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Original poster

To think we should get the best room in a villa?

506 replies

hwange · 16/01/2026 07:28

We’re going away as a family to celebrate two birthdays: my husband’s 60th and our son’s 30th. There will be five adults: me, my husband, our two sons (30 and 28) and older son’s partner.

We’ve rented a five-bedroom holiday house. The plan is:

  • One room for me and my husband
  • One room for our older son and his girlfriend
  • One room for our younger son
  • Two smaller spare rooms

Everyone is paying an equal share, and our older son’s girlfriend organised the whole booking.

All the bedrooms are nice, but one is clearly the best (great view and a fancy bed), one is also very good, and one is more basic but has a small kitchen.

What’s the fairest way to decide who gets which room?

OP posts:
Epidote · 16/01/2026 08:18

In my opinion if you are paying the same I would think the organiser has a call in choosing for their efforts. Specially if organising it was a pain. Once said that a family like mine will give the better roon to the parents out of respect. The other two can be choose by tossing a coin or something like that. However is not for you to claim a room, if you have to claim the bigger room something makes your family different than mine.

Heatingneedstobeontoday · 16/01/2026 08:18

When we book a big house for holiday we always get the best room. Hours of planning always falls to us... Best room is our reward!!

Catza · 16/01/2026 08:17

NewPapaGuinea · 16/01/2026 07:50

Controversial (or not), should go on seniority. No way would I be bagging the best room over my parents. Just basic respect.

I wouldn't either but, equally, I would not expect my mother to think she is automatically entitled to it. Just not the way we work as a family.

Lonelycrab · 16/01/2026 08:17

Agree with most that it should be the organiser. We did a similar thing a while back and as the organiser on that one we had no qualms about nabbing the room with the balcony.

CatsSleepFatandWalkThin · 16/01/2026 08:15

You haven’t said why you think you deserve the best room?

I think the organiser should get first choice.

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 16/01/2026 08:14

The two birthday boys share the wonderful room, the other three non-birthday people each get one of the meh rooms, and you leave one room for Miss Manners.

SchnizelVonKrumm · 16/01/2026 08:14

Gahr · 16/01/2026 08:12

Why should you get the best room? You're 60, not 80!

Why would it make a difference if they were 80 rather than 60? Confused

RosesAndHellebores · 16/01/2026 08:14

They're your sons. It's your husband's 60th birthday. Someone else organised it.

When we go away as a family @hwange we always have the best room. The difference is, we pay.

If you want to nickle and dime over costs and rooms to this extent, I assume you will be happy for this to be the last family holiday.

So wrong on so many levels.

YABU.

thepariscrimefiles · 16/01/2026 08:14

Why do you think that you should get the best room?

SchnizelVonKrumm · 16/01/2026 08:13

YaWeeFurryBastard · 16/01/2026 08:11

I think you should be paying the full cost, and also getting the best room. Unless there’s some backstory where your kids are much wealthier than you (unlikely). I can’t believe your single son is paying the same as a couple, wtf.

If it were my family then my DPs would offer to pay the whole lot as a treat for the whole family (and would obviously also then get the best room - but they would have organised it all as well). But obviously that's not possible/sensible for everyone.

CopeNorth · 16/01/2026 08:13

Do you mean equally by couple, room or person…? it’s not clear. If all 5 adults are paying the same each (my guess from your update re son with his own room) then I’d go with the organiser gets to choose her room first.

Gahr · 16/01/2026 08:12

Why should you get the best room? You're 60, not 80!

Funnywonder · 16/01/2026 08:11

Downplayit · 16/01/2026 07:31

Sorry but if you are all paying equal shares then the organiser gets the best room. Don't underestimate how much of her time will have gone into finding, agreeing and sorting it. Personally I would then give it up to parents but she should be offered it first.

I agree with this. Son’s girlfriend should get first pick. In her position, I would definitely offer to parents. But if I was the one of the parents, I’d probably say ‘nah, you have it’. It’d be like Mrs Doyle and her friend scrapping over who was paying for tea and cake in Father Ted🤣

YaWeeFurryBastard · 16/01/2026 08:11

I think you should be paying the full cost, and also getting the best room. Unless there’s some backstory where your kids are much wealthier than you (unlikely). I can’t believe your single son is paying the same as a couple, wtf.

ChanceOfALifeLine · 16/01/2026 08:10

Oh, looks like the youngest is paying 1/3 not 1/5? Then he gets the best room. Ridiculous way to split the cost.

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 16/01/2026 08:09

Could you not have found somewhere of a similar price with three nice bedrooms - rather than one nice one, two meh ones and two that just go to waste apart from storing a few empty suitcases?

MadamCholetsbonnet · 16/01/2026 08:08

Younger son should pay 1/5, not 1/3

Why do you think you should have the best room @hwange ? What’s your thinking?

I agree the organiser always gets the best room in this situation.

EnjoythemoneyJane · 16/01/2026 08:08

If it was a trip for just your DH’s 60th I’d say birthday boy gets the good room. Ditto if you’d organised it or were paying for it. But as it’s your son’s celebration too and his gf has done all the legwork, then no, best room is def theirs.

SchnizelVonKrumm · 16/01/2026 08:07

Bestfootforward11 · 16/01/2026 08:06

Think the organiser should get it. If it were me organising, I’d then offer it to the person whose birthday it is x

It's the organizers bf's birthday too!

Bearbookagainandagain · 16/01/2026 08:07

Why would get the best room?
Unless there are other circumstances at play, it's the person who organises everything that gets first pick.

SchnizelVonKrumm · 16/01/2026 08:07

If the younger son is paying 1/3 then he should get the best room as he is subsidising the rest of you!

Or if he's paying 1/5 then the older son and his gf should get first refusal on the best room as she's done all the organising.

Bestfootforward11 · 16/01/2026 08:06

Think the organiser should get it. If it were me organising, I’d then offer it to the person whose birthday it is x

DaisyChain505 · 16/01/2026 08:04

What exactly is your reasoning for thinking you are more important than anyone else on this trip and should be given the best room?

It would be a different story if you were paying a bigger chunk to cover part of eveyone else’s fee as a kind gesture but you’re not.

You are just an equal person who’s paid their equal share, the same as everyone else. And don’t tell me age gives you priority either.

gumpyforest · 16/01/2026 08:03

Why would you expect to get the best room? You’re all adults, it’s a big birthday for two people. Im not sure why you’d feel you’re more entitled to it than the person who has organised everything…

somanychristmaslights · 16/01/2026 08:02

Why should you get the best room??

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