You just landed a business trip or a last-minute vacation. You find a hotel offering deals, so you book it for two nights. But something comes up and you need to stay an extra night. What now? If you are staying at an independent hotel, then the answer is simple: check if they offer any extensions or not. Or simply ask them about such possibilities before booking your room. Otherwise… well, read on to learn more about extending your stay at a hotel and what you should do in case of emergency situations like natural disasters or flooding.
Can You Extend Your Stay at a Hotel?
Yes, you can extend your stay in a hotel, with some conditions. Generally, the hotel will charge you extra if you stay longer than initially booked. You can ask the hotel to extend your stay and they may or may not grant your request depending on availability and their policy.
Why Can You Extend Your Stay At A Hotel?
1. Natural Disasters
Flooding is a common natural disaster that affects many countries across the globe. In such cases, you may want to extend your stay to avoid being caught in the middle of an evacuation. If you are staying in a hotel that has been affected by flooding, check with them if they can extend your stay as well.
2. Economic Crises
You may want to extend your stay at a hotel when there is significant economic crisis or recession. This is because hotels usually charge higher rates during recessions and economic crises for people seeking refuge from their homes or businesses. So if you are staying in such hotels, ask them about their rates and their policy regarding extensions of stays so that you can plan accordingly and save money at the same time.
3. Holiday Season
Holiday season is another time when many people book rooms for extended stays for various reasons like extended family visits or celebration events like Christmas parties and New Year parties. If you find yourself in such a situation, then ask the hotel about their policy regarding extension of stays. You may want to extend your stay at a hotel during the holiday season if you are planning to be there for a longer period of time.
4. Family or Business Meetings
If you are staying in a hotel with family or business colleagues, it can be helpful to extend your stay at the hotel if it is going to last for a long period of time. This is because you can use the extra room for activities like meetings and get-togethers.
5. Meetings
Meetings and conferences are another reason why people book rooms with extended stays at hotels. You may want to book an extended stay at a hotel if you are planning meetings and conferences that span over several days or weeks in different locations across different cities or countries.
6. Group Travel
If you have booked a group trip to go on vacation, then it is a good idea to check with the hotel about their policyion where you need to extend your stay, on the other hand, ask the hotel if they can extend your stay.
7. Holiday Accommodation
If you are staying in a holiday house or an apartment in a city like Paris, London, Singapore, or Bangkok for example, for a week or two, then you can ask the owner if it is possible to extend your stay. It may not be possible but if it is possible then the owner may grant you such request. In most of such cases, however, the owner will charge an extra fee for such extensions.
8. Relocation
If you are relocating from one country to another and need accommodation while waiting for your new residence visa to be ready and approved by authorities then you can ask the hotel if they can extend your stay since hotels usually offer free accommodations during relocation days.
How To Extend Your Stay At A Hotel?
Check the fine print
Unlike hotels in the past, most hotels today require a minimum stay on weekends, holidays, and special occasions. If you’re staying at a hotel with a minimum stay policy, you may be obligated to pay for two nights even if you only plan to stay for one. Hotels with a high demand often have a strict cancellation policy. While some hotels allow you to cancel without a penalty up to 24 hours before your stay, others may charge you for the full amount of the stay if you don’t cancel within a few hours of booking the room. When you’re booking your stay, be sure to review the fine print. This will tell you how many nights you’ll need to stay if there are any additional fees, and what the cancellation policy is. If you don’t see these details on the booking site, be sure to ask the hotel when you make your reservation.
Stay at a different hotel by the same chain
If you want to stay for longer but are struggling to find an available room at the hotel you’re currently staying at, try booking a room at another hotel by the same chain. Many hotel chains have numerous hotels in any given city. If you book a stay at a different hotel by the same chain, you may be able to extend your stay with just a quick move to a different hotel. Before booking a room at a different hotel, be sure to ask if they have any available rooms. While one branch may have empty rooms, another branch may be completely booked. Some chains also offer seasonal promotions where you can get a reduced rate on a stay at another branch. If you stay at a different hotel by the same chain, be sure to keep all your booking information (including your booking ID and confirmation number) in a safe place. This will make it easier to check in at your new hotel without any issues.
Ask to see if any rooms are available
If you want to stay for longer but are struggling to find an available room at the hotel you’re currently staying at, ask to see if any rooms are available. Some hotels will keep a few rooms available for last-minute guests and others may be able to extend your stay in a room that’s already booked to someone else. Before asking to see if any rooms are available, be sure to confirm the hotel’s check-out time. This will help you avoid any awkward situations with the guests who are scheduled to check out after you. When you do ask to see if any rooms are available, be sure to be polite and courteous. This will help ensure they’ll be willing to help you out and allow you to stay a bit longer.
Ask for a late check-out or see when the lobby re-opens
If you’re desperately trying to stay for longer but can’t find an available room at the hotel you’re currently staying at, ask for a late check-out or see when the lobby re-opens. Some hotels will allow you to stay in your room until the scheduled check-out time. Others may give you a key to the lobby so you can stay as long as you’d like. Before asking for a late check-out or seeing when the lobby re-opens, be sure to confirm the hotel’s checkout time. If you’re staying at a hotel that doesn’t offer a late check-out, you may be able to stay a few more hours in the lobby. Just be sure to clean up after yourself, use an area away from foot traffic, and leave the hotel staff alone when they’re trying to work.
Check to see what amenities are included with your stay
Many hotels offer amenities with your stay, such as a free breakfast or snacks, access to a gym or spa, extra towels and pillows, or even a mini fridge stocked with water and pop. If the hotel you’re staying at doesn’t offer any included amenities, ask if they can start offering them to guests. If the hotel already offers amenities, be sure to take advantage of them. This will help you feel more at home and extend your stay for free. If you’re staying at a hotel that doesn’t offer any amenities, see if you can convince them to start. A few polite emails to the manager or front desk agents may help you get what you want.
Conclusion
You definitely don’t want to leave a hotel because you couldn’t extend your stay. It can lead to bad reviews and a bad reputation for the hotel. If you’re staying at a hotel that is completely full, it’s best to ask the guest relations manager if there is any way you can extend your stay. Always be polite and don’t get aggressive. It’s always best to ask for an extension before you have to leave. If you do get a no, it’s best to check out and move to another hotel where you can extend your stay.
