I’ve booked a family room at Premier Inn for myself and my partner, as we don’t often like to share a double bed as I’m such a light sleeper. The family room has a double and a pull-out bed, which is perfect for us.
The only thing is, the website only let me book this room if I added a child as a guest. Which I did in order to book the room. We don’t actually have a child, so when we turn up it’ll just be the two of us.
Do you think I should call ahead to let them know, or just leave it and see what they say when we check in? Has anyone done this before? I’m probably overthinking it, but I just want to be prepared!
Edit: Thanks everyone for your comments!
I probably should have added this context to the post, but I did try to book a twin room, that is always the first thing I will check and my preference when booking a room, as I just don’t manage to sleep otherwise. But this particular hotel does not have twin rooms, they just have a double and add a pull out sofa bed, so whilst they market it as a ‘family’ room, it is just they way they do a ‘twin’ room. Some people were suggesting I am being selfish and taking the room away from a family, but it’s the only way to book a twin at this hotel. They are not dedicated family rooms, they just add a bed to a double. I have just spoken to customer service to ask if they have the ability to swap me to a twin room and they confirmed this fact, so it’s the only way to have a room with two beds.
If I get asked about it when we check in, I’ll let them know this is the case! Thanks everyone for your help
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If they say anything just say ‘their grandparents are dropping them off in a bit’ and go about your day
I have no idea but I’m super curious to know the answer to this one.
The ones I’ve been to have self check in and half the time there was no staff in the lobby. I doubt anyone will notice.
I’ve stayed in a few hotels and I’ve never been asked about who was in my room. I can’t imagine they’ll ask.
Do they not have twin rooms with two single beds
I don’t work at Premier Inn, but i am a receptionist at a hotel. We could not care about people who aren’t there unless it’s a lot. Only then its because we think they may arrive later, without knowledge that you grabbed the key. Theres obviously a million reasons a child didn’t come. Why would we question it?
You’ll be absolutely fine at a Premier Inn. I usually book a family room when there’s two of us and there’s never a child in tow – it’s never been an issue.
Tell them your child was kidnapped and that you’ll probably get around to looking for them tomorrow. Also ask if they serve breakfast.
I would let them know it’s just the two of you when you arrive just in case there’s a fire or other emergency you don’t want someone put at risk looking for a non existent child
If they ask you about your child start crying and have your partner scold them for being inappropriate.
Why not ask on a local Facebook group if there’s anyone needing a babysitter that night in the area?
Explain that you are looking for a child to take to a hotel and spend the night with to ‘avoid suspicion’
I’m 99% sure you’ll get a few people responding with a variety of responses 😏
Just say your child has gone for a sleep over with a friend instead.
Family rooms are for family’s for a reason? Why book one stopping a genuine young family from having it, just selfish
I’ve booked a family room before for that reason, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, they don’t care!
What are the standard size hotel beds in the UK…? In the US it would be standard to offer a choice of 1 king size bed or 2 queen size beds.
The king size bed is typically booked by a couple – though you can definitely fit at least 1 kid in the middle if you don’t mind being kicked occasionally.
The 2 queen size beds are normally booked by a family, or occasionally 2 friends sharing a room. They easily sleep 4. So you don’t need to ask for anything extra or pay more to sleep 4.
Past that you might get a room with a pullout bed that can sleep 1 or 2 more. That might cost more.
We stayed at one last month and it had a self check in. It asked for the name of the second adult but that’s it.
I’ve stayed before when there was a desk to check in and I’d gone to check in whilst my son and his dad had nipped to the shop to get some drinks. Nobody questioned where they were, again i just was asked the name of the second adult and given my room key.
Go to a charity shop and buy a kiddies rucksack, bring it with you to check in.
Then say the kid was sick so nana and grandad will look after them.
they charge you more for the child anyway, so it shouldnt matter that you dont have one
Did they not have a room with two single beds ?
Grandparents decided to babysit them for the night.
If they say anything look at each other and shout KEVIN!
Have you got breakfast included? I’d so I’d ring them and explain that you couldn’t book it without adding a child but you don’t have one. They should reduce your room rate
They won’t say a word, don’t worry.
You book a twin room. That’s what my partner and I do
I dont think they’ll care
You’ll be fine, I bet. You paid for the room, not the number of guests.
I can’t imagine anyone giving a single shiny shit, but you could always just cosplay having an invisible child and be OFFENDED if anyone dares to question their existence.
Chances are they won’t care. If you’re in any way worried, then have one of you check in.
I have one child, so book these rooms quite often. Most times one of the grown ups will check in while the other grown up is doing something more fun with the kid. Never been questioned.
Once you’re checked in, no-one will remember.
