I currently have 1 night booked at a London area hotel for 75 GBP per night.
I now need to extend my stay to 2 nights. When I try to modify the reservation, the rate changes to 85 GBP per night.
Which option is better?
1) Change the existing reservation to two nights at 85 GBP per night.
2) Keep the existing reservations as is at 75 GBP for the first night. Then, make a second (seperate) reservation for the second night at 85 GBP per night.
Any consequences of #2 (ie do you think they'd force me to check out at the check out time, then wait around to check back in at the check in time)?
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I'd book the seperate night and save yourself a tenner. Ask them to combine the reservations when you get there. People extend their stays like this all the time. Assuming both are for the same room category it's not in their interests to boot you out - they will only have to service your room rather than fully make it over.
It will count as 2 nights and you'll get points for both nights - but will only be one stay, irrespective of whether you check out and in again.
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From personal experience they will semi-merge the two at check-in. The last time I did this I effectively had to check-out and check-in again. I kept the same room. I received two bills.
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try calling the hotel directly and asking reservations if they'll extend the rate for the second night. worked for me at ZRH when I'd booked one night on the '2 for 1' rate of about CHF 130 and the website was wanting CHF 250 for an additional night .. hotel was happy to give me the cheap rate for the second night.
Don't spend any more of your time on this and certainly don't pay for a phone call. Book a second reservation. 99% of the time they will keep you in the same room - just say when you check in that you have two back to back reservations and note the different rates to avoid problems when you check out.
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Agree with Mac - this is totally normal. Just book the 2nd night and inform the clerk about it when you arrive. I've done dozens of stays over the years where I've either tacked on one night after the stay began or checked in knowing I had 2-3 total reservations to begin with. Never an issue. Never had to vacate a room or engage in any kind of actual check-out activity. (They may process you out and in but they won't make you pack up and move assuming all bookings are for normal rooms.)
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Just did this in DC. Told front desk at check in. Received a bill under the door after the first reservation. I did have to have them recode my key that day. Received a seperate bill at check-out on the last day (for just the second reservation). Never had to change room, etc.
Have also had "back to back" reservations and asked at the desk to combine the reservations. The desk said no problem. However, the next day, tried to use the key to get in and it would not work. They had stacked all our our luggage in one corner.
Based on the above, I would call the hotel. All you could possibly be out is a couple of dollars for the call but you might save on the second night and save on a potential hassle when you are there.
Have also had "back to back" reservations and asked at the desk to combine the reservations. The desk said no problem. However, the next day, tried to use the key to get in and it would not work. They had stacked all our our luggage in one corner.
Based on the above, I would call the hotel. All you could possibly be out is a couple of dollars for the call but you might save on the second night and save on a potential hassle when you are there.
A couple dollars for the call? Try using skype. it should be less than a quarter.
Just did this in DC. Told front desk at check in. Received a bill under the door after the first reservation. I did have to have them recode my key that day. Received a seperate bill at check-out on the last day (for just the second reservation). Never had to change room, etc.
That was exactly my experience during a recent stay at the Hilton Toledo.
I was staying for three nights. Third night was more expensive but if I booked all three nights together it applied the higher rate to all three nights.
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Some hotel software will allow a complete "joining" of the two reservations into one (maintaining the separate rates for the different nights). Other software packages aren't as flexible, and these ae the ones which require you to formaly check out of the room, then check right back in (assuming room types are equal). Even if it is the latter, it's quite painless (one thing - if it is the latter, make sure that your keys are re-programmed for the second night).
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