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AIBU?

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'Sneaking' two extra children into hotel room booked for two adults and two children

692 replies

AlbertCamel · 09/08/2024 09:04

AIBU in thinking this may have implications regarding insurance etc?

Friend is off on holiday later today to a large hotel abroad with her DH and four DC aged between 4 and 16. Not a package, no meals included and flights were booked separately.

The room has a small bedroom, bathroom and living area with a sofa bed. It sleeps 4. They've booked it for two adults and two children. That's the maximum number of people allowed.

She wants to check in with DH, their two youngest boys and all their luggage, and have the two oldest boys wait outside until they're 'sneaked' in a little while later.

I think that whilst this is logistically possible, it will have implications but not sure what these implications might be. Friend thinks there's no problem with this and nobody will bat an eyelid.

AIBU in saying it's not a good idea?

OP posts:
Kitkat1523 · 09/08/2024 13:24

Crayfishforyou · 09/08/2024 13:20

This.
The cleaners will 100% notice. The reception staff will also notice.
This is a really stupid thing to do.

You just decline any room service and ask to change your towels only …it’s a big hotel…,chances are no one will notice ….and if they do they won’t care

Wrongsideofpennines · 09/08/2024 13:23

I would be worried she would get caught out. Too many what ifs for me to be happy to even try. And I don't imagine the teens will be too happy at everyone squeezed in.

What if luggage doesn't arrive so the airline send it on to the hotel and the hotel say they don't have anyone in that name staying there. Or the hotel have an issue with the room and move you to a single room with 4 beds and you then are all cramped in 1 room, or there is a reason to claim on your insurance and they won't pay out because you don't actually have an accommodation booked for a third of your party.

Nicknacky · 09/08/2024 13:23

SweetBirdsong · 09/08/2024 13:16

This. I know people who work in hotels, and they have had fire scares, and actual fires, and the fire brigade do NOT go looking through rooms with no-one staying in them, and will NOT be searching for extra people that just may be in there.

I mean obviously if someone says 'my 2 extra kids are in there that I sneaked in' they will look, but what if that 'someone' (the parents) are unconscious from the smoke inhalation? As I said, the kids could be missed, and die, and then the parents would point the finger at the hotel/hotel staff, and try to sue them. Even though it was their own stupid selfish fault.

Also, as you said, people staying in hotels are NOT ALLOWED to bring guests back to the rooms anyway. If they do, they will be thrown out! As IF the staff, and the fire brigade are going to search around in a devastating and dangerous fire, for someone who is not meant to be there/someone they don't know about. Give over!

Fire service will force entry and search empty rooms. They won’t assume no one is within, maybe hotel staff would but they won’t.

Crayfishforyou · 09/08/2024 13:20

GoldenLegend · 09/08/2024 12:56

If she thinks the staff won’t notice, she’s wrong.

This.
The cleaners will 100% notice. The reception staff will also notice.
This is a really stupid thing to do.

SweetBirdsong · 09/08/2024 13:16

CheeseWisely · 09/08/2024 10:41

@Izzymoon It's not nonsense as people with hotel experience are telling you; without a rooming list they'd waste time searching unoccupied rooms for a start!

Bringing an adult back is no more allowed by hotels than sneaking extra kids in. Lots of time we've stayed in hotels on weekend breaks the doors have been locked after hours and the night porter / security checks name and room number (and amount of people booked to stay) before granting access. All the hotels I've worked in have done the same.

Splitting 4 pizzas between 6 isn't invalidating Dominos' liability insurance, FFS.

This. I know people who work in hotels, and they have had fire scares, and actual fires, and the fire brigade do NOT go looking through rooms with no-one staying in them, and will NOT be searching for extra people that just may be in there.

I mean obviously if someone says 'my 2 extra kids are in there that I sneaked in' they will look, but what if that 'someone' (the parents) are unconscious from the smoke inhalation? As I said, the kids could be missed, and die, and then the parents would point the finger at the hotel/hotel staff, and try to sue them. Even though it was their own stupid selfish fault.

