A failed payment can happen for several reasons. Follow the steps below to find out why it happened and finish your booking smoothly.
Common reasons why payments don’t go through
There are multiple possible causes for payment failure:
- Your daily transaction limit has been exceeded
- Your credit or debit card has expired
- Your credit or debit card doesn’t have sufficient funds to make the payment
- Online or international payments are disabled on your card
- Your bank blocked the transaction for security reasons
- The room or rate is no longer available (it may have sold out during the booking process)
- Technical issues or a weak internet connection during checkout
- The authentication step (3D Secure) wasn’t completed or timed out
How to fix it and complete your booking
- Check your card details
Make sure your card number, expiration date, and CVV are correct.
- Complete the authentication request
If your bank uses 3D Secure (like Verified by Visa or Mastercard SecureCode), a confirmation screen may appear. If you close this too soon or don’t complete it, the payment will fail.
- Contact your bank
Ask if your card has restrictions (e.g., blocked for online or international transactions, daily limits, or flagged activity).
- Try a different payment method
We accept a variety of cards–sometimes simply switching from debit to credit, or using another card, is the quickest and easiest solution.
- Try again in an incognito/private browser window
Clearing your browser cache or switching browsers can sometimes resolve technical issues.
- Double-check your bank account
Make sure the payment didn’t go through before retrying.
Availability and Prices Can Change Fast
Rooms and prices on Hotelix update in real-time and aren’t secured until a reservation is completed. For high-demand dates and destinations, availability may change while you’re booking. If the room you selected is no longer available, you may need to choose a new one.
Seeing a Pending Charge but No Booking Was Created?
Don’t worry–this is likely just a temporary authorization. It’s a standard credit card check used across online booking platforms. The amount will automatically be released by your bank within 7 business days.