2 couples in 1 hotel room: is this allowed?
 

My wife and I will be traveling to Las Vegas with another couple in the near future. To save some money we were thinking of getting a room with two beds and sharing the room. Is this allowed by hotels? Do they charge extra for this? Or, is it best to not mention anything about the other couple at check in?

Thanks in advance for any help!

(as a pt deskclerk) Yes this is done more often then you'd think.

Yes, you must declare how many occupants are in the room, and generally there will be an extra charge to cover increased linen, water, etc. "Sneaking" people who are not registered guests into rooms constitutes fraud, and some hotels will not take kindly to it.

(and I would hate the bathroom waits too)

Aren't we talking about Las Vegas here? That sort of thing is done often for many reasons. Just remember, "what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas". I can't imagine you will raise an eyebrow with your request.
Just register as Bob, Ted, Carol, and Alice. Ooops. Am I dating myself here?

Not sure why the "icks" or "yucks." Just friends who plan to only sleep a few hours in the room and then be out and about the rest of the time. As for whomever wrote: if you can't afford two rooms, stay home. This is a ridiculous, classist point of view. People with less means are allowed and entitled to go out too. Travel isn't only for the wealthy.

Thanks to those who posted serious replies. As for the rest I offer my apologies for offending you. I didn't realize Fodors was solely for the rich and conservative.

SDA1, Good response. You were up front with your reasons (to save money) and honest enough to check first (without sneaking). I had 4 adults in a room (including 2 couples) and while I prefer more privacy it is certainly doable.

One thing that works well is for the 4 to stagger morning routines and some to leave the room for a while in the morning while the others get ready. Cup of coffee, breakfast, a short stroll, etc. so there's less confusion in the morning.

It's also good to note where the lobby restrooms or public restrooms are ahead of time. It doesn't take me long to get ready, so I usually through on jeans, brush my teeth quickly, go down to the lobby to read the paper, use the restroom, visit with other travelers if there is a complimentary breakfast, etc. I can be slow to "get going" in the morning but can get ready in 15 minutes. By the time I get back to the room (with a cup of coffee for the others) I can dash in the bathroom for a shower. You may want to pack a short extension cord so folks can dry hair, etc. out in the room (there often isn't an outlet close enough to the mirror).

Be sure to communicate honestly about how much time each needs in the morning to get ready so all can plan accordingly. Have fun in Vegas!

Before you condemn your critics too harshly, SDA1, may remind you that you asked this question in your original posting: "Or is it best to not mention anything about the other couple at check in?"
Dishonestly is not a virtue!

<i>What if</i> on check in, there was only a king available? Then what? Double doubles are not plentiful in all hotels!

Hotels do allow it, but yes, you should advise them that there will be 4. Depending on where you stay in Vegas too, there are hotels that have a room key check at the elevators...you'll need to be able to produce 4. It will cost slightly more, but you'll also get the amenities for 4 rather than 2.

For myself, constant togetherness can be too much of a good thing, and I'm grateful for my own space, as much as we might love the couple we are traveling with!

OO, I've never made a reservation for 4 and arrived at a hotel that did not have accomodations for 4. I suppose a couple may have to sleep on a sofa bed in a king room.

4 adults to a room is not an usual request. I've stayed regularly at the Holiday Inn Westshore in Tampa (not by choice, mind you) for weeks at a time for 3 months of the year and every week there were tour groups with 4 adults in a room (usually bowlers from the NE of all things!).

I travel many cities for conferences where the attendees almost always request 4 to a room because they are on limited funds. I've received very nice upgrades to suites because I'm a frequent traveler and they need my double room for 4 adults.

As long as they book for 4, I can't imagine their not getting a room for 4. Honesty rules. Otherwise, you may very well find yourself in a bind.

I meant to say that 4 to a room is not an UNUSUAL request - especially in cities that cater to convention crowds...and that is DEFINITELY true of Vegas.

You are absolutely correct Starrsville, but the key is to book it for four from the get go, not to book for two and plan on not mentioning the other couple at check-in. If the reservation is for 4, they should be fine, barring the odd snafu of a late check-in and a clerk that has released the double double. Don't even think about this for NYC however!

starrsville, my daughter just returned from a trip where she had a nights hotel booked for 2 with 2 beds in the room. A big cruise ship had come in, the room was booked and they only had a single double bed room. So they automatically gave her a king suite.
It happens.
I would have echoed the Ick, because as an adult, I hate sleeping over at friends houses, I hate sharing bathrooms and reeeally don't want to slip into bed in my nightgown with another couple in the other bed..I don't want to lie in bed and listen to someone other than my husband snoring.
But, that might just be me~
To save money, why not get a cheaper hotel and each have your own room?

I agree completely OO.
By the way, is chigger season over?

Chigger season is in full swing and poison oak has joined the milieu. It looks terrific right smack in the middle of your forehead. :D My DH said the word condo about 150 times yesterday. LOL

I agree Scarlett. I don't want to listen to any strange noises in the night other than those produced by my own DH...or myself. More than that though, I really need my alone time, and get grumpy without it.

