What if the Hotel Doesn't Have a Room?

Travelers often dread the following scenario: they arrive at their hotel after a very long day, only to discover that there is no room available for them. This type of incident, though rare, does occur occasionally, but if you are prepared to handle the situation, you'll have no problem. There are several things you can do in advance of your trip to ensure that everything goes smoothly. The most important measure you can take to prevent any unexpected surprises is to arm yourself with information.

Before departing for a trip, make sure to call ahead to all of the hotels you'll be staying at to confirm your reservation. Print out or write down the confirmation number and related information for each of the hotels and bring it with you on your trip. Make sure that you have any paid any necessary deposits on the hotel rooms.

Purchase a guidebook on the area you'll be traveling in, or download and print out articles on lodging and dining in the area from the Internet. Bring these guides with you on your trip, so you can consult them in a pinch. Also copy down phone numbers for the local tourism office in the area you're traveling to, as well as the U.S. embassy if you'll be visiting a foreign country.

When you arrive at a hotel, have your confirmation number, reservation information, credit card and photo ID on hand. This will help the hotel staff locate your reservation and get you into your room more quickly. If, however, even after careful planning on your part, the hotel does not have a room reserved from you and is unable to find an open room to put you in, don't panic.

If it's the hotel's error, then they must either find space for you, or else pay for you to stay at a nearby hotel that is comparably priced. If the mix-up is due to your own error, the staff should still be able to help you find any hotels in the area that might have availability.

You can also consult the guidebook you brought and call any recommended hotels to inquire about getting a room. Keep in mind that mist hotels do not book their rooms to capacity. In other words, if the mistake is theirs, know that they probably have room for you even if they say they don't, so be persistent and make them correct their mistake.