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You’ve selected a hotel room, paid the required points or cash, and received a booking confirmation. You arrive at the hotel, only to be told that there are no rooms available. Just like airlines, hotels can overbook their rooms, resulting in too many guests and not enough rooms. This is known in the hospitality industry as “walking a guest.”
Unlike being bumped from a flight, there are few regulations governing overbooked hotels beyond contract law. Here's why this happens and how to avoid getting “walked” all over.
Why Hotel Reservations Are Not Honored
Hotels are in the business of selling as many rooms as possible, just like airlines sell as many seats as possible. Hotels also anticipate no-shows and last-minute cancellations. A hotel might use historical data or trends to estimate the number of no-shows and then oversell rooms by that amount to ensure rooms don't sit empty.
There are a few common reasons why overbooking could happen, including:
- Guests end up staying more nights than they originally planned.
- Scheduling mishaps.
- Major events in the area (like sports playoffs or a convention).
- An unexpected maintenance issue takes rooms out of service.
- Unexpected weather that causes rooms to be out of service or guests to stay longer because of canceled flights.
How to Avoid Getting “Walked”
How do you reduce your chances of being walked by a hotel? Unfortunately, there isn't a foolproof way to guarantee your reservation will be honored. However, here are a few tips to avoid being turned away from the hotel:
- Book directly through the hotel. This is especially important if you’re traveling during a peak time. If you see a lower price on a third-party website, most hotels offer a best rate guarantee, so it’s worth calling to see if they’ll match the lower rate.
- Notify the hotel of a late check-in. If you won't arrive until 10:00 p.m., the hotel might mistake your late arrival as a no-show. Call the hotel in advance to give them a heads-up. Ask them to hold your reservation for you and get the name of the person you spoke with.
- Read your booking details. Check the terms and conditions in the confirmation you receive for your booking to see if there is any information about overbooking that could be helpful.
- Make sure you have a booking code for the hotel. If you booked with a third-party service (such as Hotels.com or Expedia), make sure you have a confirmation number from the hotel itself, not only the booking site.
- Join the loyalty program of that hotel. Even if you don't hold elite status, hotels want to make their members as happy as possible and may prioritize your reservation over non-members.
- Call to confirm. It can't hurt to contact the hotel a day before your check-in to confirm your booking.
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Hotel Overbooking Policies
If you find yourself getting “walked,” the hotel should relocate you to a comparable alternative property. Your original hotel should also cover the cost of transportation to the new hotel. Most hotel chains have a specific policy on overbooking or “walking” a guest, and it can pay off to be aware of these policies before agreeing to their first offer.
Here's a quick look at the overbooking policies of some of the major chains:
- Hyatt: If you book on Hyatt.com, prepay with a credit card, and are walked, Hyatt will provide a free night at a comparable hotel and free transportation to and from that hotel.
- IHG: IHG will provide a room at and transportation to another convenient, comparable hotel. IHG will also pay the full cost of the first night’s lodging price, including tax. IHG will also refund any advance deposit you made for your stay.
- Marriott: If you hold Bonvoy elite status, Marriott will pay for your accommodations that night at a nearby hotel and compensate you for the inconvenience. The amount of compensation depends on the brand and your status level. To be eligible, you must provide your member number when making a reservation.
- Hilton: Does not publicize a policy, but reports indicate it is similar to that of other chains, with the hotel covering the first night's cost and relocating you to a comparable hotel.
Other chains have similar policies where the minimum you should expect to receive is a comparable hotel room to the one that you booked. And, as you can see, sometimes being a member of the hotel's loyalty program or having elite status can impact not only your chances of not being walked but also the compensation you'll receive if it does happen.
Related: How To Get Hotel Elite Status for Free (or Almost Free)
Bottom Line
If your reservation can't be accommodated, cite the hotel's overbooking policy as you politely but firmly speak with hotel staff. If you aren't satisfied with the hotel's solution, ask to speak with the general manager. If they can’t help, you should write a letter to the hotel owner detailing the situation.
Remember that the person you're talking to likely isn't the person who caused you to be overbooked. Be polite, but also try to be informed about different options. You may only get what you ask for, so ensure you ask for what the hotel's policy says you're owed, plus whatever you think is fair in your situation. The hotel may be willing to give you a decent amount of points or perks for your trouble.
