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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Suddenly we need to book two rooms as DS is 13?

234 replies

deltapips · 19/03/2023 12:15

I was browsing booking.com earlier for May half term breaks. My eldest is now 13 so the options that came up defaulted to two rooms rather than one which obviously doubles the price, argh!
There's a hotel in Dorset that we've been to twice. The first time our room had a double bed and bunk bed. The second time we were allocated a two bedroom apartment with a double bed and two singles. Both perfectly adequate for my family now. But I can't book that now.
I know I call them directly but I'm not sure I'd get the "free cancellation" option that I really like.
AIBU to be annoyed or should I just suck it up?

OP posts:
Devoutspoken · 19/03/2023 12:17

Just lie about his age

xyzandabc · 19/03/2023 12:18

If you're all still happy sharing, just just say that he's 12 if that's the cut off age. As it's in the UK, it's not like they can ask for his passport.

Hbh17 · 19/03/2023 12:20

Well, I don't suppose 13 year olds want to share with their parents - I certainly didn't. Don't lie and try to defraud the hotel, just book the 2nd room and let him enjoy his own space and feeling more grown up.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 19/03/2023 12:21

Just put 12 on the booking. They don't ask for proof.

Poppins2016 · 19/03/2023 12:21

You can usually book direct and still use the free cancellation option - it's much more common for hotels to offer a free cancellation option these days.

It's also a good idea to check the hotel pricing after you've searched/established availability by going direct to their website, it's often a little less that quoted on partner websites.

SpinningFloppa · 19/03/2023 12:22

I would just lie

Miadi · 19/03/2023 12:22

That's weird. I share hotel rooms with my parents and I'm an adult. I shared when we went on holiday before and I was 17. I don't get why you'd need another room unless specifically asked for it by your son.

Devoutspoken · 19/03/2023 12:22

Hbh - so is that all 13 year old that don't want to share with parents or just yours?

unclebuck · 19/03/2023 12:23

I have taken DS18 and DD17 and styled it out when booking a room with them listed as 12 yo's. I just can't afford to go otherwise. I have never been challenged and we are very clean/tidy/polite and tip the housekeepers.

Notimeforaname · 19/03/2023 12:24

I mean you can lie but for how many years? Do you want him sleeping in with you at 14, 15? Eventually you're going to have to pay extra for your child to holiday with you.

OneTimeUseName · 19/03/2023 12:25

@unclebuck You made your 18 year old son and 17 year old daughter share a room?

Lastnamedidntstick · 19/03/2023 12:25

Yep weird.

I have two teens and never not been able to share.

in fact in many hotels you can’t have an under 18 in a room without an adult.

I’ve just booked something on booking.com for me, dh and our 15 year old so it can’t be their policy?

have you tried on hotels.com or their own website?

Notimeforaname · 19/03/2023 12:26

I have taken DS18 and DD17 and styled it out when booking a room with them listed as 12 yo's.

That's a bit much now.

PeekAtYou · 19/03/2023 12:27

Lie about his age. they won't check he's 12.

I'm a single mum of 3 and sometimes found that 2 adults + 2 kids was cheaper than 1 adult + 3 kids so I'd book the former.

Devoutspoken · 19/03/2023 12:28

Surely it's up to individual families to decide who they want to share a room with, age shouldn't come in to it

Original poster
deltapips · 19/03/2023 12:29

Hbh17 · 19/03/2023 12:20

Well, I don't suppose 13 year olds want to share with their parents - I certainly didn't. Don't lie and try to defraud the hotel, just book the 2nd room and let him enjoy his own space and feeling more grown up.

He would have no issue sharing with us at all. Particularly if it was a choice between sharing a room or not going away!

OP posts:
Tietheapron · 19/03/2023 12:31

OneTimeUseName · 19/03/2023 12:25

@unclebuck You made your 18 year old son and 17 year old daughter share a room?

I had to share a room with my dad and brother at a similar age.

I can’t pretend I wouldn’t have preferred my own space but it isn’t wildly inappropriate either (imo anyway.)

BeringBlue · 19/03/2023 12:32

We have made this mistake before - what we had to do was start again and request a triple/family room rather than twin/double (at which point it will default you into two rooms). I think some places don't have true triples, they just put up a small z-bed and then I guess it's up to them whether they put an age limit on it.

Original poster
deltapips · 19/03/2023 12:32

Notimeforaname · 19/03/2023 12:24

I mean you can lie but for how many years? Do you want him sleeping in with you at 14, 15? Eventually you're going to have to pay extra for your child to holiday with you.

Well yes but I'd like put that off for a long as possible! DS is a relaxed chap right now so until he starts to protest I'll keep us all together.

OP posts:
Bunnyhascovidnoteggs · 19/03/2023 12:34

We book a cottage ad adult dc share with ds's 8 and 14. Nobody has every not been happy sharing!
If a 13 yo was moaning they would be staying home!!

Original poster
deltapips · 19/03/2023 12:35

Lastnamedidntstick · 19/03/2023 12:25

Yep weird.

I have two teens and never not been able to share.

in fact in many hotels you can’t have an under 18 in a room without an adult.

I’ve just booked something on booking.com for me, dh and our 15 year old so it can’t be their policy?

have you tried on hotels.com or their own website?

I need a room for 4 of us as we have a younger DC too. But as I said in my OP, the rooms we've use before on that particular hotel are fine as there are 4 bed spaces.

OP posts:
QueSyrahSyrah · 19/03/2023 12:35

Some (not all) hotels will have restrictions on ages on their rooms due to the room size. I work with a hotel that has two kinds of triples, one suitable for 2 adults and a child and the other suitable for 3 adults. The difference is the square footage.

Booking.com can only work with that the hotel has told it and can't make an exception. Call the hotel directly and they might.

Original poster
deltapips · 19/03/2023 12:36

BeringBlue · 19/03/2023 12:32

We have made this mistake before - what we had to do was start again and request a triple/family room rather than twin/double (at which point it will default you into two rooms). I think some places don't have true triples, they just put up a small z-bed and then I guess it's up to them whether they put an age limit on it.

This hotel has rooms that accommodate 4 people though. It just seems to be the fact that DS is 13 so no longer is treated as a child Angry

OP posts:
Kitcaterpillar · 19/03/2023 12:37

I shared in with my parents until I left for uni - especially in the US where most rooms have two double beds. It's never actually occurred to me that this isn't what everyone does!

Dyslexicwonder · 19/03/2023 12:37

I stopped making mine (B/G) share a bed once DS was secondary age. They share a twin room though, surely you just change in the bathroom ?

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