Sun Hotel Refused to cancel reservation New York New York

Reserved two rooms for four people through hostelscentral.com. They charged an upfront fee of about 10% of the room, non-refundable. This is reasonable and I paid it gladly. I was also charged maybe five dollars for 'international charges,' because apparently they are based in Europe. Since the website defaulted to euros, I'll just say that I should have known that and let it go.

HOWEVER, about three weeks before we were scheduled to leave, I learned that 2 of the four people had money problems, and we decided that we would be unable to go as planned. So I started searching the hotel's website for a way to cancel. (Hostelscentral provided no way to contact them at all.) I found only a phone number and an email address. We have terrible cell reception in my home, so I used the email.

I also used the email because unlike taping a phone conversation, email provides proof that the communication actually occurred.
I emailed the hotel and told them that I needed to cancel my reservation. I included my reservation number as well as my name. I said that I needed to cancel the stay, provided a reason, and told them that if there was anything else I needed to do, please contact me. I was never contacted.

1. The newly redesigned website says quite clearly that room cancellations can be done by emailing them or by calling them, (though they have changed both their email address and their URL since I sent the email.)
2. I know that the email I contacted works, because I sent an earlier email inquiring as to whether they let minors stay in the hostel, and received a reply.
3. The agreement under which I made the reservation states that I would be charged if I canceled the room less than 24 hours before I was scheduled to check in. This is reasonable, except last time I checked, 3 weeks was MORE than 24 hours.

They purposely ignored my attempt to cancel the room, and charged me for it anyway. I will of course be telling my bank not to pay the charges, but the fact that they do that kind of thing speaks more about their character than I care to know.

Melissa
Copley, Ohio
U.S.A.