At premier Inn, family rooms and double rooms are the same room. To make a family room they just put a duvet and pillow on the chaise longue. They even store the spare pillow and duvet under the bed in the room. If you hadn’t asked for a family room, you could have turned a normal room into a family room yourself. So, by all this, I mean, you are fine!
I stay in premier inns weekly and have done for a decade.
When you check in, if with a person and not self check in, they might ask you who else is in the room, if you just say just you + partner they might bump you to a double room in order to try and sell out the family rooms to actual families.
I’ve had this happen recently when I share a room with a colleague – we’ve booked the family room to ensure we have two beds as the twin rooms weren’t available and they’ve secretly moved us to the double room with one bed. When we kick off about having one bed and not being assigned the room we booked and paid for they plead ignorance and say there’s no rooms left with two beds in.
This has only happened this year, and it has happened a few times now. If you have put there will be three people in the room, say the other person/child is to be collected and will be with you soon.
Such a great idea!
I can almost guarantee nobody will give a shit (or notice)
this is why I booked a travel lodge as they have a pull out bed as well
In the wildly unlikely event that the receptionist even asks, just say that the kid is sick and had to stay at home with their grandparents.
Make sure they don’t charge you extra for the child’s breakfast!! Other than that, it will be fine.
You could just book a twin room. It will be a double bed with a fold out bed.
This question comes up so much that somebody should make a ‘RentAChild’ company, to alleviate people of said concern! £30 per night, plus you have to feed them and let them use an iPad whenever they want, plus, you know… you have to be DBS checked of course.
I booked a twin room in a premier inn and we got the double and pullout. They really won’t care.
You’ve paid for the room, they’ve got their money, they will not care. Plus even if the company cared, the receptionists don’t get paid enough to care on their behalf.
My parents booked a hotel once and put me down as 14 even though I was 15 because you paid less for 14 and under. They asked our ages on check in and when my parents said 14 my sister started insisting I was 15 and we had this whole back and forth about my age. The receptionist gave a knowing smirk but signed us in perfectly happily anyway without charging extra for me.
You’ll be fine ☺️
As someone with a family, I often go to the check in desk by myself (no kids pulling my arm shouting daddy daddy when I’m talking to staff). They’ve never demanded to see my family and take a headcount. Maybe just one of you whose name is on the booking can go to the desk.
If the reception staff ask, just say they have the lurgy. No need for specifics with that answer.
We haven’t made it yet 😉😉
If they ask at check in act all flustered and loudly announce you knew you’d forgot something
It won’t be a problem. The staff won’t care.
I would suggest next time you call them, I have had to call them to ask about things before and they are usually very helpful and nice.
Last time we went my wife checked the whole family in and got the key while the rest of us were doing something else round the corner. We only even went there getting on for bedtime. There could have been only her, or we could have brought a whole tribe in for all they knew.
I stay in Premier Inns all the time and it seems their idea of a twin is just a usual king size bed with a pullout sofabed, which is the only option available if you’re two adults wanting to share a room and not a bed. They just call them family rooms; there’s no prerequisite to have a child with you. I mean, they gave me an accessible room once even though I’m able-bodied.
Essentially, the family rooms are supposed to be for two adults or two adults plus a child. Although that’s not to say we’ve not used them for three adults in the past (don’t get me started on the lack of triple rooms in hotels!).
The last premier inn I went to had a new digital check in machine where you do it yourself, so you don’t even need to interact with the staff! Though saying that, I did the check in for 2 adults & 2 kids by myself so we didn’t have to deal with them dancing around the lobby. If you’re really concerned, just go check in by yourself and then go to hubs and fetch your bags from the car. I bet they don’t bat an eyelid
Do it often when me and my mate have our annual weekend in London. Not all premier inns offer a twin room so a family room gets booked, never had an issue with there just being 2 of us.
If they ask.. which they won’t. just say the child is no longer staying with you at last minute.
You’ve paid for the room already there was no need to cancel and risk not getting another.. thank you!
and move on with your day.
Don’t worry. Booked family rooms there and other places for little swingers parties and never a problem. Just get the key with no questions on check-in. That’s not why you want the extra bed is it? 🙂
If they ask where the child is, say “My wife has him.” and then get your partner to say “I thought you had him?!”
And then both say “THE SERVICES ON THE <Motorway far away from where you are>!!!!”
No problem, but the second bed is a couch
I once had a trip to Cleethorpes for a night out and booked the rooms a couple nights before while drunk (was a spontaneous plan with a couple friends while we were drinking) and accidentally booked my friend’s room for the day before we took the trip, so his room wasn’t there for him when we got there.
