cscasi

But, YOU seem to have assumed certain things to fit your theory; which the OP blew a hole in.

rjtraveler

Dr. HFH stated "In many places, the hotel can't just move you out for an overstay. It has to invoke a legal eviction process, which, in many U.S. jurisdictions, is designed primarily to protect the tenant."

I don't know about the country where this took place, but in the US, hotel guests don't normally have tenant rights.

If you are a resident in a hotel or motel, you do not have the rights of a tenant in any of the following situations:

"You live in a hotel, motel, residence club, or other lodging facility for 30 days or less, and your occupancy is subject to the state’s hotel occupancy tax.
You live in a hotel, motel, residence club, or other lodging facility for more than 30 days, but have not paid for all room and related charges owing by the 30th day.
You live in a hotel or motel to which the manager has a right of access and control, and all of the following is true:
The hotel or motel allows occupancy for periods of fewer than seven days.
All of the following services are provided for all residents:
- a fireproof safe for residents' use;
- a central telephone service;
- maid, mail, and room service; and
- food service provided by a food establishment that is on or next to the hotel or motel grounds and that is operated in conjunction with the hotel or motel.
If you live in a unit described by either 1, 2 or 3 above, you are not a tenant; you are a guest. Therefore, you don't have the same rights as a tenant.4 For example, the proprietor of a hotel can lock out a guest who doesn't pay his or her room charges on time, while a landlord would have to begin formal eviction proceedings to evict a nonpaying tenant."

mikeef

A few things to consider:

AM: You get to choose your partner
Starwood: No choice of partner

AM: No loyalty points
Starwood: SPG points

AM: Hackers break into the database
Starwood: Hackers break into the database

AM: Red face if your spouse catches you
Starwood: Red Amex card (until you get your purple one)

Mike

MSPeconomist

IANAL but surely this is not uniform throughout the USA. State (and sometimes local, for example in rent control jurisdictions) laws would define rights of tenancy and eviction proceedings rules as well as innkeeper laws.

rdover1

That just made my day!

Steve M

This issue about "but my cardkey still worked" has come up at least twice in this thread. In virtually situations (except perhaps for the very latest technology where someone can unlock a hotel door with their NFC-enabled phone), the door room lock is not connected to the Property Management System. The key gets coded at the front desk for your intended length of stay, possibly including late checkout on the final day, and the lock validates the key completely independent of any external data or power source.

If you check out early (or if by mistake they check you out early as in some of the situations in this thread) and the maid prepares the room for the next guest, the room will get marked as "vacant - clean" in the PMS. But your existing cardkey will still work in the room lock up until its original expiration date and time. This is not really a security issue, as the first time the next guest for that room uses their cardkey in the door, it will automatically invalidate all of yours, even if they are not yet expired (the lock remembers itself which "key sequence" that is valid, and won't accept earlier sequences, even if they are still valid based on date and time).

rjtraveler

MSPeconomist, wrote "IANAL but surely this is not uniform throughout the USA. State (and sometimes local, for example in rent control jurisdictions) laws would define rights of tenancy and eviction proceedings rules as well as innkeeper laws."

Well, I can only speak for Oregon where I know the 30 day rule is enforced. Here's a link with more details:

http://lawdigest.uslegal.com/travel/...mittedAsGuests

MSPeconomist

HMMMMM.....I've had my key card invalidated by the system when I ask the front desk clerk to print my bill. Sometimes no matter how much I stress that I'm not quite checking out at that time, they nevertheless do something that cancels the key card.

Dr. HFH

Exactly. IAAL; and if rjtraveler has done a survey of the relevant laws in all 50 states, great. Otherwise, be aware that innkeeper laws are state laws, not federal, and vary from state to state. Exceptions to this rule would be specific federal issues like anti-discrimination laws.

dottie dog

In my case the front desk wanted a room with two beds and knowing I was there alone, they moved me to another room while I was at a business conference without asking me. I was 2 days into a 5 night stay. But they didn't move all of my stuff, they left items in the bathroom and closet. And the family they moved into my room were quite shocked when I walked in and started screaming (my key still worked). Needless to say the manager apologized, gave me a credit, sent flowers to my office, etc. But it was a huge invasion of privacy. Unforgivable!

sethb

Could it have been the time? I got a late checkout a couple of days ago, and they told me my key would expire at noon and I'd have to get it reauthorized to get into the room after that.

jsn55

This is a traveller's nightmare for sure. I hope you raise a HUGE fuss, insist on a total refund for every penny you spent at the hotel, plus 100K points as an apology.

Of course it was some kind of mistake, but it's absolutely outrageous to subject a guest to this kind of treatment. What? Now do we have to hang the DND sign plus a little note that says we have not checked out, we are not checking out, and this room is to be left undisturbed. Ridiculous. They're lucky you are so understanding, many of us would not be.

sethb

Don't you think that's a little excessive for having to spend a minute at the front desk getting my key reauthorized?

jsn55

Keycards rarely work after I checkout so I just make doubly sure that I don't need the room again before checking out. And, yeah, if you have separate reservations, good idea to get re-keyed when you return each day. Hotels are getting better at it, but still annoying to stack up all your stuff in the hall and trudge down to the front desk.

MSPeconomist

No and in fact with late checkouts, I've stood there and watched the front desk agent make me a new key card and then print my bill. When I get up to the room, the new key card doesn't work so I must go back to the front desk. All because I was trying to save time and get a copy of the bill when the front desk wasn't busy and I was there walking past it anyway. I suspect the problem is that many front desk agents don't know how to print the bill without checking the person out automatically, nor do they understand that what they do has the effect of also being a checkout.