For questions related to "hotels" specifically rather than "accommodation" generally. See also the "hostels" tag.
29
votes
5answers
2k views
What happens if you cannot pay for a hotel?
What happens if you cannot pay for your hotel stay because you accidentally run out of money (can happen) or your credit card was blocked (much more likely)? I assume you cannot arrange the money on ...
26
votes
13answers
1k views
Is there any way to spend a night in a European castle?
I spent a night in a jail converted to a hotel in Switzerland, and it made me wonder if there is a real castle converted to an hotel in Europe.
And with "real" I mean the castle should have a ...
25
votes
4answers
503 views
Is there any way of evaluating the quality of a hotel's internet connection in advance?
I'm on the road a lot for work. I tend to end up staying at a lot of budget chain hotels that offer free wi-fi. So far so good. But sadly, not all wi-fi is created equal. The past few weeks I've been ...
24
votes
3answers
2k views
What are the signs of a bed bug infestation?
Bed bugs have become a real problem recently, with more and more places reporting outbreaks. What can you do to avoid being exposed to these nasty parasites?
If you do get exposed, what can you do ...
15
votes
1answer
481 views
Are ice hotels actually comfortable to sleep in?
I've always been interested in visiting the Ice Hotel at Jukkasjärvi here in Sweden, but the combination of cold & possibly hard "beds" has so far managed to put me off.
I'd like to hear from ...
14
votes
2answers
178 views
Is there a website dedicated to odd hotels?
There is a boeing 747 hotel in Sweden. Is there a search engine or any other way to find similar odd hotels per destination?
14
votes
2answers
324 views
What are the rates posted on hotel room doors / in the lobby for?
When I'm travelling, I often see hotel room rates posted on the back of the hotel room door (typically in the US) or in the lobby, behind the check-in desk. These rates are typically eye-wateringly ...
14
votes
1answer
269 views
If you go to the pool and find all the sunbeds have towels on and you have nowhere to sit, what do you do?
When I've been staying in a hotels in Spain I often go down to the pool in the morning and find that there are no sunbeds to sit on because people have reserved them with towels.
I'm never 100% if a ...
13
votes
1answer
239 views
What do many hotels have against stairs?
Today, while waiting a rather long time for a lift to take me just one floor, I got wondering. In almost all the hotels I stay in, the only option to get between reception and your room is to take a ...
13
votes
2answers
303 views
Are there companies that offer worldwide wifi roaming for a fixed fee?
I am aware of the following related question: Overview of wireless in airports. If it is free it would be nice, but I am willing to pay for my Internet access at airports/hotels. The only problem is ...
12
votes
2answers
318 views
Opaque hotel booking sites?
In this question, I first heard of opaque hotel booking sites. It sounds very interesting, but I don't know such a site. So my question is: Where should I start to look for opaque hotel booking sites?
...
12
votes
3answers
269 views
How much to haggle for a hotel room in India?
I need to book a hotel in Delhi, India for mid-November. Someone suggested to me that I should haggle over the price for the room. Is it considered acceptable to haggle over hotel room prices in ...
11
votes
4answers
440 views
Are there hotels where children are not allowed?
Are there hotels that don't accept children?
I must admit that this question is a case of reverse psychology. I am more interested in the opposite. Children tend to raise quite some emotions with ...
11
votes
4answers
383 views
How do I negotiate a lower price at a hotel?
When living and traveling in Mexico, I became quite accustomed to asking for discounts in many situations: At the market, at the car wash, and at hotels. I was usually successful in getting a lower ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
People in the next room in my hotel are having noisy sex; I can't sleep! What to do?
The people in the next room are having sex all night! it is early morning and I can not sleep and my flight is in a few hours! Their bed is hitting the wall because of the action which makes a great ...
10
votes
1answer
301 views
What should I expect when I stay in a hotel?
I plan to stay in a hotel in Los Angeles, CA by myself for a few weeks in the near future. Is there anything important I should know about staying at a hotel?
Things that I have considered but I'm ...
10
votes
3answers
397 views
Is it possible to book an hotel being a minor?
