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?

The hotel they went to - same chain? Same standard?

I'm just trying to see both sides.

The guests tried to check in very early and didn't leave any bags. The hotel may have thought the guests were hanging around the hotel.

The issue is the fact they left the bags in your room and not in reception which they should have done. Did they pay for the taxi to the other hotel?

Happened to us once when the guests in the room refused to check out

I can definitely see both sides.

Hotel anticipates no shows so overbooks to maximise profits. So there's a risk there won't be enough rooms if you turn up too late

My objection- firstly, we were there earlier!! So not no shows. And secondly, if that does happen, offer compensation. Immediately. Not argue that there's 'nothing they can do.'

Happened to my DH a few months ago, the sister hotel was actually much nicer so he was happy.

Quite often hotels don’t like same sex parties of 6+ as hen/stag parties often cause conflict. When I booked mine for 8 women 20 years ago, many hotels expressly stated that they would not book us in. We ended up going to Amsterdam as it was one of the few places that didn’t have an issue. I suspect Prague is another one, but we couldn’t get a hotel in Barcelona or Paris if I recall correctly.

Because the 3rd room was booked on for the 2nd night, so sort of a separate booking, they may not have picked up that there were 6 (likely to be rather drunken) women in one party staying.

Not saying it’s right, but given you asked for your bar bill to be covered, I’d say they got the measure of your party …

Appalling. Leave a review on TripAdvisor and definitely claim for the expenses and try and get some compensation for the inconvenience as the hotel was bang out of order.

I would be pretty upset. I spend a lot of time researching hotels, looking at reviews, location, facilities, cleanliness etc. To have that taken away from me would be really irritating.

Someone did - about an hour after check in opened. The other people who the hotel had booked into the same room had already arrived 30 mins before and so the bride and groom got bumped.

Really not sure why you are so keen to defend hotels who do this ridiculous practice?!

I used to work for a hotel and this sadly happens. Hotels, much like airlines, overbook the rooms. However, we would never break up a group and we absolutely would give them some sort of goodwill like a bar tab and reduce their bill for the hassle. Sometimes an issue in a room would make it unusable, like a prior guest throwing up all over the place (yes, it happens), a leak, broken furniture etc.

I would recommend speaking to the duty manager and asking for some sort of goodwill or compensation. They should not have broken up a group of rooms. We would only do it to people staying one night and with no other guests with them

We were bumped from a hotel in Paris - very disconcerting to be sent somewhere else (at least they paid for the taxi) though it turned out to be just as good. However, I'd planned around being in one area, where to get the metro etc and wasn't anywhere near there. They were very unapologetic.

Where? I’ve never had someone tell me, oh sorry sir it’s 19:00, you’re late! And we gave your room away, bye.

I can see why it has gone wrong, you are relying on one person at reception to remember who it was who attempted to check in before check in time, and to then hold the booking until late at night until you came back, without the two of them ACTUALLY checking in, they may have finished their shift not long after.

Did they know you were coming back late at night?

It sounds like a breakdown of communication, and too many assumptions were made, the hotel assumed you'd come back at normal check in time, and after a certain time recorded them as no shows, and the guests assumed they could check in late at night without informing the hotel. The luggage didn't help as technically no luggage had been left with them as you took it up to your rooms.

If they double booked the room on a first arrive gets it point of view, then that is terrible, but if they gave away the room some time in the evening because the guests hadn't shown up or attempted contact after check in time, then it's understandable tbf.

Someone did - about an hour after check in opened.

Your post didn't say that.

I used to work front desk in the hotel industry. It's exactly like pp have said. The owners wanted 100% occupancy every night, and that wasn't achieved without a bit of overbooking. Generally it worked out.

Once we got a walk-in who wouldn't believe me that we didn't have any rooms. He started undressing in the lobby: 'Well, I'll just sleep here, then!' I think he thought that would make me give him the secret room I was refusing to tell him about. Since there was no secret room, I just stared at him. 'Um...OK?'

I had to get the bellmen to throw him out. 😂

You checked in at 11pm ?? That could be reason

This has happened to us several times. As a family too. One time we went through Booking.com and the hotel said Booking had sent the wrong email - one room for two nights instead of two rooms for one night. When I spoke to Booking they said this is impossible as the same email is sent to us and the hotel. It is all automated. They just try it on. Keep you waiting for ages then 'find' a room which isn't as good or is in a neighbouring hotel. Then act all indignant when you give them a crap rating. They should give some compensation. I think we had a free meal once.

This and I’m guessing you were all worse for wear so they didn’t want you staying there

so now you cannot expect to be allowed to stay in a hotel if you have been drinking? Hmmmmm........

Did they remember your friends? I think they should have been nicer if they did.

It sounds like you were a nice bunch.

If you are honest, was the group quite pissed and rowdy?

Be honest!

Only the new arrivals were moved, four people were allowed to stay.

Most hotels don't police drinking the way mumsnet does.

You want to read your contract then. They nearly all do this and it's in the TaCs.
They advertise the cheaper deals pay in advance but they will bump you if they get a corporate pay full price even if you arrive before the corporate person if they are fully booked. Pay in advance are sold a 2nd time if you haven't checked in by 6pm and if you then turn up and the room is sold then you are bumped. The chains with central reservations have calculated risk assessment systems on over selling depending on days of the week, local events, etc. They have a priority system too of who goes. If you are in a loyalty system it's unlikely you will be highest to be bumped.
That's why pay in advance is significantly cheaper. They get the revenue guaranteed but if they can sell it more expensive before you arrive and have no other rooms they just bump you. If you don't arrive they get your money and a bonus of charging again if they can sell it on the night. Booking a room is no guarantee you have a room in that hotel.

They will find you another hotel but it could be miles away. The worst is if you have booked near a wedding venue that you can walk to from the hotel and they bump you to a hotel 20 miles away, as happened to a friend recently.