I get cranky when I can hear people out in the hall! Imagine how much fun I would be to travel with, if I had them in the room with me!

Poor chigger girl :(

We are saying words like condo a few times lately too :D

my reply on &quot;other topics&quot;...

I would never try to sneak by a front desk. Most likely they are gonna notice eventually when you've got 4 people where there are supposed to be only 2. I'm sure policies vary hotel to hotel, so I would simply ask the front desk their policy and any extra charges that might be involved.

Remember this means 4 to 1 bathroom too!

We have reserved hotel rooms for 4 many times. Sometimes with our children (adult and minor) and sometimes with other adults for a wedding or funeral, etc. I wouldn't do it on vacation but that's just me. If you get a room that says $00 for the night, who cares how many people. That being said, you may get a King room but since those are usually requested, I think the odds are better that you would get a double room anyway.

Think about it from the hotel's standpoint. If it's a regular non-casino hotel that makes money from room rates, they may say something or enforce their &quot;extra-person fees&quot;, etc...

But if it's a casino-hotel, they make money from your playing in the casino, not paying for their rooms (well, maybe with a few high-end exceptions). They will be very happy that you have 8 or 10 people staying, if all of you are playing in their casino.

All this this reminded me of a trip many years ago to Yellowstone. We went with a large group and were staying in West Yellowstone. We arrived, and the hotel had messed up, and yes, they ran out of rooms and so dh and I had to share a room with another couple. Thankfully, they were very close friends, so it was not awful. However, the other wife and I were both pregnant. Can you just imagine two couples, with two wives very close to their due dates sharing a room? LOL! We made the best of it and just laughed at everything. BTW, the other wife delivered only a few days later.

I have attended outings and conferences with 4 women to a room and although that was the way it was set up, it really was not fun, but it is doable. Sharing a bathroom with 4 women really is not fun, either. I suppose it would be no different than being accompanied by two teenage children in a family - if they do charge extra, it still would be cheaper than getting two rooms. I definitely would mention the amount of people though.

the best advice I've read here is Scarlett's: be honest and be comfortable, stay in a less-expensive place and get two rooms. You're grownups. If you're going on this trip to have fun, why have to be furtive about how many people are using one room?

Rooms in most Vegas hotels were made to accommodate four persons. Frankly, I couldn't care less whether you are sleeping together, fighting about the bathroom use, or anything else.

And those people who are doing the kindergarten &quot;Ooooooh Ick&quot; thing...well, they haven't gotten any for years so what do you expect?

All the convention hotel registration forms I receive routinely provide rates for double, triple and quad occupancy. You get four keys. The hotel will also divide the room bill among the occupants. This is true of Hyatts, Quality Inns, Westins, etc. Some people like sharing rooms. Others don't.

&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;
As for whomever wrote: if you can't afford two rooms, stay home. This is a ridiculous, classist point of view.
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

don't worry, these people fashion themselves as &quot;enlightened and worldly&quot; but such small-minded comments always show us who they really are. they've travelled just enough to be a little dangerous but not nearly enough to realise that some people do things differently than they do - either out of choice or circumstances. pathetic.

I don't know about that, walkinaround.
On numerous threads, Travelers with Experience, post alternatives to a posters plan. Some of them actually work better.
Perhaps, staying somewhere one can afford and not having to think of ways to sneak past the front desk could be one of them?
&quot;Classist&quot; lol, reminds me of old Woody Allen movies when they stood around and discussed the LaLouche way someone behaved :D

Get 2 rooms - stay at less expensive hotel if necessary. It is very possible that upon checking in the only thing avail. is a king bed .. and some hotels do not have sofa beds in the rooms, I know that for a fact as we go to Vegas often. 2 couples sharing a room/bathroom would never be comfortable to me unless it were an emergency situation (and even then I'd be uncomfortable).

You do not say how much you want to spend, but check into 2 rooms. If you have a car consider staying off strip. The Orleans gets very good reviews and is quite nice (I have not stayed there but I did attend a conference there).

I don't see the problem here. Just be honest with the hotel front desk when you make reservations and ask for a 'quad' room for two couples. Sheez.

It's the &quot;best to not mention anything&quot; that is the only dumb idea in your original post IMO.

As mentioned before, it's allowed as long as you're up front with the hotel. What no one has mentioned, though, is that you're not likely to save a lot of money this way. I put a random date (July 20) into Bally's reservation engine. Their basic room (called a deluxe) is $79 that night for 2 people, or $139 for 4 people. I would never share a room with another couple to save $19.

Also, keep in mind that Vegas is a sexy city. You may well want your privacy . . .

So, when are your dates and what hotel budget did you have in mind? Creative minds here may be able to help you come up with a better solution than sharing a room.

I agree with Suze. If this arrangement makes the trip affordable for you, then share a room. Just be honest upfront and specify 4 adults when making the reservation. Enjoy your trip!

Extra person charges in Las Vegas hotels seem to be pretty steep. Maybe this isn't the case for all the hotels but when I was looking recently an extra $35 per person was fairly common.

If you are travelling at a cheap time (for Vegas) then that sort of extra person charge means there may be no or little saving compared to getting two rooms.

