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?

You physically can, I do it all the time, not sure I am somehow avoiding all the ones with strict rules. Midday would be pushing it, but I can't think of any hotel where you can't get your room one hour early when it's ready.

The cheap ones often offer, when available, a fee for early check-in/ late check-out

but most hotels at least offer to store luggage and help out if rooms are not available.

Regardless, telling you a few hours later that they gave away your bedroom to someone else after all that, is just not acceptable.

It’s never happened to me that late but I’ve arrived at a hotel on holiday to be told we’ve been moved to a different hotel.

Travelodge do this a lot. They essentially overbook the hotel, because they know a small percentage of guests won't show up. You tried to check in at midday, the room wasn't ready but you then didn't come back until 11 pm to check-in. By that time other guests had checked in and in essence taken the room. Your other guests were then told to go to another hotel (within the same chain) as they had available rooms. 11 pm is too late to be checking into a hotel, without notifying the hotel in advance. When you tried to check in at midday, if you'd told them you wouldn't be back until 11 pm, they may have held the room. It's common practice unfortunately.

To be honest, if I was told that my room wasn't ready, I would assume that I had a room to come back to when I did turn up later.

I have learnt now that that is not good enough.
Why can't hotel staff accept that this person has shown up and not give their toom away?

This happened to us when I went to a gig in London with my daughter. We were moved to another place around the corner. Last minute cancellations are so regular in some hotel chains that they rely on that trend to fill the rooms and off-load their extra guests if needed. Mistakes happen in the booking system (some of the third party platforms don't synch properly), and hotels will try not to cancel the room altogether if it is reserved using a third party platform (as they get fined/ pushed down for performance/ risk bad reviews etc). Overbooking is also a word used to replace the truth sometimes (maintenance needs or they think the guests will be trouble (not suggesting you were)). There is probably something in the terms and conditions that permit them to move guests due to unforeseen circumstances. I own holiday lets and have such terms in our booking form to cover unplanned events (like it being trashed by previous occupants). If you are upset then you can reflect that in your hotel review.

They really should have checked your friends in (ie did all the paperwork) when they arrived at 12pm and told them to just collect the key at reception when the room was ready (or they were ready to go to their room)

When we dropped DS off at Uni stopped night before in hotel paid for early book in - was supposed to be able to book in from 11 am got there just after 1 pm. Has list of things we needed to get done and been traveling for hours - so wanted to drop cases and head off.

25 minute stood around waiting while they ascertained if the room we should have been able to get from 11 am had actually been sorted. No urgency - no undertanding we'd like to get in get sorted and get on - they just tried to get us to book evening meal there - they didn't apologise either.

DH had booking can't get to till late and he does let the know this - and luckily had no issues but collegues have turned up after hours or travel and their book and paid for room been given to someone else.

because it's so bloody obvious you want the room you BOOKED and tried to check-in for, that you don't need to tell the hotel? 😂

I don't call the hotel the day before my booking to check they understand my booking means I actually want the room?

Why do people need to be babied so much
😂😂this must be the most ridiculous comment I"ve heard on here

We've had this. We were going to a gig and couldn't get a nearby room and had to stay in a town 15 mins drive away.

Arrived at the hotel and the room wasn't ready. Explained we were going to a gig. They said we could get changed in the bar toilets and leave the luggage with them, then check in after the gig.

After the gig, our booked taxi cancelled and it took ages to get another taxi to take us to the hotel. Arrived after midnight and they told us they were now overbooked and I had to drive to another hotel half an hour away. I couldn't drive as I'd been drinking and was over the limit.

We had to wait an hour until they manged to get us another taxi to the other hotel.

In the morning we had to get a taxi back to the original hotel to collect the car.

I do think they should have honoured our booking as we did try and check in at the correct time and it's our fault they were behind with cleaning and our room wasn't ready.

So, booking and paying for a room months in advance, turning up at midday, leaving your luggage with friends who are already booked into their rooms is no longer enough to secure your hotel room?

And hotels don't really have a good enough reason why, just that they can then get two fees for the same room?

And arriving at 8pm? This is now a risk of not having your room?

I just cannot fathom this!! To be honest, I always stay at little independent b&bs anyway.

I have definitely learnt something today ....

It's true. We too check in on arrival, and not at 3pm.
In the middle east it's typical for your flight to land at 6/7am and you go to your hotel & check in. Usually your room won't be accessible until 3pm, but they'll store your luggage, complete the paperwork & message you as soon as the room is free.
If you're arriving from 12pm as OP suggested, sometimes you can bag yourself the actual room early.
If my flight lands late, I always add a note to my booking that they can expect me later.

I think this hotel messed up, and they should've been more accommodating in rectifying it or making it right.

It doesn't cost anything to say it I guess, but I can imagine most hotel reception staff will be a bit puzzled if you turn up with a booking, luggage in tow, try to check in too early, have to come back later when rooms are ready

and tell them, can they make sure they understand your booking means you actually want the room 😂

Or they think you take them for complete idiots

It's very possible someone will sulk and go back home, but it's not that likely 😂

I'd put a complaint in :Tried to book in was told to come back later - had booked stuff to get to - did things got back when done to find paid for room given away.

It's not great service really.

There was some suggestion we come back later that rapidly went when DH said are you refunding the early check in then.

If you turn up at a hotel at 12pm and check in is at 3pm, they may just tell you it's too early without taking your details. You need to tell them you'll be back late.

What is so ridiculous about that?

It happens sometimes - although it's really frustrating.

Often a previous guest has trashed the room and it can't be re-occupied until repairs are complete

They may do, but if they said that the extra room wasn't ready, that sounds like they might have taken a look.
That's what I would have (wrongly) assumed anyway.

We had this with Travelodge a few years ago. Booked and paid in advance for a room in Knutsford as we were going to to the football at Old Trafford. Arrived to be told that our booking had been moved to the Travelodge on the motorway that we had passed on our way in. We were told that ' all football guests' had been moved.

I stood my ground, asked them how they knew we were going to the football as nowhere had this been disclosed on the booking, and we never told them when we arrived to check in. Lots of 'um's and ahhs'. Then they said they didn't have a room at which point I told them that we had booked and paid for a room at that hotel, and that they'd better find us a room PDQ. Manager appeared, and I reiterated our position. He asked if we'd mind going next door to have some lunch, come back in an hour and we'd have a room ready which we did.

I wouldn't mind but we had purposely emailed the hotel to ask if we could check in early as we had plans in the afternoon and had the the printed confirmation from the hotel that this would be okay.

This happened to my nephew. It's very bad form.

Leave a stinking review.
Yanbu.

I think 12pm is so early that the staff may not even check if a room is available.

It's effectively a paid for benefit to check in that early.

That’s so annoying OP. This has never happened to me in 54y but I would not be happy at all.

Can I ask, was this a hen trip? I wonder if the hotel does not like hosting these perhaps? Hope you have a good trip anyway.

I wouldn't mind but we had purposely emailed the hotel to ask if we could check in early as we had plans in the afternoon and had the the printed confirmation from the hotel that this would be okay.

You were well prepared.

Well aside from when they rocked up at 11pm and wanted a free bar tab as an apology! I imagine that gave them the hint of an “impression”!

Why are you so keen to defend the hotel on this thread, it's bizarre! Of course the hotel is at fault for not noting that the guests had arrived and would be returning later. I worked in a hotel (a looooong time ago) and this is totally standard.

It was not a hen trip, just six of us - in our late 40s, by the way, if that makes a difference- having a weekend away together.