Also, as you said, people staying in hotels are NOT ALLOWED to bring guests back to the rooms anyway. If they do, they will be thrown out! As IF the staff, and the fire brigade are going to search around in a devastating and dangerous fire, for someone who is not meant to be there/someone they don't know about. Give over!

Divasaurus · 09/08/2024 13:15

Shocked at some of the responses. This is theft and will be treated as such by the hotel when they discover it, which they almost certainly will.

Isthisreasonable · 09/08/2024 13:15

My df used to book a double room then sneak us kids in. I hated every minute of the holiday. No way would I do it as an adult.

cannellonies · 09/08/2024 13:13

HeyTalkToMeGoose · 09/08/2024 13:08

What a way to live! Looking over your shoulder, telling kids to be quiet and sneak in

No holiday is it!

But they’re in Spaaaaiiiiin! 😂

user1492757084 · 09/08/2024 13:13

It's her business. Her risk, her holiday so I would not be commenting. It's not as if you are in the same car as her while she is speeding.

HeyTalkToMeGoose · 09/08/2024 13:08

GoldenLegend · 09/08/2024 12:56

If she thinks the staff won’t notice, she’s wrong.

What a way to live! Looking over your shoulder, telling kids to be quiet and sneak in

No holiday is it!

Kittybakes89 · 09/08/2024 13:08

We go to Spain fairly regularly. We stay in an apartment that's rented out as a holiday let and always give passports which are scanned. In fairness we are adults so not sure on the rules on that for kids.

Recently a lot of hotels where we go have moved to wristbands regardless of board basis and having staff to check them at pool entrances. This was due to an increase in people deciding to save money by booking cheaper small hotels with no pool and just wandering to whatever big hotel they liked each day (people ate oddly quite open about this beforehand on Facebook in groups for the area)

It was causing lots of actual guest complaints about pools being too busy, not getting sunbeds etc when they'd paid to stay there.

I do wonder if your friend would be annoyed if she couldn't get a sunbed etc due to someone sneaking in from outside the hotel?

There will always be people who do this and justify it, and there will always be people that don't as they don't see theft as a sliding scale.

Ponoka7 · 09/08/2024 13:03

Msmumm · 09/08/2024 12:19

So you think they would keep rummaging in a smoke filled room on the off chance there was 6 and not just the 4 that were legally registered to be in there>
Can YOU not see why that would be an issue??

Yes they would. Families can't always book into the same hotel. So you could have relatives visiting, take your children's cousins for the day etc. The hotels I've stayed in has had open bars. People bring people back to shag. People get friendly and sit off in each others rooms. Fire training involves how to sweep a room. That doesn't change. There often isn't time for a look at the guest list. They don't rumage, people don't tend to fit in drawers, or climb into wardrobes if the place is on fire. Bathroom and window points when people are running out of air and it's getting hotter tends to be the norm. Stairwells are on the list. It's rare that there's a fire which means a loss of life in hotels in Spain anyway, especially since the smoking ban and better electrics.
The hotels I've stayed in, once there have been suspicions of sneaking in, the staff started asking for room numbers and occupancy. Just tip the cleaning staff well and not have housekeeping every day.

Butterworths · 09/08/2024 13:02

Msmumm · 09/08/2024 12:19

So you think they would keep rummaging in a smoke filled room on the off chance there was 6 and not just the 4 that were legally registered to be in there>
Can YOU not see why that would be an issue??

They would search the room according to their protocols and remove/ assist everyone they find. They would not stop searching once they'd ticked the right number off their clipboard no.

Happyher · 09/08/2024 12:58

This reminds me of my old DF. He used to take us camping/caravanning and some sites would charge you by the number of people in your party. He used to make my brother and I get out of the car and walk in the site by ourselves (we were old enough to do this). He would then just pay for 2!

scalt · 09/08/2024 12:57

Watch out for Basil Fawlty brandishing a broom, saying “right, the game’s up!”, and then hopping about in the corridor, in the troubled foetal position.

leafybrew · 09/08/2024 12:57

Outliers · 09/08/2024 12:19

I think it's none of your business tbh. Her life, her decision, thus her risk to absorb.

