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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:
Ted27 · 19/03/2023 16:13

@Rowgtfc72

There is no need to smuggle your 16 year old into a Premier Inn. Unless there is a problem you don't even need to speak to a receptionist.
The staff at breakfast just have room numbers and have no idea what type of room you have.
I've carried on booking a family room since my son turned 16, he is going on 19.
The room costs the same, you aren't cheating the hotel out of any income. I could have 3 people in there- there ate two of us.
What I don't do is try and pass him off as a child at breakfast - I pay.

If there is no loss of income to the hotel, then its a non issue.
What I do object to is the pp who said they passed their 21 year and 16 year olds off as a child for train tickets - that is a clear loss of income to the train operator.

misssunshine4040 · 19/03/2023 16:18

That's strange, most hotels wouldn't allow anyone under the age of 18 in a room alone.
Guests must also be over 18 to check into a hotel

Rowgtfc72 · 19/03/2023 16:18

@Ted27 more than happy to pay full price for breakfast.
Seen lots of other people take their older teens in. Never seen where the age limit is necessary. 3 beds are 3 beds. Why does it matter how old the person is?

MagpieCastle · 19/03/2023 16:26

Found recently that booking direct with companies can be better/same in terms of cancellation policy compared to booking.com. Like some other companies, booking.com seems to have shifted boundaries post-lockdown. Having a separate room at 13 isn’t something I’ve experienced (been able to book rooms with older teens when needed) so might be worth at least calling the hotel direct to explore?

LadyRoughDiamond · 19/03/2023 16:26

Shop around - sometimes the cost of a junior suite that can sleep you is lower than the cost of two rooms.

Spanky123 · 19/03/2023 16:34

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.

That's terrible form. Penny pinching like this puts small businesses out of business.

unclebuck · 19/03/2023 17:09

Spanky123 · 19/03/2023 16:34

That's terrible form. Penny pinching like this puts small businesses out of business.

Show quote history

No, it doesn't. Camping pods and vans sleep 4-6 and premier inns are in robust good financial health. We all pay for breakfasts and go back to the same places again and again, where we are welcome guests.
The utter nonsense on this thread is an eye opening into the small mindedness of many women. Just because it wouldn't work for you, doesn't mean it is wrong.

I have just booked a family room in Bangkok for us all - lancasterbangkok.com/room/family-rooms/ - it would only let me book for up to 12 yo on the website - so I emailed and they sent a lovely reply saying that any age of persons could share the room which has a double and twin beds, but we'd be charged for 2x extra adult breakfast. They also offered a free pick up from the airport. Lovely. There is no need for all this weird negativity about other peoples holidays, just do what suits you and trust that hotels are quite capable of not hosting guests they do not want.

Mirabai · 19/03/2023 17:13

budgiegirl · 19/03/2023 16:07

*Can you not understand that some parents give kids their own rooms because they don’t want to share with them either? “Demand” never comes into it.

Teenagers don’t have to stay home alone, they can stay with friends, relatives or go on their own holiday*

And do you not understand that some people can't afford to have two rooms? It's not rocket science. And some families would rather have their kids with then on holiday , than leave them at home. Or have no-one to leave them with. Horses for courses, isn't it? Just because your family didn't share, doesn't mean that no families should.

If you read the thread, that point has already been covered. You can go for a cheaper hotel, B&B, flat, cheaper area etc.

Divorcedalongtime · 19/03/2023 17:15

How weird I book with booking all the time and my endear who is 17 can still stay in the same room (for one night stopovers I hasten to add, we all need more privacy if a week long stay).

WhereIsMyRefund · 19/03/2023 17:31

We had family rooms for quite some time. We do enjoy each other’s company and our teens have always wanted to go on holiday with us. Still going on, and booked with the young adults again for this summer.

The trigger for separate rooms was my husband’s snoring ;-)

And my opposite sex teens now choose to share a room, when the other option is to share with their same sex parent. Sons don’t want to share with snoring dad and girl would rather not share with mum who goes to bed at 2200 and wakes at 0500. They have separate beds of course and change in their bathroom. All respectful.

Family life is about communication and compromise. And we go on lovely holidays in quite expensive hotels so cannot stretch to lots of rooms. It works just fine. I am dreading the day my young adult kids don’t want family holidays any more; we have such great memories from our trips.

seperatedmum · 19/03/2023 17:39

as someone very low paid holiday is supposed to be relaxing but giving a choice of "having no privacy or not going" isn't fair, I guess you wouldn't want him to stay home alone either? it's also taking the piss and teaching dishonesty to say he's 12 or sneak him in. you don't have to go away if it's too expensive 🤷🏽‍♀️

StarmanBobby · 19/03/2023 17:43

Just
change the age! It’s not legally binding.

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 19/03/2023 17:48

FUPAgirl · 19/03/2023 15:28

In a hotel?