Obviously, if you are paying quite a lot for a room that doesn't work the same. In this case two rooms at a cheaper hotel would probably be better for everyone.

Although not stated in the post heading or the original post, several people have stated that this poster is going to Las Vegas. If that is actually the case, then I believe the occupancy rules are different.

To my knowledge, most Las Vegas hotel rates only apply to up to 2 in a room. There are additional charges for each additional person in the room, even if they are children. That probably explains why the Bally's rates mentioned above turned out the way they did. Contrary to what rkkwan says, they do to care about how many people are in the room. I'm not saying it makes sense, I'm just repeating what their policies are. Who knows, maybe they feel that if you need to put a lot of people in one room, you're not going to be blowing big bucks in their casino? It's just a guess.

A few suggestions: If you are in fact going to Las Vegas, and if you're going in the summer, most hotels have super low rates. Go to each hotel's website and sign the guestbook and you'll get lots of email offers. If that doesn't work, you might also want to try Priceline. Good luck.

4 adults in one room...allowed? Yes. Recommended? No way!

Take it from a couple who just spent a week in Key West with another couple. We moved out of their 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom condo timeshare on the 2nd day and got our own hotel room.

Even the best of friends can have &quot;issues&quot; in the bathroom that would really make you want your own.

What you can deal with from your spouse is significantly different than what you can tolerate from others - even friends.

Don't ruin your vacation, or risk loosing friends. The advice to find a less expensive hotel &amp; get two rooms is the best suggestion.

If you try the single room, be prepared to buck up for second room if things get unpleasant.

Good Luck!

Judy24 - The first line of the original posting is &quot;My wife and I will be traveling to Las Vegas with another couple in the near future.&quot;

jlm mi: You're absolutely right! I'm slapping myself on the head and going &quot;duh!&quot;. I'd say it was a blonde moment, but I'm not blonde, so chalk it up to my poor reading comprehension.

Honesty has nothing to do with being classist. Book the room for four so you're sure to get two beds. And maybe you'll get lucky.

When my associate and I checked into Caesar's Palace a few weeks ago, they didn't have two rooms in the category we'd reserved, so, without our asking, they gave us a free upgrade to a two bedroom suite. Ended up being the same room in which scenes from the film Rainman were shot. According to the front desk, the rack rate for the room was $5,000/night. Too bad we didn't have our wives along!

To answer your original question-yes hotels do allow 2 couples in a room. I worked in management in the industry for 11 years and people do this VERY frequently.

Generally at the time of reservation you will be asked to the number in your party. If you are not asked I would let them know it is a party of 4. That way, as previously mentioned, you will not be bumped to a single room in the event the hotel is short on doubles.

Alot of hotels have gone to flat rates just because it is difficult to keep track of the number of occupants in a room. And guests do lie as to the number of occupants when they know there is a charge for extra people.

When you book ask if there is an extra person charge and what that charge is. That way you can just factor it into the cost you will need to split with the other couple.

Enjoy your trip!

Most LV hotels charge for extra occupants (adult or children) in a room. It's posted with the rate info on most websites (hotel sites, expedia, etc). They may or may not enforce it.

As others have mentioned, this is definitely allowed but you should check with the hotel and see if there is an extra charge. If you don't want to be surprised and stuck with one king for four people, you should to be up front with the hotel and pay any additional fees.

Personally, I would rather stay home than share a hotel room with another couple, but that's me. If you personally prefer to share a room at a nicer hotel rather than get two rooms at a not as nice hotel that is your choice. We all have our preferences. :-)

SDA1 - might ask around to see which hotels have larger rooms. Our double at the Flamigo was large, but the bathroom tiny. I hear (read here on fodors) that the Venetian has large bathrooms.

I personally think that if you all can share a room to save money instead of staying home, more power to you! I hope you enjoy your trip.

If SDA1 is looking to save money by having 4 adults in one room, the Venetian may be out of his budget. Then again, they do have great summer offers if this applies to his trip time frame.

Even if he stays at another LV hotel, assuming he'll be honest and make the reservation for 4 people upfront, for most properties there will be a jump in the room rate that will probably outweigh any hoped-for savings. Just go to the website and check it out. Again, this is LV specific, and doesn't apply to many other locations.

I'd like to believe that SDA1 asked, &quot; is it best to not mention anything ...&quot; not about the money, but about the possible tsk-tsk reaction he feared they may receive. Many of you ask why not stay at a cheaper hotel. Maybe they ARE staying at a cheaper one. If one wants to travel they do what must be done.

As someone who travels to Williamsburg often and learns of how often 3-6 people, unknown to each other, would be assigned the same bed it makes this situation sound so tame. Being involved until a few years ago with both a bicycling and an outdoor sports group, I've grown somewhat accustommed to &quot;dorm&quot; or &quot;barracks&quot; type sleeping, including mixed gender. It's really no big deal, as far as sleeping arrangements go. I just don't like the bathroom wait, altho, as pointed out, there's always the public restrooms downstairs.

I doubt any hotel would try to get a party of 4 adults share a 1-bedded room.

Enjoy Vegas, SDA1