I agree with this.

Oh for heaven's sake! The friend asked. If he was being manipulative, then you could have called him on it by saying you wanted the bed. If he was being polite, you still could have gotten what you wanted by saying you wanted the bed. In any event, you are mad because he couldn't read your mind. This is where marriages and friendships go bad. People expect others to read their minds so they don't have to ask for what they want.

I have seen situations where neither person got what they wanted and in fact both got what they didn't want because neither would say what they really wanted.

The other way we go wrong is when we impute motives to others. We have no idea why the friend asked. We can assume he was being manipulative and drop him as a friend or mistrust him. Or we can assume we was being polite and continue a friendship. Or we can say we just don't know and continue and be a bit wary maybe. Me, I prefer to assume the best until the evidence accumulates and I know.

Reading this thread, I am so glad that I don't have friends like some of you. Being nice to a friend for one night in your life will not destroy your life....sheesh. Everyone can have money, but not everyone can have class.

+1
Unfortunately, money status, number of points or miles are assumed to have class....in the minds of many who have it.

Since I haven't been collage age in a long time I would assume my friend would book their own room or they ain't coming along ;)

Neither. Ask for a rollaway. FAR more comfortable, unless you are over 6' 2" tall. I've used one when traveling with my family of 5. Usually it's supposed to be for one of the kids, but they inevitably crawl into bed with me and my wife, so I grab the rollaway and sleep soundly there.

Where on Earth does that come from?

I personally think all the people going on about how the person paying for the room should get the least comfortable bed out of "politeness" are being beyond ridiculous. It works both ways, if it's impolite to not take the sofa then it's impolite for the other person to accept the bed.

Unless there's a reason why I shouldn't (e.g. they have back/medical problems or any other extenuating circumstances), if I pay for the bed then I get the bed. (And I have no money and few points/miles...)

I take it if any of you have a guest over at your house you move out of your bedroom and give the guest your bed while you sleep in the spare room/on the sofa?

Looks like you are agreeing !
BTW, we have regularly given up our master bedroom to guests. We do not ask them nor offer it...we just tell them where they are sleeping. If our guests are worth inviting to our home, they definitely worth the best bed room. Such is the culture in other parts of the world.

Nice trick if you're using a free night certificate (or even points).

Nobody said anything about lives being destroyed, but I'm confused... I thought the OP was "being nice" by letting his friend stay in his room for free. Are you suggesting that he has to give up his bed, too? :confused:

Perhaps it's a cultural thing (as HMPS says), but I'd be very happy to be offered even a sofa bed for free, especially in a pricey city and/or hotel.

I think your friend was being only polite.

Of course secretly hoping you choose the sofa :D

I've done that frequently.

Indeed. ^

YES. And as the friend, I would have insisted that I take the sofabed. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO GRACE???

Both parties show a lack of it.

did he offer to split the room but you offered to buy it with points instead? If so than I think your friend is entitled to flip for the bed as you volunteered to cover the whole cost. If your friend made no mention of picking up their half of the room or at least buy you a couple of beers then they were out of line in assuming they had a say in the matter.

Now, is it worth making it awkward as soon as your trip begins? That's another story...

Only if the guests are my parents :D


Culture may be one thing, but the reason we have a guest room is for guests, not for us when we have guests! I wouldn't be comfortable sleeping in someone else's master bedroom anyway but if they had already set it up then I suppose it would be even more impolite to refuse.

Sometimes I will actually book a hotel for my "guests", after I caught some nosy aunts and uncles looking through my tax records while they thought I was sleeping...