All we did was told the front dest staff that we’d head to the room we DID have and work something out from there…he just slept on the couch in the one room and no one ever said or did anything about us.
Hinestly whenever I go to a Premier in the staff seem to have a “im not paid enough for this shit” attitude when stuff like that happens, so honestly I think you’ll just be fine.
You’ve paid for a premium room, so it’s up to you how you fill it – so long as it’s not more people than you’ve paid for.
Also, if they challenge you, just ask what they’re talking about – the child is right here then look at the ceiling and hiss while rolling your ayes around crazily.
They won’t even care. They have your money.
“they’re just parking the car”
The staff don’t give a shit.
I booked the family room once thinking you get more space (It didn’t require me to say anything about children on booking), they did not notice on check in that we didn’t have a child but I said “oh, did I book the family room? It’s just us two” at which point he was like “they’re the same room, only with the family room you have an extra bed (and less space); so he swapped us for a double.
I say this because I don’t think they’ll mind… but I wonder if you’ll be better with a twin room rather than a family one?
He’s in the post, delivery will be 2-3 weeks
“Did you pack the child darling”?
“No! I thought you did”!?
Bloody hell!!
Book a twin room. It’s a double and a single most of the time
Child is sick, stayed home with granny.
I just at premier inn by Waterloo last month, the check-in was a touch screen. The only time I saw staff was at the bar or at breakfast ( get the breakfast add on, you won’t regret it).
I don’t think they care about counting or policing guests, they just want the money.
Have a great trip OP!
No they or any other hotel don’t care. I stay away with work a lot and I’ll book whatever room looks the best from what is available. Often I book late and there’s only a family room left, I’m having it and no one has ever questioned anything.
They’ll ask how many keys you want and it’s always two, one for the electricity switch and the other is kept on me.
You can check in as one person , IF asked – everyone’s out and about
I do the opposite – my child likes to share a bed with me in hotels, so I don’t mention them on a booking as the price goes up. Then I rock up, child in tow. Nobody has ever said anything.
Just to add I had the opposite situation of not being able to book a room for me + husband and 3 kids as 4 was the room max. The youngest kids are twins and when they were small enough to share a bed we used to dress them identically for the day (they are not ID twins) then one of us would go to check in with bigger kid and 1 twin in tow then I’d saunter in a bit after with the other twin muttering something about having had to go back to the car to retreive a toy/pacifier…. Always worked.
“We drove around a few schools but couldn’t find on we liked” should make for a great reddit story by the receptionist :p
As others have said, just say grandparents dropping them off later. I used to work on reception and unless someone made themselves memorable, I’d forget faces instantly lmao. Just go about normally and you should be fine. Another thing, sometimes you get larger rooms anyway. We used to have more business people over families so during the week, the family rooms were mostly taken up by single people. I stayed in one over the weekend by myself and had a triple room.
Bring a doll and act like it’s a real child.
I booked a room for me and my baby over a year ago. Plans changed, they didn’t ask when I checked in without her until breakfast the next day (as I’d already paid so it said breakfast for two – and they probably wanted to check she hadn’t been left in the room alone) and a quick “oh, she didn’t come with me in the end” was sufficient.
If you book a twin room for two adults you would get this set-up. In the same section where you update your occupancy there is a drop-down for room type (Double/Twin/Accessible).
Some hotels do twins as 2 single beds but once you’ve selected your room rate (aka price) there will be an option for 2 Singles vs 1 Double & 1 Sofa-bed before going into the personal details section.
But, to answer your question, there won’t be a problem if it’s just to two of you. Problems arise when there’s MORE people than booked, lol.
Sincerely, someone who used to work in the call centre
Them pull out beds are hard and uncomfortable. So the main orblem you will have is whos sleeping on the tiny uncomfortable bed.
I stayed a Premier inn with my grandson and husband and I ended up on the little bed as even my grandson thought it was too hard. They both had the double bed.
I’d just say plans changed after booking so you left them with the grandparents. They aren’t going to say you can’t use the room surely cause it’s been paid for. Regardless of who’s booked it, they’re getting the same money.
“they drove separately” 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DnRbOU0kvw
https://preview.redd.it/ufedoqhc7pof1.png?width=374&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7f26f7d294556f47631296b39db8117135dede6
I wouldn’t worry.
I book premier inn disabled rooms as my friends in a wheelchair but I normally arrive earlier then him so I check in first.
They’ve never questioned about me booking a disabled room so I doubt they’ll question you about a family room
Grans dropping the kid off later on i hear
After tonight, there will be a kid in 9 months wink wink
If they ask where the child is, just smile and gesture to the empty space next to you: ‘She’s right here. She’s so excited as this the first time she’s been on holiday since she got sick.’
End of conversation, guaranteed.