Ways to Confirm Your Hotel Booking Before Arrival
Hotels sometimes overbook, leading to a situation called "walking a guest," where a guest with a reservation is relocated because no room is available. This can stem from unforeseen maintenance problems, a surge in room demand, or the hotel's effort to offset no-shows. To lower the chance of being affected, you can arrive earlier in the day and verify your booking on your scheduled arrival date.
By Toby Young
Let your hotel know if you're arriving late so they don't give away your room.
In the hotel business, "walking a guest" refers to the practice of relocating a guest with a reservation to another property because the hotel has sold more rooms than it can provide. Several factors can lead to this: unplanned maintenance problems, a spike in demand for rooms, or a hotel's attempt to safeguard against guests who fail to show up. You can lower the risk of this happening to you by getting to the hotel earlier in the day and by confirming your reservation on the date you are due to arrive.
Confirming by Telephone
A straightforward method to ensure the hotel is expecting you is to give them a call. Reach out to the hotel directly by phone. Avoid contacting any online travel agencies, even if you booked through one. When you speak to the reservation agent, provide your name, the date you plan to arrive, and your confirmation number if it is available.
Confirming Through the Hotel's Website
Certain hotels let guests view, change, or cancel their bookings online. Best Western, for instance, allows you to check a reservation by entering your name and confirmation number on its site. Hotels frequently simplify online reservation access for members of their loyalty or rewards programs.
