Dumb ? about booking double/triple rooms
 

Okay, I've gone to Europe more than 10 times, but I've never booked a room for 3 people. If my sister doesn't mind sttaying in a room with my husband and I, and my hubby doesn't mind sleeping on a rollaway, should I book a double or a triple? In other words, all I need are two beds. Do the hotels CHECK to see if you've booked for 2 but have 3?

I should qualify this ? by saying that we're currently booked for a triple at the Rushmore in Earls Court for about 129 USD a night. It's a 3-star, but I wouldn't mind being closer to the city centre in a 3 or 4 star. There seem to be good deals out there for 4 stars-2 people.

I'd much rather have a cheaper double and a single, than a fancier triple. Privacy and TWO bathrooms!

Sue,

I don't know the answer to your question, and you've been to Europe more than me, so my thoughts are pretty hypothetical, but if you just got a double, then don't you run the risk of going into the room and finding two twin beds or one double bed? And wouldn't that be a bit cozy?

Although I suppose if you got a suite, then you'd probably get a couch or something.

Anyway, I suppose if you are going to do it, you'll have to determine what you'll do if, say on the way in, the hotel notices and wants to raise the rate, doesn't have enough space, etc.

Seems to me like it could be a lot of hassle and stress. I would get a triple or a suite and let them know that there would be three. I'm curious as what others think.

Good luck!

Hi teach,

For some reason, hotels take umbrage at people who book a double for three people.

They are probably going to ask for your passports at check in.

They will also notice the extra person wandering about the halls.

sue, I was told when booking a room for our family that fire regulations, etc prohibit hotels from putting more than 2 in a "double". You're best off asking for a triple/quad/family room to make sure there are no problems at check-in. These are generally cheaper than a double and a single as well.

Therein lies the rub, as SRS asks:

"but if you just got a double, then don't you run the risk of going into the room and finding two twin beds or one double bed?"

You definitely DO run that risk. Many, many European hotel rooms aren't adequate to handle three people. It would be a mistake to try to skate on this.

Interesting discussion, but I'm still stuck back on the original question: Why would hubby, not sister, get the rollaway?

If you're very tolerant, it might work. After a few nites, we hated sharing our room, lack of privacy, and little things got on our nerves. I'm with those who voted for 2 rooms.

Anonymous-- My hubby is 6'7"-270lbs. If the beds were particulary small, it would make sense for my sister and I to share a bed and him to have his own. His feet will hang off eitherway(-;
Thanks for the input/advice. At American chains, i.e. Marriott, you can book a double but then ask for a rollaway. I was just wondering if one can do this in a 3-4 star in London.

I am thinking that some of the rooms in Europe are so small, where would the rollaway fit? If you ended up with only two twins, you wouldn't even be able to put another bed in there, even a portable one.
Since you already have the triple room reserved, you could do some investigating. Contact the 4 star hotels that have the attractive price and ask how much the rate is for three.
You might be surprised that it is very little more. And you would be closer to the city center.
Remember that the star rating may or may mot mean the 4 star is nicer. The location could count for the extra star. Who knows.

If you have three, you must book a room for three. If you are planning on there being enough space and asking for a rollaway when you get there, you will then be paying for a triple anyway, so why wouldn't you book one intentionally to be sure you got one? You must book a hotel room for the number of people staying in it and tell the hotel how many people you plan on staying there. Your last sentence implies you want to sneak someone in and not pay for them.

Thanks all. I will keep the room I have reserved for now. Intrepid-- for some of us, it IS about savng tad bits of money where we can, so that $$ can be spent elsewhere; otherwise travel abroad would be putting us into debt. Cutting cost a little, while still staying in a decent hotel (my backpacking days are over at 30) is what most middle-class travelers try to do, isn't it? I only asked because I wanted to know if my sis could share a room with my hubby and I without paying for a triple. Now I know!

Sounds like you've already got things sorted out, but I agree that 3 people in a room, is a triple.

Could there be a reduced rate if you asked for one double bed + cot, rather than accept whatever normal configuration a "triple" is at the particular hotel?

I went thru the same thing you're contemplating this past May. Yeah, a double and a single would've been nice but SO MUCH more costly. I ended up booking a triple room whenever available. But if they weren't listed at our desired hotels, we'd find out soon enough on their websites (or venere.com) or via e-mail whether or not they would accomodate an extra person in a double room. If they're willing, it will usually be an extra 45-60€ and include breakfast for the 3rd person. Only a few hotels I contacted said they could not allow a 3rd person because truly there was no add'l space avail in such tight confinement.

What I found out was that the triple rooms were truly larger and no rollaway had to be arranged. That extra space was worth the cost, and we managed with one bathroom alright. And if you get lucky, you're more apt than a double to get upgraded to a suite, which happened to us in London...SUITE!

I always ask for a triple room.. usually the room is much larger than double although is a little more expensive..
But I like to be comfortable when I sleep and I rather eat a baguette sandwich for dinner if I am in a tight budget,than to be crammed in a little box of so called double room.