Checking Hotels for Missing Person
 

I have a friend who has a son that has been missing for over a week. He has reason to believe, based upon a phone call that his son made to another party, that he is in a particular city. He and family friends/relatives have been calling various hotels in this city trying to locate him. However, is there a more efficient way to check whether a person has checked in to a hotel in a city other than calling each one individually?

I presume police have been notified, correct?

I don't think this is the right place to be posting something like that.

If it were my son missing - I would post information anywhere and everywhere that I could to look for help. There is no wrong place to seek help.

A few months ago my cousins daughter was missing for a short time - and the police were very helpful in contacting hotels and finding out where she had been and even knew that she had had phone calls etc.

Best of luck in finding him.

Does the son have a family credit card? Going on-line and checking the unposted expenditures might shed some light...

I agree. IMHO, a post asking the FT community, (many are very savvy about hotel operations) for suggestions in such a situation is more important than some of the junk mail links posted.

If he paid with credit card that may be one way, but other then that not really. If he didn't pay with credit card, and doesn't want to be found, then he probably didn't check in using his real name.

Sounds to me that he doesn't want to be found, and if he's not underage, then it's his right to stay that way. If he is underage, it's doubtful most hotels would let him check in anyways.

And, even if paying with a credit card, he could be registered under a different name. But if I don't want to be found, I won't be; all depends how smart the son is. Sounds like a case for either the police or a private investigator.

Thank you to those of you who posted constructive comments and suggestions. We were hoping that there was a fast way to check all hotels in the area, but apparently that may not be the case. We figured that if it was possible, someone on this forum would surely know. He doesn't have a credit card, so apparently any transactions are being conducted in cash.

Go to the police.

They know how to canvass hotels quickly.

Most folks dont run away to hiltons and marriotts, try the motel 6 class and other no-name hotels in the area.

Good luck

I have checked into a number of hotels while under 18, ranging from Sleep Inn to Marriott . Never had a problem.
I would think the best thing to do is to leave the contacting of hotels to Police. They probably have a more efficient method then calling each hotel individually.
Does the child have a cell phone? If so, you may be able to go online and see whom he called and roughly where the calls originated.

Also, how certain are you that he is actually staying in a hotel in that city? Could he possibly know someone there and be staying with them?

One question though... these days is it possible to check into ANY hotel (except a flophouse) without a credit card? I thought most now require a credit card even if paying with cash.

Sorry about your friends problems but their best bet is to file a police report and let the cops persue it. As for calling a hotel, I doubt if they will get anywhere. Most kids would stay with friends, in hostals, in B&B or sadly with the crud that prowl the bus/train terminals looking for lost young souls to exploit.

MisterNice

With the assistance of the police you should be able to find him quickly if he checked in under his own name.

If not, and you know the numbers he may have called the police could request the hotels check the billing detail on the PBX records for those numbers.

They could also help you check cell phone records, etc.

while I empathize w/ the OP this is not the right forum
 

as it has to do w/ HILTON points.

Based on the topic (canvassing hotels for a missing person) I am going to move it to TravelBuzz where many more posters will see it and savvy travelers may know more about general hotel info on the topic.

Thanks for your cooperation and good luck.

Squeakr
MOD Hilton

Even the big brands (including the luxury end) take cash as payment for the stay upfront (or per day) and cash as a security deposit equal to the amount they would pre-authorize on a credit card. That has not changed as far as I know. [I am referring to hotels as varied as the Four Seasons, Ritz-Carltons, Marriotts, Fairmonts, Swissotels, Hiltons, etc.] In certain countries refusing payment by cash (read: legal tender) is illegal.

I suspect this is in the U.S., but on the chance it's not and he's in a country that requires a passport at check-in to register with the police, he can be found that way.

And yes, it's quite possible to check into hotels without credit cards. In addition to taking a cash deposit up front, they can turn off the phones and not allow any room charge (room service, etc.) to that room.

Good luck.

Definitely contact the police, as mentioned many times above.

I would also email as many hotels as possible with an attached photo of the missing person. Can do a group email.

Call your child's closest known friend(s). They often enough have a better idea than parents about where their buddy may have discussed going to.

Not only can you check in with cash only, you can do it at any age. Our local Marriott Suites allowed a friend's 15 year old daughter who had run away to check in cash only. Police said there was nothing they could do to stop the hotel from accepting underage clients. I was flabbergasted.

They do not.

any luck finding your friend?