Ochre Moon B&B

My husband and I were moving from Perth to Darwin when our car engine failed in Tom Price. We had to leave a lot of our belongings behind, and couldn't get to the hotel for our two-night booking, starting 30 Oct. We weren't deliberately skipping the stay, and we're backpackers with a tight budget. We were hoping to get $140 back, but it has been difficult. I called the owner beforehand to explain. She told me to notify booking and thanked me for letting them know, so she knew we couldn't arrive that day or the next and could still sell the room. I told booking we couldn't make it and could provide proof. It was close to the time and I had to catch a plane, so I didn't have much time to ask booking to cancel, and I couldn't be reached while flying. After booking cancelled the room, the owner still said it was too late for a refund. When I called the hotel today, her manner wasn't as nice as the reviews had suggested. She said, 'You lost your money for your first night and I lost my second night money and we are even!' That was so rude. We have a story too, and they don't seem to understand us. Even though the car broke down in a small town, many Australians helped us, and I really appreciate that. It was touching.