on the other side of this situation, there’s no real way to recoup the use of the property. They aren’t making it easy to cancel and get unrestricted options back. If the property does cancel the reservation, then you will get your refund (which is what happened in my case). Otherwise I’d just go. It wont be perfect, but it is still paradise. Go to Costco and grab groceries before you head out. I would if I could.

 

[pchung6]

If I’m the owner, I would refund you and take the loss. I will see if I can cancel and receive unrestricted points back or not, then impose some cancellation fees depending on the situation.

However, owner doesn’t have to do that. You can file dispute with Redweek after check in date. Make sure you cite the unit is inhabitable due to fires and pollution, and government discouraged visitors until Oct-17th. If you win the dispute, you get your money back.

Negotiate with owner if they can reschedule to a later day? The current reservation is very much wide open until 2024. See if they want to help.

You can also dispute with your credit card, but on your agreement you agreed not to file credit card dispute. Also check your credit card if it has travel interruption insurance and see if you can file claims there.

If you’ve purchased travel insurance, I think you are covered there since government already issued statement discouraging visitors.

Good luck and hope it can work out.

 

[jabberwocky]

As far as I know, none of the Vistana resorts in Ka'anapali are accepting new guests.

Have they announced a particular date until which they are canceling existing reservations to include mid-October? This is quite different than not accepting new reservations.

 

[dioxide45]

Have they announced a particular date until which they are canceling existing reservations to include mid-October? This is quite different than not accepting new reservations.

MVW is very vague on the details. As of right now, they aren't accepting new checkins. At least as far as I know. I don't think they are cancelling as far out as mid October yet. As of right now, I don't think the OP can just cancel and expect any refund unless or until Vistana cancels the reservation on the owner. That said, details are in the contract. This is why it is important to have a contract and also for us to know if the OP rented via full service/protected through Redweek. As we know what is in the Redweek full service contract.

 

[Brightstar85]

Where on Mau'i is the Resort?

Maui Westin kaanapali

 

[emeryjre]

Do you a written contract between you and the owner of the unit?
If so, what does the contract say about cancellations?

 

[echino]

All Redweek contracts have no refunds on cancellations within 60 days, regardless of cancellation policy. Contract terms are clear: no refunds. The owner may offer you to reschedule, but they don't have to do that.

As of right now, the reservation is in place and not cancelled. Most likely nothing will change and you will be able to go and check in. Travel is discouraged, but not prohibited. If you decide not to go, it's your own choice, not covered by insurance or by contract. In an unlikely event that the resort cancels the reservation, you will get the refund.

 

[sjlola]

As others have mentioned, check your contract with Redweek. The resort is not currently open to owners/guests, so that may offer you some leeway. You also might check with your credit card company to see if they offer any travel insurance benefits ((Chase Sapphire offers pretty robust travel insurance, but it's a very expensive annual fee for this card). We rented one of our WKORV-N weeks for September 1-8. We refunded their money and as we received restricted options we knew we wouldn't be able to use by the end of 2023, we optd for a resort credit for our 2024 stay. Not ideal, but we decided not to escalate with Vistana. I'm sorry the owner isn't doing the right thing.

 

[RunCat]

FWIW, on the Marriott Hotel website, I can make a reservation into WKO starting Oct 1. It does not currently look like the resort is cancelling reservations after Sept 30th.

 

[pacman777]

If RedWeek is the one processing payment, I’m surprised they didn’t side with the guest and canceled and offered full refund. It seems to be their SOP to side with guests and screw over owners (based on my actual experience).

 

[dioxide45]

If RedWeek is the one processing payment, I’m surprised they didn’t side with the guest and canceled and offered full refund. It seems to be their SOP to side with guests and screw over owners (based on my actual experience).

GIven all the question asked, the OP has been rather scant on details. Even though they have been back since most questions were asked, they only replied to one of them and that question was actually answered in their initial post.

 

[VacationForever]

As far as I know, none of the Vistana resorts in Ka'anapali are accepting new guests.


It is north of Lahaina.

But reservations are not being cancelled for Oct.

 

[Passepartout]

We think the resort is open. There will be no refund when no loss has occurred.

Jim

 

[Brightstar85]

Was this full service and protected, or did you rent directly from the owner? Was there a contract? What does it say about cancellation

Was this full service and protected, or did you rent directly from the owner? Was there a contract? What does it say about cancellations?

If the resort is open, then you don't have a way out of it, unless the owner is able or willing to make a change. Do not expect a refund. Gov is discouraging travel until Oct 17 but it is not prohibited.

Seems like the resort and owner aren't budging on refund BUT the Hawaii government is telling me NOT to go. Wow..... this is terrible.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Seems like the resort and owner aren't budging on refund BUT the Hawaii government is telling me NOT to go. Wow..... this is terrible.

Call the resort directly and ask if you will be welcomed.

 

[bnoble]

Seems like the resort and owner aren't budging on refund BUT the Hawaii government is telling me NOT to go.

You still haven't answered the important question: What does your rental agreement say? You are not necessarily entitled to a refund, even if the resort is closed. It depends on what that agreement says.

(I suspect you haven't answered it here because the answer is that it says no refunds under any circumstances and may even mention force majeure, a lesson many learned the hard way during the pandemic.)

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

You still haven't answered the important question: What does your rental agreement say? You are not necessarily entitled to a refund, even if the resort is closed. It depends on what that agreement says.

(I suspect you haven't answered it here because the answer is that it says no refunds under any circumstances and may even mention force majeure, a lesson many learned the hard way during the pandemic.)

Force majeure section of Redweek Rental Agreement

If the Unit is uninhabitable or inaccessible on the day the Rental Period commences by reason of flood, fire, storm, force majeure, or other natural disaster, and a satisfactory substitute is not made available, the total Rent Payment will be refunded to the Renter. If the Renter is required to evacuate the Unit at any point during the Rental Term, the Renter is entitled to a pro-rated refund for unused nights from the point of evacuation order through the remainder of the Rental Period. In such events, the Owner will have no further liability to the Renter. Renter's inability to complete their travel for any other reason beyond the Owner's control (including, but not limited to, illness, airline interruptions, job loss, government mandate or restrictions) are the sole responsibility of the Renter, and the Cancellation Policy in section 4 applies. Renter is encouraged to purchase trip interruption and cancellation insurance for such matters.