to still book our DS (16) as a 15 year old at a Premier Inn?

[VioletOrange]

I’m probably going to get a flaming for this but here goes.

We only have DS, he can’t stay in a PI by himself until he’s 18. If we booked him in as an adult, as he’s classed as one now he’s 16, we’d have to pay for another room. So for now, while we can still just about get away with it, we book him in as a child stating he’s 15.

In one PI where we’ve stayed many times over the years, a couple of the regular staff are aware but they’re ok with this. He doesn’t get up for breakfast so doesn’t benefit from the ‘kids eat free’ deal.

AIBU to carry on doing this for as long as we can get away with it? Not that he’ll likely still want to come away with us in the next few years.

My personal opinion is that on the one hand they class 18+ as adults but want to charge a 16 year old adult prices.

I think some posters and I must be different species

not for one second would I feel guilty about this.

and I also don’t get those who do this but then say they would never do the free breakfast option.

Tell you what OP, to balance out your morals, I book me and two young kids into a room for 2 adults and one young kid, and pay the exact same (for the privilege of me sleeping on a sofa bed.. since that's better than sharing with one of the kids!)

You're paying for a room (and some coffee/toast - that at the last one I stayed at, no-one even checked you were a guest!) with 3 beds. It doesn't matter who is in them, and morally, I might suggest it's profiteering to make a 16 year old pay as an adult for that same bed a child would use.

Someone like those would have done very well in 1930s Germany

Mindless Rule following linked with integrity

ironically we find it cheaper to book it as two adults as opposed to my oh and son when visiting family.

Absolutely do it while you can. I just shamelessly got 2 15 year olds in on a day out as 14 year olds, the difference was £28 in the cost. Not a hint of guilt from me!

I have had to do the opposite at PI, as they wouldn't let me book one adult, 3 children. Health and safety rules apparently! So had to put one of my children as an adult.

I have said already that I just couldn't pretend DS was younger than he was, even if I wanted to/it would save me money. However I have also stated that I wouldn't judge anyone who felt it was the best option for them at that time. We each make different choices, follow/bend/ignore different 'rules' and none of us are perfect in this regard. I hope everyone staying in a PI, or any hotel, has a nice break and a good sleep (that's the main thing I care about when I am there!).

If it's true that an under 18 isn't allowed a room to themselves (which I have frequently read on here) then it is completely unreasonable to charge adult price for a 16/17 year old.
If an under 18 is with their parents then I think they should be charged child price, if they're on their own behaving like an adult eg having their own room etc then they should pay adult price.

I take the same view with train fares. My dd 17 has a Railcard and gets adult fares if she travels alone. But if I go on the train with her and the two younger kids then I still do kid for a quid. No ticket inspector has ever even glanced to see if they think she's under 16. (It helps that she is short but she has lots of piercings that should probably be a good hint that she's over 16)

Why is it a system to
‘help’ families with younger children. It’s just a system. The OP isn’t cheating any families in need of help ☹️

Ironically the other day it was cheaper to book five kids onto an activity as a "family" which had to include an adult. So we booked dd(17) as an adult. Again nobody remotely questioned it. It saved £6 per child so £30 total compared to paying for five kids.

So should obese people be charged more than non obese?

Where’s the pretence? There’s no acting involved. If I was asked outright, which is almost laughably unlikely, then I wouldn’t lie.

Technically no.

the family rooms often have two not quite full size single beds.

Premier inn family room terms

The maximum room occupancy is two adults. Family rooms (where available) can accommodate two adults (18 years and over) and two children (under the age of 16 years). Children aged 16 or 17 years will be permitted to stay in separate room(s) under the responsibility of the parent or guardian and the parent or guardian must also stay in the hotel at all times the children are within the hotel.

it says what family rooms “can” accommodate. Not “maximum”

Whether you think it’s a fair policy or not, the rules clearly state he is not entitled to it and she hasn’t paid for it.

people like this would thrive in a fascist totalitarian state

Btw Yanbu at all. I’m likely to have the opposite problem because I want my kids in a separate room and it would appear it isn’t allowed.

probably wouldn’t be appropriate to take advantage of “kids eat free” but you made it clear you’re not.

YANBU per se, but we've always booked two rooms and DDs have been in their own room for the last couple of years or so as they need a bit of privacy and it was much too crowded in a family room, even though we had to book it so that one DD was in each room with an adult, that wasn't how we actually occupied the rooms. They are 18 and 14 now.

Agree with you!

It's their policy that is wrong. Teens should not be classed as adults until they are 18.

Jesus, get a life!

They probs wont care.

They technically only allow 2 adults and 2 kids per family room but we have gone with 2 adults and 3 kids and they have never objected.

We’ve done it. Not thought twice about it. Much nicer than the Travelodges.

I warn you a Travel lodge is a very different experience to PI. I refuse to stay in a TL ever again. Ghastly places! (shudder)

I literally know no one who would do this.

PI asks for age at time of booking, or at least it does every time I book online, selecting a different age is creating the pretence that the child is the age that's been selected and not the age the actually are. I have no idea if they ask the age on a phone booking because I haven't booked by phone for years, if not then of course that's (subtly) different. As stated several times, I am not judging folk for what they think is the best decision at the time, but it is definitely a pretence if you knowingly select an age your child isn't! I am not sure how anyone would think it isn't.

I agree that 16 year olds should not have to pay adult prices for anything though as they are not adults and most of them are still at school and most certainly supported by parents. Society hasn't really caught up with kids not leaving school at 15/12 etc these days. I mean DD1 could get a 16/17 card and pay child prices on the train but why the extra admin? Just keep them at child fares until 18.