Hotel bumped us to another hotel at midnight!!

[rabbitwoman]

This has never happened to us before, can anyone shed light on it?

Me and some pals went for a girls weekend away. We booked and paid for our rooms months ago.

four of us on Friday night, booked into our hotel, two per room. We were joined on Saturday by two pals, and tried to check them in when they arrived, around midday, but were told the extra room wasn't ready yet.

So we all went out for the day, came back around 11pm - to be told the hotel was overbooked, our third room was no longer available and two of our party was now being moved to another hotel.

The staff on duty seemed utterly bemused that we were furious. As if we were being unreasonable. We suggested at the very least they cover our bar bill while we waited for the taxi to take our friends off to another hotel, but no, not possible apparently.

Anyone had this happen to them before, anyone shed any light?

Cover your bar bill? That’s CF territory. How is it their fault your friends checked in late? They made alternative arrangements too so nobody was without a room for the night. Lesson learned for you all I think.

It happened to me once when I was very late checking in — the original hotel covered my taxi fare to the sister hotel, and I think threw in a breakfast.

If you'd already tried to check them in but the room wasn't ready they clearly knew the room wasn't a no show - I can completely understand the frustration!

The booking can't have been made as a group because four customers stayed on Friday and the others arrived on Saturday. Unfortunately it wasn't possible for them to check in when they arrived early.

It was a bit of a nuisance for you all but hopefully didn't spoil your weekend.

If they didn’t get back there until 11 how did you expect the hotel to sort it any earlier?

This has happened to me. It’s normal for hotels to overbook as others have said. It sounds like this hotel knew they were overbooked in this case and it was likely to be an issue which is why they didn’t check your friends in when they arrived early. Again, this would be a normal thing to do. Just pick up key when returning later.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect them to offer some sort of compensation like complimentary drinks or breakfast. The hotel is at fault here, albeit normal practice, not the guests.

It happened to us. We were two couples coming in on an evening flight and had booked two rooms at a hotel at the airport. We'd given our flight details when we booked, so they knew which flight we were on. Our flight was delayed and we got to the hotel, only to be told that they'd given away our rooms, because of the flight delay. Our friends were taxied to one sister hotel and we were taxied to a different sister hotel.

I think we got our breakfasts for free, but it was the last thing we wanted.

Overbooking is common, and late-show take risks

but tried to check them in when they arrived, around midday, but were told the extra room wasn't ready yet.

The hotel should have made a note immediately that guest xyz were waiting for their room.

Big error from the hotel, that shouldn't even happen and at the very least they should be apologetic. It's also very common for people to turn up early, and hotels to at least store their luggage.

What time did check in open?

Do the t&cs say the hotel can bump you if you're late to check in (which it sounds like your friends were)?

Only if check in opened at 12.

If check-in opened at 3pm, it's irrelevant that 2 guests tried to check in at 12.

Yes, this happened to me and my friend when we went to Ibiza a few years ago. We all, however, arrived on the same night and the others had rooms but we didn’t. They didn’t/wouldn’t pay for our taxi to the new hotel, which was dreadful, but apparently, of the same star rating. We were only young so we didn’t really argue as the manager got very angry when we tried to question anything and expressed that we were annoyed at being in a hotel a 20 minute taxi ride from our friends.

It does sound like a bit of a break down of communication on the hotel’s part, ie that the room was part of a group booking and that the occupants had already tried to book in.

I do think covering your “bar bill” whilst you waited as a specific form of compensation was quite optimistic though- sorry if I’ve gone off on the wrong track but it does sound like you’d been drinking already and that adding that you were “furious” into the mix, I wouldn’t have offered free alcohol.

However, I do think it was their error for the above reasons and they should have offered something to make amends.

Another time, if you need to go out for the day before the rooms are ready, I'd let them know very clearly that you’re going to be alternating and ask specifically that they note their system not to bump you as a late arrival.

Similar had happened to me on a work trip when we were coming up late from a different, unrelated work event. It wasn’t me who had to move hotels thankfully - the one guy in our party kindly offered to take the fall - but it was very unsettling late at night!

I am puzzled……were the two that arrived on Saturday supposed to check in on Friday? If so, then they were deemed to be no-show………that’s might be why their room was let to another guest.

We were trying to check in the additional guests at 2pm. The booking was all made by the same person months ago, and all paid for.

We had activities booked for 2.30 so left for the day. My pals had left their luggage there!! We were definitely not a no show!!

They did explain to us it was the same as a flight, but as far as I am aware, if you are bumped from a flight you get compensated for your trouble!!

I cannot understand why they would overbook hotels like that, surely it doesn't matter anyway if someone doesn't turn up, they would have to pay anyway?

I think what really bothered us was the complete lack of accountability. The hotel seemed bemused we would even be bothered by it!!! As if we were making a massive fuss over nothing, and being unreasonable.

And yes, we had been drinking!! It was Saturday night!!! We have been told we have to email the manager to get compensated, but i was amazed they didn't offer us something on the spot.

We were trying to check in the additional guests at 2pm. The booking was all made by the same person months ago, and all paid for.

Your OP said your friends tried to check in at midday. which would be too early for most hotels.

I know a bride and groom who were bumped from their hotel room on their own wedding night! The hotel were very matter of fact that they regularly over book, and they hardly even apologised. They had double booked the suite and the other party had checked in half an hour earlier, so that was that! It meant they ended up staying in a different town to all their wedding guests (we were all at the overbooked hotel).

I think you’re right in principle but I can understand why you weren’t offered more alcohol as the compensation. You can see why they thought that might escalate things.

I would contact the manager calmly now that you’re back explaining why you think this was unreasonable- I think they should refund you perhaps the cost of breakfast or similar. Or a part of the bill.

but in real life, it's not. Of course it's relevant. So many people try to check-in much earlier than 3pm.

People do that very often - and sometimes the room IS ready. And again, many hotels offer to store the luggage so their guests can enjoy their day.

If the hotel can't make a note that xyz guest has arrived (too early) then it's very poor service. Even Premier Inns chains usually manage (and they don't qualify as a luxury hotel)

If nothing else, that counts as not doing a late check-in and being a no-show: you arrive (too early), "sign in" and check in later.

I would be very annoyed by this if I had paid in advance! To me, whether or not you turn up to take the room, it's yours if you have paid for it. If you haven't paid in advance then fair enough, but how many hotels in city centres don't expect full payment in advance?

too early for check-in doesn't mean too early to note that it wasn't their room to give away as they were already there

I don't know if they still do it, but Travelodge used to have a policy called 'last man standing' - they were deliberately encouraged to fill every room as quickly as possible even if that meant bumping late-arriving guests with reservations or even pre-paid bookings in to other hotels - they would just deal with it. If I recall, there was a TV documentary about it; one bloke was moved to a hotel more than 30 miles away. I've refused point blank to use Travelodge ever since.

When I used to do it (I hated it!) It was in a 5* hotel, we would refund your booking at the original hotel and pay for your room at the other hotel, and get you a free taxi there and back so OP isn't unreasonable to expect compensation.

@nomas Yup, from about midday to 2pmish they were hanging out with us in our rooms and in the bar. We left at 2pm to go to our afternoon activity!!

I'm guessing that if you check the bookings terms and conditions then they have no obligations other than to find you another room.

Of course you have the choice where you place your custom in future.