What happens when you want to overstay your visit and hotel is fully booked?
 

I'm going to be staying at a luxury property for several nights, but want to stay longer. Unfortunately, they are all booked.

While it is not in my nature to do something like this (I would be too anxious), I started wondering about exactly what would a hotelier do if you did not vacate a room. I've read in the past that interlopers are accommodated, but surely one must be face some kinds of consequences for refusing to leave a room. If so, what kind?

It has been 20 years since I worked at the front desk of a Westin, so my insights are both dated and not necessarily reflective of how a luxury property would handle it. That said, it was relatively rare and managed on a case-by-case basis. Assuming the guest had not been staying for 30+ days (in which case it had to be treated as a legal eviction process), then the property generally had the upper hand.

I remember a time when a family was staying at the property and they had to rush to the hospital due to some sudden health concerns, and we simply extended their stay at their current rate as we didn't want to add stress to an already stressful situation. Another time a guest came up and was direct, firm, and polite about the fact that he would be staying longer even though we were oversold. The manager indicated that we did not have availability, and that if the guest insisted on staying, that the rate would skyrocket. The guest was fine with it and paid nearly 5X the rate. Money talks, I suppose. Another time we had a guest who was paying cash, ultimately refused to leave the room (key cards can easily be deactivated, but that doesn't do much good if guests are held up in the room) to pay his bill. That initially started with him staying an additional unscheduled night, and eventually law enforcement was called. Thankfully that was settled without much further drama other than uniformed officers escorting the guests off the property. (I believe that the guests were told by the deputy that they could leave immediately and agree to not return, or they'd be forced out and face charges and fines. They opened the door and headed off.)

I mean the bad taste situation aside and potential security team getting involved, hotels have a rate plan that they'll likely charge you that covers the cost of walking a lower tier guest to another hotel (I.e the cost of the night elsewhere for the other guest will be built in to what they charge you).

This rate plan exists for 'guaranteed room availability' situations even when oversold, more than for when you just won't leave, though.

You can always ask hotel for this, and they'll walk someone else if you are willing to pay the guaranteed room availability rate.

Fascinating for me to learn that this might actually be an option…

However, going through with this must surely mean bad karma, since you’d potentially be keeping someone else from enjoying the holiday they’ve been looking forward too just as much as you have :eek:

I was walked by a hotel - I think an ES - in Atlanta once because a whole mass of people were overtstaying and they couldn't accommodate me.

Yep, I've been walked myself and it's not a fun experience! Karma is a b as they say....especially if you're in a holiday/resort destination and costing someone their trip. Different story if it's a city centre business hotel where they can walk them next door, but still it's not going to be nice for anyone involved (including your conscience ;-) ) Best to suck it up and return later, I'd say.

I have had this happen a LOT, unfortunately

I generally book hotels for my jobs and give myself "Plenty of room for Growth"
However, sometimes you get into a job and a 2 week job becomes 2 months but the hotel is full
I generally work with the front desk and determine what days they are fully booked and either find a new hotel for those days and reconfigure my reservation around them and ask to be put on a waitlist for those days or just plain move hotels

As far as your question: I would never do that as my boss would have a fit, I wouldn't want a potential arrest and/or any court proceedings on my history for security clearance/job purposes etc

Just generally, if you feel you are that important and selfish to do that, personally there are places for people like that....

Certain places would call law enforcement and evict you. Other places would probably add on the maximum charge for the additional add on days. VVIP guests will almost certainly be accomodated. I've lost booked suites when someone wouldn't vacate it.

Any true luxury property would have a concierge who would be more than willing to help you out here, in fact they would very likely in this situation be able to give you a good deal on a similar property since people in hospitality all fraternize and typically have good connections.

In my experience reputable hotels will usually be supportive when this arises and try to find a solution that works. Depending on no-show rates, the percentage of non-guaranteed bookings, and other variables they may decide to just extend the stay and see what happens. If the hotel is expecting to be full with confirmed reservations and there is no other option but to decline the extension then the hotel will usually be able to find alternative accommodation nearby through their industry contacts.

I have only come across a couple of instances in 30+ years working in the industry where there was absolutely no availability in the city but usually people are aware of this and adjust their schedules/flights.

Much would depend on laws and regulations of the local jurisdiction (innkeeper laws, eviction rules, etc.) in the extreme, but I would generally expect a decent hotel to charge the rack rate for an overstay when they're fully booked and to then pay to walk another guest if needed, assuming that a celebrity isn't involved. Some people try this as a way to get rooms during special events--i.e., arrive a few days early for the Super Bowl and deliberately plan to overstay.