Show quote history

Well, I get a suite, but that doesn’t really help the OP here.

BrokenLink · 19/03/2023 17:53

Consider booking a two bedroom Airbnb. You might even end up saving money.

Okunevo · 19/03/2023 18:04

Mirabai · 19/03/2023 17:13

If you read the thread, that point has already been covered. You can go for a cheaper hotel, B&B, flat, cheaper area etc.

Show quote history

And if you already do this to afford one room? I do. The next step down is camping, where DS is happy to share a tent anyway.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 19/03/2023 18:49

budgiegirl · 19/03/2023 16:07

*Can you not understand that some parents give kids their own rooms because they don’t want to share with them either? “Demand” never comes into it.

Teenagers don’t have to stay home alone, they can stay with friends, relatives or go on their own holiday*

And do you not understand that some people can't afford to have two rooms? It's not rocket science. And some families would rather have their kids with then on holiday , than leave them at home. Or have no-one to leave them with. Horses for courses, isn't it? Just because your family didn't share, doesn't mean that no families should.

Well even if you HAVE got someone to leave them with, why should that someone be put upon and have to look after a teen for a couple of weeks? Totally different if it’s a close relative who has offered many times for the teen to stay with them to keep them/cousin company.

all these people who say they’d never share a room as a teenager, does that mean you’ve never gone on holiday when young with friends, because usually you share with a few others then to save money. Or backpacking, sharing a dorm?

or is just one of those MN things where the very wealthy are just used to having holidays in nice hotels with their own room from a young age (possibly even with the nanny in adjoining room)

Mirabai · 19/03/2023 18:51

Okunevo · 19/03/2023 18:04

And if you already do this to afford one room? I do. The next step down is camping, where DS is happy to share a tent anyway.

Show quote history

At 13 I would rather camp than share a room with my parents. Even as kids we had our own tents.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 19/03/2023 18:53

imnotwhoyouthinkiam · 19/03/2023 16:09

I've just had a weekend in a Premier Inn. I shared a room with my DS (18).
My mum shared with my younger DS (16)

No one minded. Everyone got changed in the bathroom.

My brothers DC (all under 10) picked where they slept each night. We all had a lovely time.

If my DC don't want to share a room they can pay for their own. I can't afford to book multiple rooms.

Interesting. In that situation I would have shared with my mum and the boys would have shared a room.

Mirabai · 19/03/2023 18:55

@CurlyhairedAssassin The issue is sharing with parents. Sharing with siblings or friends is completely different.

Ktime · 19/03/2023 18:57

Try Hilton. We booked a Double tree, 8 adults in 2 rooms. Each room had a king size bed.

crackofdoom · 19/03/2023 18:57

That's strange, I've just booked various rooms in France and Italy with Booking.com, my DS1 is 13 and it wasn't an issue. Perhaps the difference is that we're 1 adult & 2 kids vs 2 adults and 2(?) kids? I think we've booked one with 3 twins, one with a double and a single (DS2 and I will share), and one I think with triple bunks 🤔.

I wonder if different countries somehow have different practices? I know some of the results that were coming up for us for Germany were pretty off kilter- loads of double rooms 🙄

Ktime · 19/03/2023 18:57

*had 2 king size beds

CurlyhairedAssassin · 19/03/2023 19:07

Mirabai · 19/03/2023 18:55

@CurlyhairedAssassin The issue is sharing with parents. Sharing with siblings or friends is completely different.

I don’t think it’s that different if you all really enjoy each other’s company the same as friends do. So many times on holiday we’ve said to our teens, “Dad and I want to do x/y/z today. We’re happy to have your company if you want to come with us, but if you don’t we’ll see you later.” Mostly they’ve chosen to come with us. If most of the holiday’s planned activities were going to be a “no thanks” then we probably wouldn’t be on that type of a holiday as a family holiday anyway . DH and I would just go separately in that situation now as teens are old enough to stay home. But it tends to only be for our anniversary that we would go without them and please ourselves. We enjoy their company and we like family holidays WITH them as they are good company and fun to be with and add to our enjoyment of our holiday. And i assume they feel the same about us or now they just wouldn’t bother coming.

RichardHeed · 19/03/2023 19:17

MN is baffling at times. You have threads where someone rings a bunch of bananas through as a single and people will scream thief, but here we have a majority of posters happily defrauding a hotel and in breach of H&S regulations (and would be the first time complain if an incident occurred and they weren't covered as had lied).

Okunevo · 19/03/2023 19:19

Mirabai · 19/03/2023 18:51

At 13 I would rather camp than share a room with my parents. Even as kids we had our own tents.

Show quote history

DS would rather share with me than put up and take down a second tent and would prefer not to sleep alone in a tent as he doesn't feel safe. They share on DofE and in Scouts, he doesn't need his mum but wouldn't be comfortable alone.