lexluthor

Looking for a hotel in Boston for 2 adults and a child (16).

Getting so much better results (different hotels/lower prices) for 2 adults vs 2 adults and a child.

If I book for 2 people, what's going to happen when I get to the hotel?

I suppose I ask for 2 double beds or tell them my daughter decided to come and ask for our options?

Worst possible outcome is she sleeps in a sleeping bag for 2 nights?

Probably not worth the risk?

Often1

1. I very much doubt that any property considers a 16YOA as a child. She may be your child, but for travel purposes?

2. Best possible outcome is that the property doesn't care.

3. Worst possible outcome is that the property requires you to pay the full rack rate for the room (typically 3-4x the advertised prices and that much more + from Hotwire). # of beds + sleeping bags is not the issue. They may assign you a room with a maximum fire code occupancy of 2 guests. If they do, that doesn't mean 3 guests.

Which outcome? You won't know until you show up and find out.

lexluthor

Hotwire box for children says 2-17, so, in this particular instance, I'd definitely consider her a child. Looks like rates go up quite a bit more too if I select 3 adults rather than 2 adults and 1 child.

I don't think hotel websites listing children as up to 17 is uncommon here in the US.

Fair point on the fire code. Will give this some more thought. Would appreciate any other opinions as well.

AlexM125

I always leave the number of guests as the default (so one or two adults depending upon the site). When I have traveled with my family, four in total, we have never had an issue. I don't think you should worry about it.

wharvey

Hotwire is good at passing on your requirements to hotels.... and ensuring that hotels you get can honor your bedding requests. I would not worry as long as you are honest in your initial submission

lexluthor

But I'm suggesting not being totally honest.

I suppose 2 people asking for separate beds has to be a fairly common request.

But, even with a 2 adult request on hotwire, I'd assume they are not obligated to provide 2 beds.

So much better room options for 2 adults.

wharvey

If you are looking to lie when you book, all bets are off.

How much of a difference are we talking here?

I personally would not want to arrive at a hotel not knowing if we would have acceptable lodging.

Big4Flyer

Are you ok with your daughter possibly sleeping on the floor or in a chair, if yes, go ahead and book with just 2 adults. When traveling with our 3 year old I always do this and just ask for two beds when I check in. Most often they have one available. I've never run into any issue at all.

Often1

More importantly, are you OK with the message a 16 YOA learns about her parents when they get called out in front of her at the FD?

Cost of extra bed? $10
Cost of life lesson? Priceless

Doc Savage

But aren't you the same guy who thinks it ok to bribe "tip" front desk personnel in order to get an upgraded room?

OP, you can usually get away with doing this in the US. The extra layer of the Hotwire reservation likely makes it less clear to the hotel exactly what the reservation was meant to be. And of course if you have outside doors to your room, versus having to walk through a lobby, things are different, too.

In Europe, they tend to be much more strict about occupancy.

B1

You should choose a hotel that allows "bed choice" - see Priceline Express Deals or Hotwire. But my best deal in Boston is the guest house by Mass General. It's a very nice place - the John Jeffries House with excellent rates in a great location by the river and Beacon Hill. You can walk to the concerts at Hatch Shell too. There are very large rooms in the basement for families and breakfast is included.

GUWonder

Is it worth the risk? It depends on the neighborhood and which properties are likely to show up.

I think we've done enough Hotwire bookings for Boston under such conditions to have a sense of how this goes. From what we've gotten back in terms of hotels and assigned rooms, I would suggest doing the "2 adults+1 child" selection when searching there and making bookings -- more so for some neighborhoods than other neighborhoods -- rather than selecting rooms for just "2 adults".

Some of the rooms assigned when booking for just "2" wouldn't easily fit a sleeping bag for even a ten year old without being a potential stumbling block or making the rooms feel even more claustrophobic than they may be. But it comes down to the neighborhood, specific property and how busy the property is.

lexluthor

Worst case, I'd sleep on the floor for 2 nights in a sleeping bag. Probably unlikely to come to that anyhow.

Wound up getting Westin Copley place for 2 nights at $240 total savings over pre-paid price on their website.

Selecting 3 people, for the same price I probably would have had to stay in Cambridge and a hotel not nearly as nice.

Big4Flyer

Dad checks in alone= problem solved.

OP, congrats on getting the Westin, you should be able to get two beds without much of a problem there.

SinglePapa2

this was a long topic. Kindly mention the rate, and all fees