Double v Single rooms
 

I have what may be a silly question, here goes. I'm traveling to London alone and want to stay in a Double room (one double bed) rather than a Single (usually smaller room). When I go into some reservation systems they say there is 2 people minimum for a double, for let say the Thistle Horseguards, and then another reservation system will present your choices as if 1 person can pay a regular per room rate and get a double alone.<BR>Is there something I'm missing here? If the charge is per room and not per person why is there a minimum # of people?

I won't comment on that as a substantive point, but why don't you ask them for a "double for single occupancy". That's what I would do and, as a single traveller, that's oftern what I get, even if I don't ask for it.

Becky,<BR><BR>It's generally a question of whether the reservation technology that a website has is capable of coping with one rate for a single room, and another for "twin/double for sole use", which is frequently the same price as a single room, sometimes a bit more.<BR><BR>Where are you looking?

Of course you can get a double - but you will most certainly pay a substantial single supplement for it. A B&B double at say &pound;50 pp B&B will be more like &pound;75 or &pound;80 single occupancy.<BR><BR>A better solution is to request a deluxe or upgraded single. They will be larger. But you will have better luck going directly thru the hotel since you can ask about specific rooms.

I would suggest calling the hotel directly to make it very clear what you want and to find out how much it costs. They will usually tell you what rooms are available, what size they are, what floors they are on (might be important if there is no elevator), whether they are in the front or back (might be important if the hotel is on a noisy street. And you can choose the exact room that sounds best to you. Then ask them to email you a confirmation. I use the Web to do my research, but I prefer to call the hotel to book the actual reservation. Just remember the time difference - I am on the East Coast so I call just before 7am when nighttime rates are still in effect for me, but it is just before noon London time.

I had the same problem when booking through www.londontown.com They would not give very description options of wanting a double bed room for one person, which is what I wanted. I was not going to risk saying I wanted a room for one person because I suspected it would automatically become a reservation for a "single" room which I won't book (I had that happen to me once, even though I did not request a single room, that's what I got because I told them there was only one person). I just filled it out and said I wanted a double room, queen bed (which this hotel had) instead of twins, and said there were two people. I couldn't imagine they really cared there was only one person instead of two, it was just the mindset of those web site creators. So, when I showed up they said you reserved for two and I just said, well I'm alone, the other person couldn't make it. Worked out fine, so I'd suggest you just say there are two people -- now, I have never seen a reservation system that says there MUST be two people MINIMUM for a double room, Londontown just sort of gave you a type of room based on the number of people, and if you had two you could choose between queen or twin beds and for one person, you had no choice. Those rates were not quoted per person, that doesn't make any sense to me and I don't like web sites or agents who do that, they are just trying to make things sound cheaper. I only book hotels that quote rates for the room, as they should. I did not want to call the hotel directly to book because I got a large discount through Londontown, it seemed to me (I did get a very good deal and even one free night which I hadn't expected).