'Sneaking' two extra children into hotel room booked for two adults and two children

[AlbertCamel]

AIBU in thinking this may have implications regarding insurance etc?

Friend is off on holiday later today to a large hotel abroad with her DH and four DC aged between 4 and 16. Not a package, no meals included and flights were booked separately.

The room has a small bedroom, bathroom and living area with a sofa bed. It sleeps 4. They've booked it for two adults and two children. That's the maximum number of people allowed.

She wants to check in with DH, their two youngest boys and all their luggage, and have the two oldest boys wait outside until they're 'sneaked' in a little while later.

I think that whilst this is logistically possible, it will have implications but not sure what these implications might be. Friend thinks there's no problem with this and nobody will bat an eyelid.

AIBU in saying it's not a good idea?

@mrsdineen2 keep well away from Spain.😎

They might end up paying more in bribes than what two rooms would have cost. 😂

And if there's not only 2? Maybe there are many people there who have squeezed a couple of extra bodies in their room thinking the rules don't apply to them. When does it become unacceptable?

Are you the OP's friend?

Given the number of posters who think it is OK to do this, I wonder if hotels will begin to cop on (here and abroad).

If I knew someone who did this I would silently judge them.
If you can't afford more than the number of children a family room would hold don't have them.

Spain's drought is not caused by these two children. Lack of rain and many tourists have created a difficult situation for local people in some parts of Spain.

The decision to keep hotels open would be based on people paying for hotel space and that payment would be used towards water and all other facilities.
If too many people start using resources and not paying for them, it becomes unsustainable and maybe then they would have to close.

Is there a reason why you think OP's friend should be entitled to use facilities and not pay for them?

I work in a hotel and yup, we'll tell you it's because of fire regulations and insurance and at least in the UK that's partly why.

For the insurance I believe, though might be wrong, that it doesn't invalidate the insurance as such but it does mean those not officially on the booking are not insured so if anything does happen they've got no redress.

And for the fire, it's not for at the time, no the fire brigade won't take my word for it who's there, staff could be in any room, people get snuck in, people go out and don't come back until the early hours or later hours! Yes we have a list (and have to have by law with contact details) but people give false information or wrong information etc, but it's more to have a starting point to contact people if they then aren't accounted for, or should they find someone unable to identify themselves, a starting point to identify them.

I've done a full evacuation before and people on the list not accounted for - the police then took over trying to contact them - the fire service still searched every area, that's why you have building plans with every area on, so they can. Helpful if you can say you know if someone is definitely in a room, but they don't just take your word for it, that could be disastrous.

More important is getting out when you hear the fire alarm, because yes 9/10 it's a false alarm, but I've had the 1/10 time and it's genuinely scary when people just decide without knowing, that it's a false alarm and don't leave, as annoying as those 9/10 times are, that 1/10 could cost you your life.

But as someone who works in hospitality and relies upon the income the hotel makes, people not paying the right amount can cost people like me hours and maybe even a job if things get bad enough - what's the first thing you think a hotel will cut back on when revenues are down? Staff. Or put up the price to everyone.

Extra people are extra water, electricity, bedding that needs to be washed etc - one or two are expected and sustainable but a lot becomes an issue. It never seems to be seen as a big deal if the hotel loses out, negligible, nothing to worry about - only when the guests are expected to pay for the service they're actually using is suddenly the same amount an issue.

People think it's victimless and a bit of a lark - it's not when you're on the other side of it.

If one of the teenagers slipped in the pool or something and seriously hurt himself, would insurance cover it? Just curious.

I'm not 100% sure and happy to be corrected by someone in the know, in the industry, but I would say the hotel insurance wouldn't cover them as they weren't guests and I don't think their holiday insurance would cover it either as they were in a place they were not allowed to be. Insurance companies find ways not to pay out. I suspect this would be an easy one for them to get out of.

In my experience, the hotel's attitude here is "if you don't make it impossible for us not to notice, we'll make sure we don't."

Also, as a rule of thumb - the posher the hotel, the less they care.

There's no way we would have a good night's sleep if we were 6 in a 4 beds situation. But then,that's us. I tend to prioritise our sleep when booking a holiday as otherwise everyone is grumpy and not really enjoying themselves. Each to their own though! And your friend's attitude is quite cheeky tbh.

Hotels normally take your passports in and record the details. Also they definitely get scanned and I presume that a record is made at passport control when you enter. I wonder whether the two systems link up?

@Msmumm can you not see they'd not have to rummage in a room to see bodies?

Do you think they'd say hang on..... there is supposed to be a two year old in here, but this one is at least 16, let's throw it back?

Don't be ridiculous.

It wouldn't be the priority, but once they're back home they might play the victim and leave a bad review out of spite. There really are people out there who do that sort of thing, sadly. I know people whose small business have ended up with bad reviews over situations that were 100% the customer's fault.

Spain had a reputation for "manana", laid-back, casual.

It's not been like that for a long time. Red-tape is for bad for their own citizens, horrendous for EU citizens, & unbelievable for others - e.g. Brits.

The CFers are likely to get caught out.

. I wonder whether the two systems link up?

Absolutely no way. A border agency isn't going to have some sort of data share with random private businesses.

This is what I was thinking too, but I am not certain. If so, it certainly isn’t worth it for a few quid. People need to think for themselves what the actual consequenses might be. Not rely on a GoFundMe or sad faces in the paper. Especially parents who are responsible for the safety of their children.

I can guarantee you everyone is on high alert for British bad behaviour

Yep. News coming out of the UK in the last 2 weeks is not exactly laying smooth ground for tourists aiming to get away with stuff on holiday.

For a week whilst actively using the hotel facilities like the pool?

Why is CoffeeGood's post ignorant? I admit I'm completely out of the loop on this drought.

Not CoffeeGood, the poster he/she quoted.

Aw, thank you for questioning that, don't worry,* *cannellonies wasn't referring to my post, I understood. The way the quotes show on here isn't always helpful, she meant the one I was quoting and replying to, but it doesn't show the previous posts unless you click on the "show quote history", so it can be confusing!

But how do they know it would only be one family that did this?

Ah okay, thank you for explaining.