I've been in Morocco nearly a month, and it will soon be time for my return. During my stay here, checking into hotel rooms hasn't been an issue, but businesses aren't nearly as lenient about that ...
10
votes
4answers
166 views
I am looking for a hotel search engine for rural areas
I am trying to find a bucolic holiday destination, which means finding a nice hotel in a small beautiful village for spending some quiet time.
Most search engines are only finding major cities, and ...
10
votes
2answers
172 views
Is there a hotel / B&B Finder using Google or Bing maps?
I'm looking for a good site that lists Hotels and B&B on top of Google Maps or Bing Maps.
That has tool tips with prices and availability.
What is the best site of this kind?
9
votes
2answers
261 views
What does “early bird rate” mean in hotel reservations?
Maybe it's too obvious, but I'm not a native English speaker.
9
votes
2answers
121 views
Sleeping near San Jose airport (Costa Rica)
I am arriving at the San Jose airport in Costa Rica rather late in the evening (with small children). I would like to stay overnight somewhere close, ideally without going into San Jose itself (which ...
9
votes
1answer
143 views
What parts of the Central or South Coast of California should I consider when looking for a surfing beach with beachfront hotels?
After asking "What affordable beachfront hotels in or near San Diego should I consider?", it occurred to me I may want to consider other areas of the South Coast or even Central Coast of California. ...
9
votes
2answers
122 views
When booking a hotel via an opaque site, is there any way to increase the chances of getting free wifi?
Following on from my question on last minute accommodation deals in Australia, I ended up booking something about 20 minutes before boarding my flight, which didn't leave a lot of time for research... ...
8
votes
1answer
226 views
Where can I find this seat-guru like website for hotel rooms?
I just heard on the radio of an app, that where seat guru evaluates the seat in an airplane, they give hotel evaluations on individual rooms. This app would tell you for example when you would not ...
8
votes
1answer
270 views
Hotel in Paris with a grand piano in the suite
Does anybody know a hotel in Paris with a grand piano in the room/suite ?
8
votes
3answers
492 views
Finding Twin rooms
I'm checking a lot of sites trying to find twin rooms, on both Expedia and Agoda, and unless I'm looking at hostels there seems to be a considerable lack of twin rooms advertised.
Is this a case ...
8
votes
1answer
107 views
Daytime airport hotel at JFK?
I have a 9-hour layover at New York JFK. From 10am until 7pm (although I have to checkin at 3pm for personal reasons).
This being in the middle of a 2-day travel, I would love to take a break to ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
What's the best time to get “last-minute” discount hotel prices?
Some online travel sites (I'm thinking of Hotwire specifically, but the question applies more generally) offer low rates on high-quality hotels if you're willing to not specify exactly where you want ...
7
votes
2answers
133 views
Are hotels in California fully booked during summer or is it easy to get a hotel room?
My family and I are going on a summer vacation to the west coast of USA (We are from Europe), but I was wondering if it is necessary to book all the hotels before we go, or if it is easy to get a ...
7
votes
1answer
120 views
Cheap hostel around London City Airport
Is there any cheap hostel around London City Airport? Preferably the hostel should be reachable by foot.
I would be arriving at the London City Airport at about 8.30pm someday during May, so I am ...
7
votes
2answers
232 views
Website to identify low season for hotels
I use online booking websites (Agoda, Booking.com, ...) to check hotels prices; But they are good when you know the time of travel.
I want to plan my vacation and it can be any time. So, I started to ...
7
votes
2answers
160 views
Looking for place to stay with pool in room in north east USA
My husband and I are looking for a hotel/resort/inn (etc.) that has the option of a room with a private pool. A fireplace and 2 person jacuzzi / hot tub would also be a big plus.
The accommodation ...
7
votes
2answers
90 views
Finding a quiet hotel in Madrid
I'm trying to find a quiet hotel in Madrid that's not too far out of the way. Normally, I'd just hit a hotel booking website, pick a few in the right geographical area and price range, and check the ...
7
votes
1answer
202 views
Is there a site like Jetsetter for France/Europe?
I use Jetsetter frequently for hotel deals in the US and sometimes abroad. I know Gilt (Jetsetter's owner) is loosely based on Vente Privee, according to this NY Times article anyway.
