Following the unexpected death of my wife’s mother, we were forced to cancel a holiday in Cornwall. We had booked a room at Holiday Inn Express in Warwick en route at a cost of £49.

I contacted the hotel to explain we would not be coming due to a bereavement. The woman immediately interrupted to say refunds were not given under any circumstances.

I asked if there was a customer-services department and was told I would be wasting my time, as they would only say the same. So I decided to rearrange the booking for another night and was told I would have to pay an extra £11.

All the other companies with whom we had bookings refunded our money without a problem and were considerate and sympathetic. Holiday Inn was cheap in every sense of the word. Alan Burdis, Tyne and Wear

Holiday Inn Express replies: “Our policy is that discounted prepaid room rates are nonchangeable and nonrefundable. However, we evaluate requests on an individual basis. We apologise that this inquiry was not handled sensitively and would like to offer Mr Burdis a full refund as a goodwill gesture.”

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