Making Reservations
By Rick Steves
If you decide to reserve rooms in advance, here are the basics.
Requesting a reservation. These days, virtually every European hotel and B&B uses the Internet. An email in simple English communicates clearly, minimizes the language barrier, gives your hotel a quick and easy way to respond, and is free for both parties. While most accommodations still have fax machines, the hassle and expense of faxing is making it obsolete. For the rare, traditional place that lacks email, faxing (which is cheaper and comes with a smaller language barrier) is still preferable to calling. Using the phone is ideal only if you want an immediate response.
The hotelier wants to know these key pieces of information (we've even made a form to help you out):
- number and type of rooms (e.g., "1 double room")
- date and estimated time of arrival
- date of departures
- number of nights
- special needs (e.g., bathroom in the room or down the hall, twin beds vs. one big bed, air-conditioning, quiet, view, ground floor/no stairs, etc.)
To avoid confusion, use the European order for writing dates: day/month/year. For example, a couple reserving a two-night stay would write the following: "Please reserve 1 double room for 2 nights, arriving 16 July 2011, departing 18 July 2011." Consider in advance how long you'll stay; don't just assume you tack on extra days once you arrive. Mention any discounts offered — for Rick Steves readers or otherwise — when you make the reservation. If you don't get a response to your email or fax, it usually means the hotel is already fully booked (but you can try sending the message again, or call to follow up).
Confirming a reservation. If the hotel's response includes its room availability and rates, it's not a confirmation. You must tell them that you want that room at the given rate. Most hoteliers will request your credit-card number for a one-night deposit to hold the room. While you can email your credit-card information (I do), it's safer to share that confidential info via phone call, fax, two successive emails, or secure online reservation form (if the hotel has one on its website).
Small B&Bs, which don't accept credit cards, typically don't require a deposit; however, in places where no-shows are epidemic, some B&B owners request that you mail a check (relatively straightforward) or wire money (expensive and complicated) to hold a room.
Especially during slow times, some establishments will hold a room without a deposit if you promise to arrive early in the day. The earlier you promise to be there, the better your chances of being trusted. If you end up running a little late, call again to assure the owners that you're coming.
Booking online. Many hotels have a reservation request form built right into their websites. Type in your preferred dates and the website automatically displays a list of available rooms and prices. To reserve, enter your contact information and credit-card number; the hotel will send you a confirmation via email. Two notes of caution: Before entering your credit-card number, make sure the site is secure (check for "https:" in your browser's address bar). And don't mistake a booking agency or consolidator site for the hotel's own booking form. While booking agencies can provide good deals, it's better to reserve directly with the hotel (eliminating the middleman, and saving both you and the hotelier money). Some Internet deals may require prepayment in full, with no refunds for cancellations. For more advice about making hotel reservations online, see Booking Hotels on the Web: A Warning.
Canceling a reservation. If you're staying at a small B&B, the owner loses money if you don't snow up. It's polite to cancel as far ahead as possible, to give them time to fill that room. (Don't let these people down — I promised them you'd call if you can't make it.) Larger hotels tend to have stricter cancelation policies than US hotels. If you don't cancel far enough ahead — usually a day or two, but can be up to several weeks — you're obligated to pay for one night of your booking (charged on the credit card you gave them for the deposit). Especially if you think you might have to cancel, carefully confirm the hotel's cancellation policy when you book. It's also important to get a written record (via email) of your cancellation. (You might have to request this more than once, but it's worth it.) It's not unusual for hotels to lose track of your cancellation, then charge you when you don't show up.
Reconfirming your reservation. Always reconfirm your room reservation a day or two in advance from the road. (This gives you time to improvise in the unlikely event that something goes wrong with your reservation.) Especially at a small B&B — where the owner might need to leave home to run errands — it's also courteous to mention your approximate arrival time. It's smart to carry a printed copy of your confirmation — both to keep track of where you're staying, and as recourse in the rare situation that the hotel loses your reservation.
Don't panic. If, after several tries, it seems that every hotel in town is full, don't worry. Hotels take only so many long-distance advance reservations. They never know how long guests will stay and like to keep a few beds for their regulars. Those who are there in person are more likely to land a room. Many simple hotels don't bother with reservations more than a couple of weeks in advance, and some very cheap hotels take no reservations at all. Just show up and sleep with your money belt on.
Updated for 2011. For lots more tips, check out our best-selling Europe Through the Back Door travel skills guidebook.