To let two 17 year olds stay in a hotel in London on their own

well what do you think. ?

Brilliant ..well done for asking .
Glad it all came together.

Didn't you read the update right above your post?

I don’t think you will get round this, even youth hostels will want them to be 18. For safeguarding reasons I imagine. Similar situation - I took a day trip to London, checked them in on the machines and went home. They had the cards to access the room then, no one took any notice.

Thats brilliant - well done x

When ds was 17 we booked him an Airbnb for a uni open day they we couldn’t go to with him, it had a self check in box and it was fine. I don’t think they’ll get away with a hotel and could find themselves stuck.

Now I've got a teen in this age bracket (16-17) I feel like I'm being thrown back into that arena of judgemental parenting like having a baby or being a school gate mum all over again. I can't wait for it to be over (sadly wishing it away). Suddenly I can't stand other parents again and find friendship groups under strain. I'm way more funny about my teen being sexually active at 16 (I think it's too young) than a bit of well organised independent travel with trustworthy friends and unlike my interrail days smartphones! I did read a local post once where I live from a mum trying to find a package holiday company who would take a booking for her under 18 who had joined the military so working and paying taxes etc. Although earning he couldn't spend it on a package holiday. Made me think really.

That'd be a bit hard for them to do though - seeing as they're going to be out of the country at the same time.

Well if they don't use any, they risk being turned away. Many young people prioritise getting a provisional license because they know that official photographic ID is the only way they can get into bars. They're £34, so not cheap but doable for most.

Many people don't have driving licence or passport and seeing as UK don't have us cards what are they supposed to use?

Oops that did NOT have proof of age…

Haven't RTFT, but DD and friends stayed in the Oxford street YHA when they were 17 last year, so might be worth trying others besides Thameside.

“Rules are rules” isn’t quite as straightforward as it seems. My 16 yo daughter needs an accessible room and those aren’t ever shareable. I was booking a premier inn for us both and their rules say the room can only be booked when at least one of the occupants is over 18. I called them and asked what to do and they said it was fine to book it for her. She went along and did all the check in stuff and nobody challenged her.

How far away are you from where they are going? I’d say to book it and see what happens, but be prepared to go and pick them up if it all goes wrong.

I have witnessed a London Premier turning away a young couple that did have proof of age. They looked around 20 to me.

It is a big risk.

There are some countries (Italy and Hungary are examples I recall) where it’s legally mandated that under 18s must be accompanied by an adult when checking into a hotel or holiday accommodation, and others (like the UK, it’s not against the law here) where it’s down to individual hotel policy but most ultimately opt not to allow it because they don’t want to assume liability for unaccompanied minors.

Is this the law abroad too now? Lots of 17 year olds go abroad without parents? I didn’t know this was a thing.

It's a real pain in the neck for holidays abroad too, and probably affects Scottish kids a bit more, as loads of them are still 17 when they leave school. Mine had a lot of juggling for their sixth year holiday to make sure there was an 18 y old in each room on the booking.

Yes so they can book in to the YHA.

I’m more addressing the concerns that two nearly 17 year olds wouldn’t be able to navigate London and it’s all too risky. In that case them being a day or two away from 17 is relevant.

Hopefully they can get booked in to a youth hostel.

Which age are they closet to? Have they matured in that last year?

I was thinking more along the lines that the hotels won't care, to them it won't be a case of "you're nearly 17 so it's OK" - they'll be like "nah, mate. You're 16."

There’s a lot of difference and maturity between a child that has just turned 16 and one that is a day away from 17. Which age are they closet to? Have they matured in that last year? They grow up so much between 16 and 17. It’s like we’ve lost all critical thinking here.

If there is a UK wide law that says no under 18s can stay alone in hotels then fine. But the YHA seems to accept them and two nearly 17 year olds will be fine in London. OP knows her own child.

If my child was a few days away from being 17 then they are 17 in my eyes. Nothing magical happen at midnight on their birthday FFS 😂.

The OPs kids are 16 though.

This - two 16 year olds (which they are, not "nearly" 17 - they're 16)

• going down to London from Scotland, being expected to confidently navigate the tube network and get about despite presumably never being on it before.. It'll be extremely busy as well with everyone piling out of the arena at the same time when it finishes, so would be a stressful dash to get any public transport further across London.
• and then the added risk of not being able to get into a hotel as they are likely to get ID'd
• and you're abroad and out of the country at the same time to boot, so not exactly in much of a position to get to them quickly if need be....

Far too many risks

I wasn’t aware of this though. I think it’s just this country! Plenty of 17 year olds travel abroad just fine.

Like I said my 17 year stayed in a hotel in Jan. No problem. I didn’t know we had new regulations.

I have read all the thread - I think some haven’t to be honest as the conclusion is that the YHA will take them under 18. Than goodness.

That's all very well but so many places won't accept under 18s without over 18s now. Have you even read the thread?

I went away wuth friends at 17 - camping on the Isle of Wight. We had a blast (this was during the glorious summer of 1976), but I know that now it is difficult to find a campsite that accepts a group of 8 17 year olds without at least one of them being 18.

Times have changed. It isn't parents "babying" their teenagers. It is red tape and regulations.