Sherry

Some friends and I were discussing our traveling styles. I always ask to see the room in a hotel first, then may ask for a different room if it isn't suitable, such as if it dark, small, no view, etc. Usually then I am shown a fully acceptable room. Others would never even think of doing this and one stated that it is rude. Another friend suggested that the desk clerks try to get rid of the worst rooms first to those who don't complain, and save the better rooms for those who won't accept the bad ones. I thought it was common practice to see the room before accepting it. <BR>What do you Fodorites think? I am sharing your ideas with my friends this weekend. Thanks.

Sara

All I know is, that at an hotel in Sorrento I was shown three! rooms with partial views first, and on the fourth try, the view was the best on the whole cliff. At least I was persistent.

wes fowler

I always check the room before checking into an inn or hotel in Europe. It's not rude by any means. Innkeepers and hoteliers fully expect their premises to be inspected.

bonnie

Sherry - Absolutely! Always ask to see the room before accepting it. There is nothing rude about this. My husband waits with the bags at the desk and I run up to check the room. Sometime the clerk will accompany you and sometimes they simply give you the key and let you look. We have saved ourselves from many an uncomfortable night by doing this and I have never had a problem with the hotel staff because of it. Bonnie

Dottie

What a great question Sherry! I have never checked the room first! And we have traveled a lot. I will from now on. Thanks a lot!

kavey

I often don't ask to see the room first, though I come straight back down to change it if it isn't acceptable.<BR><BR>Maybe I should follow suit and ask to see it first, that way I am not lugging cases unecessarily, since we don't both need to see it anyway, they can stay in lobby with husband.<BR><BR>Cool...<BR><BR>Thanks!

cool thread

do you ask to see the room even when you have made advance reservations?

Marc David Miller

When I am checking in (or even when I am making the reservation) I usually ask for the best room in the rate class that I am using. If I don't like a room, I will ask to change it.

Patrick

Our first trip to Rome we stayed at the Hotel Internazionale. They gave us the key to what they said was "one of our very best rooms". When we saw it we were so upset by its condition and tackiness, that we dropped our luggage and spent the whole afternoon looking for another hotel, thinking even if we had to give up one night's deposit it would be worth it. After all if that was one of their best rooms it didn't make sense to ask to see another. Right? Wrong? After spending all afternoon looking and finding nothing available we returned and complained about the room. They moved us to another one that was hard to imagine was in the same hotel. It was dark and small, but totally the opposite of the first room. It was as if the first room hadn't been touched since the 1920's and the second room had just been totally redone. Since then I either ask, or at the first sign of unpleasantness in the room I ask to see another.

Min

In Amsterdam, I was shown a room where you couldn't even walk around the bed, it was so small. I had made the mistake of dragging my luggage up 3 flights of stairs to this room. I trudged back down with the luggage and asked for a different room, there must be a room a little larger, I thought. I was given another key, this time I left my luggage at the desk (not such a good idea) at went to see this room, when I opened the doors, I saw the room with a big picture window that took up one whole wall, with a chair, desk, bed. Like Patrick said, it was hard to believe it was in the same hotel. I ran down got my luggage and watched the most beautiful lightening storm that night, looking over Amsterdam. What could have been a "nightmare" (oh, oh, I wrote the n word, Patrick) was turned into a beautiful memory.

wes fowler

For cool thread:<BR>Always check the room first, whether with advance reservations or not. In one memorable instance in London, we found the reserved room unsatisfactory, as well as another room shown to us. We stored out luggage with the desk clerk while searching out more suitable accommodations elsewhere. Had no problems convincing the desk clerk to retain our luggage until we returned for it.

xxxx

Wes, what if you have secured the res. with your credit card, are they likely to refund you the deposit if you reject the room? Sounds like a legal question, with the credit card co. getting involved, since the deposit could be alot of money. True?

andrea

Always. What began as a necessary habit in India, is now a consistent occurence for me while traveling elsewhere as well, particularly as a woman traveling alone.

xxxx

Do you think they really try to give out the bad rooms first? Kind of like a restaurant giving the bad tables away first, saving the best for picky customers? I hadn't thought of it like that.

richard j vicek

Good evening, Sherry I definately<BR>say yes, check out the room before<BR>accepting it. European hotels, especially older sometimes the rooms<BR>are much smaller, have cramped baths,<BR>some with showers, some with baths and<BR>some the both. Rear rooms are mostly<BR>more restful than those facing the <BR>front, the main street...When you find<BR>a suitable room take it., they may get<BR>worse. Richard of Lagrange Park, Il..

Carmen

Asking to see the room first is not rude at all. They're not inviting you to stay for free, it's business, so you have to be happy with the deal.

karen

Thanks so much for your advice people - I have never thought about zipping up to the room for "inspection" before. I know this sounds dumb, and trust me, there have been times where I've wanted to, but I've (duh) always thought it rude. I guess that's why I've had a few slight problems along the way. (I don't stay in hotels much). Let me just clue you in on a few reasons why you should make sure the place is okay. <BR>When my husband & I first started dating we went away together to Toronto for a weekend a few months after..we had reservations and it was a very busy time in the city. When we arrived, although everyone else was having problems at the front desk, with "overbooking", we were wisked away to our room. YUK - to say the least, walls were paper thin, you could hear the neighbours, but we felt lucky we weren't stuck without a room. Seems there was a wedding booked, and they forgot about everyone else. We went out & enjoyed our night on the town and when morning came...well when shower time came, there was absolutely no hot water to be found in those pipes. My honey didn't know this...got into the shower and preceeded to inform me of a term that I had never heard before - He called it "Raisin Bag" - I have learned since what that means. Anyways, after we decided we would not stay another night there, we took our luggage to the front desk and preceeded to speak with the front desk manager. When he asked us how our stay was in his east indian accent, my honey replied to him perfectly true and honest -- "You guys don't have any hot water. Ever had Raisin Bag before?" The man had no idea what he was talking about. I thought I was going to die from laughter. But, yup, just goes to show you that you really should check out to goods before. Great idea and I'll do that.

nina

I agree with most of the other posters. We leave our luggage in the lobby and usually even ask for keys to several rooms so we can pick our favorite. Recently we were disappointed with both rooms shown and they ended up giving us an upgraded suite at no extra charge! Of course we don't normally do this for only one night but if you are staying a few days or a week, why not stay in the nicest room possible?

cool thread

so Wes, what happenned to the deposit? Were you charged for the first night?<BR><BR>do you request to see the room first in small family-run hotels too?

wes fowler

For cool thread<BR>We always check accommodations before registering, regardless of the type hotel, inn, auberge, gasthaus. Due to our preferences for accommodations almost all are family owned.<BR><BR>We've never been charged for a room we didn't take; never been charged a cancellation fee.<BR><BR>