How to change a hotel?

There are cases when, for some reason, you need to change your hotel. We will discuss how to do this in this article.

Changing your place of accommodation is not always straightforward; there are many nuances that depend on where you booked the hotel and what cancellation rules are specified in your agreement.

Hotel booked through a travel agency

In this case, all issues are resolved exclusively through them or through the local tour operator, if you have already arrived. It’s impossible to guarantee that the hotel will be changed in this case. The tour operator can only rehouse you in hotels with which they have an agreement, and only if there are available rooms, and if the operator themselves is willing to accommodate you. Arguments like ‘I didn’t like the color of the wallpaper in the room’ won’t work here. The hotel can be changed if the reason is truly compelling. Most often, disputes arise due to the distance to the beach. It’s one thing when a hotel in Egypt states that the beach is 500 meters away, but it’s actually 1.5 kilometers. Another case is mountain resorts, for example, Montenegro. Most hotels are located on slopes, and the stated 500 meters to the beach might actually be 500 meters, but uphill. The elevation difference, naturally, is never indicated anywhere, except perhaps by tourists in hotel reviews. You should understand that a hotel in a mountainous area 500 meters from the beach simply cannot physically be located on flat ground.

Hotel booked independently online

In this case, you have complete freedom. The first thing you should do is carefully read the booking cancellation terms. In fact, you should do this even before booking, but many travelers conveniently forget about it until some force majeure occurs. Most often, on sites like booking.com, they are flexible. This means that no later than 1 day before check-in, you can cancel your booking completely free of charge. And if you decide to change the hotel upon arrival, you will need to pay for the first night or for the number of nights you have stayed at the hotel. The cheapest accommodation options come with strict cancellation policies. This means that if you change or cancel your booking, you will lose the full cost of the order. And it is in such situations that the question arises: can a penalty be avoided? There is no definitive answer to this question, as situations and hotels vary. Even if you booked a room with the strictest cancellation rules in the world, contact the booking service and the hotel. Perhaps you genuinely have strong reasons to change the hotel, and they will accommodate you. But strong reasons are objective causes, not subjective ones based on emotions and likes/dislikes.

How to change a hotel on the spot?

First, clearly define what exactly you are dissatisfied with. Perhaps changing rooms will solve the problem. If so, contact the reception, and they will try to help you.

If changing rooms doesn’t solve the problem and you’ve definitely decided to look for other accommodation, still approach the reception first and explain the situation. Chain hotels might rehouse you in another hotel if there’s availability, especially if you are a member of their loyalty program. The financial aspect here is a bit more complex. According to the cancellation terms, you will either pay for the night’s stay if they are flexible, or you will have to negotiate with the hotel representatives. Again, much depends on the reason for your decision. If it’s subjective, the rules stated on the website will apply. If the reason is truly compelling and the hotel cannot resolve it in any way, then everything depends on the hotel’s policy and the decision of the specific employee who will handle your issue. If you have even the slightest doubt, it’s always better to book accommodation with flexible cancellation terms.