Its ...
6
votes
3answers
167 views
How reliable are hotels' information on their websites?
I want to book a room in a hotel in Germany, But I'm not sure how trustworthy the information on their websites is.
Have you ever booked a room in a hotel online? If so, did it come across as ...
6
votes
3answers
179 views
Recommendations For a Hotel - Venice, Italy
I am planning a trip to Venice with a friend and would like to know of a really nice hotel to stay in.
About us: We are both in our early 30's, love great food and cocktail bars. We like to spend out ...
6
votes
3answers
91 views
Website for budget hotels or hostels for Switzerland
I am planning to visit Switzerland at the end of the month. My preferred places of travel are Geneva or Bern. Could you suggest some online booking websites for budget hotels or hostels?
6
votes
3answers
1k views
How do hotel cancellation, prepayment and currency changes combine?
I was looking on booking.com to book some hotels for our trip next year. Quite a few deals have free cancellation until 1 day before arrival, which is always useful. However most of them also have a ...
6
votes
2answers
146 views
Cheap hotel or B&B in Zürich
Looking for this summer to spend a couple of days in Zürich.
I am looking for a basic hotel, with a double room.
The prices on for hotels / apartments on booking.com seem kind of high for me ...
6
votes
2answers
114 views
What affordable beachfront hotels in or near San Diego should I consider?
I'm looking for a beachfront hotel in or near San Diego for my family (on the theory that the water there is warmer than say Los Angeles or certainly Pizmo Beach). I'm hoping to find a hotel near a ...
6
votes
1answer
109 views
How much is it appropriate to tip in Palm Beach?
I'm going to be traveling to Palm Beach in two weeks, and I wanted to make sure I don't offend anyone, specially people I may need to ask for favors later :)
From the van that'll transfer me to the ...
6
votes
2answers
57 views
How can I find the cheapest private hotel room (as opposed to a bed in a dorm) using online tools?
I tried the standard tools like Kayak or Momondo, but there the cheapest option is always a bed in a dormitory. In particular I was searching for Amsterdam and the first few pages of results (sorted ...
6
votes
2answers
173 views
Hotel for a 9 hour layover in Madrid airport
I will be arriving at Madrid airport at 20:55 on a Saturday evening and my connecting flight leaves at 06:25 the following (Sunday) morning. We are a couple with a 2 year old son.
How much time do we ...
5
votes
2answers
348 views
Can you receive mail at hotels weeks before you arrive?
Do hotels accept mail for guests that haven't arrived yet? Even weeks in advance?
I am buying tickets for an event (see this question), but the vendor can only mail tickets to a Japanese address. I ...
5
votes
2answers
119 views
What tips or tricks can you use to get “upgraded”/better hotel rooms?
(Inspired by this question on flight upgrades),
Most non-budget hotels have various categories of rooms - perhaps larger rooms, "Executive" rooms, suites, and so on. What tips or tricks can you use ...
5
votes
2answers
148 views
What is the nearest underwater hotel to Germany?
I'm trying to find an underwater hotel that is not too far away from Germany. What's is the nearest one?
5
votes
1answer
69 views
If a frequent flyer program allows you to earn “250 award miles per stay” at a hotel, then does staying for more nights increase the miles?
So the Best Western Hotel Rewards program rewards 250 award miles per "stay" for American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines. I'm just wondering though - is it 250 award miles for each night, or do ...
5
votes
1answer
183 views
Are there EU Regulations/Laws or French Laws regarding hotel services/amenities?
As the title says are there any laws or regulations that state what services/amenities must be provided inclusive of stay in hotel/motel in France?
Booked a holiday to the French Alps and the ...
5
votes
1answer
79 views
Is there a quaint hotel in Venice Beach?
We don't like chrome and mirrors, fancy hotels. e.g. a Marriott is about as far away from our ideal as I could imagine. We would prefer something old fashioned relaxed, small, family and friendly.
Oh ...
5
votes
1answer
41 views
Business Trip Lodging in Manila?
I'm in the process of booking a 5-week business trip to the Legaspi area of Makati City in Manila. Given the length of stay, a standard hotel is not only expensive but also lacks necessities such as ...