Has no bearing or implications for yours, so not sure why anyone would care.

Agreed

But Mumsnet certainly enjoys a Bitchfest thread. Where you can join the OP in being morally superior to others and thus better than sooo many people!

NB I'm not condoning the friend's behaviour but if she wants to risk it - she's an idiot, but hey ho. Maybe you need different friends OP?

GoldenLegend · 09/08/2024 12:56

If she thinks the staff won’t notice, she’s wrong.

Underlig · 09/08/2024 12:55

That’s a terrible thing to do. Some people have no morals.

Izzynohopanda · 09/08/2024 12:51

Iwant2beJessicaFletcher · 09/08/2024 12:36

We did this earlier this year. Booked a holiday with Tui for 4 people in a 2 bed room that could sleep up to 6 people. Oldest wasnt coming when we booked and then changed her mind. Rung Tui to add her to the booking and they said it would be ab extra £900!

Apartment was self catering and room was already big enough for 6 people. We declined to add her to the booking and instead added her to our existing flight for £250. Arranged for transport to our hotel from the airport for £30 return and snuck her into our room.

Was absolutely fine, no-one found out and she had a great time on holiday with us. We spent money in the apartment complex on food etc so they didnt lose anything (facilities are open to the public for free so having an extra person in the pool didnt impact anyone else either!).

Not quite the same. As at least they all had their own beds. They not sleeping on the floor or sharing a sofa. In a small hotel room, the sofa could be quite small also.

Kitkat1523 · 09/08/2024 12:51

happypickle · 09/08/2024 12:49

I have done it with Travelodge when they tried charging £20 extra for my toddler. Same room size and no other gain, so I felt the charge was unfair. I am paying for the room, not the number of occupants!

Don’t blame you

Kitkat1523 · 09/08/2024 12:50

DeclansAFeckingDream · 09/08/2024 12:40

I have no idea if lots of people do it or what the hotel will do if they are caught. I just think it's a shit thing to do. If they can't afford it, they should pick somewhere they can afford. Somewhere down the line, someone is paying for these older children, just not them. I hate sneakiness anyway.

I guess they are using extra electricity and a bit of wear and tear but beyond that I’m not sure what the extra costs are to others? There’s no meals or other services so it’s just the room …..my DS bunked in as an extra with with DD and her partner and kids for a night in London….he didn’t ‘sneak’ anywhere….just walked through with them…in and out….no one batted an eyelid ….it was a busy hotel…..it would have been £100 for a single room for the night ….not saying it’s right ….li wouldn’t do it……….but I wouldn’t dream of falling out with them

ThisOldThang · 09/08/2024 12:50

keepYourDogQuiet · 09/08/2024 12:18

@Polyp0
It's like Viz top tips page!

Such is Mumsnet 😂😂. I'm pretty sure the poster you were quoting was joking though. I guess you knew that.

"Commuters - avoid looking like a pillock when running for the bus. Instead, sprint the first 30 seconds when you leave the house."

Izzynohopanda · 09/08/2024 12:49

AlbertCamel · 09/08/2024 09:52

The parents will be in the bedroom. Two oldest top to tail on the sofa bed in living room with the two youngest on some type of inflatable bed also in the living room.

How uncomfortable. Where do they get the inflatable bed from? Extra sheets? Will the teens like sharing a bed?

happypickle · 09/08/2024 12:49

I have done it with Travelodge when they tried charging £20 extra for my toddler. Same room size and no other gain, so I felt the charge was unfair. I am paying for the room, not the number of occupants!

GlassRadiator · 09/08/2024 12:49

Surely hotels have the technology now to stop this from happening.

Even with the distinction of guests and workers in the mix.