Barniom

If you’re accustomed to traveling within the United States on vacation, you can traditionally expect a hotel to ask you to choose your bed size (a king, a queen, or two doubles) and whether or not you want smoking or non-smoking. Things aren’t necessarily the same when visiting the U.K., and you need to know some of the differences before you make your room reservations in order to avoid disappointment.

First of all, en suite bathrooms are not always customary in London. If you’re visiting an upscale hotel or a chain, you can feel confident that there will be a bathroom with either a tub or shower accessible in your room. However, since bed-and-breakfast options are affordable and popular with tourists, you need to ask and confirm that you’ll have your own bathroom when you arrive. Otherwise, you may find yourself sharing a communal restroom – just like in a college dorm.

Air conditioning is not always available either, so it’s best to inquire in advance if you’re traveling to London in the summer months. Many smaller hotels and B&Bs will offer fans in their rooms. Otherwise, you’ll be opening the window and hoping for the best. Smoking and non-smoking options are becoming more widely available in England’s capital city. You’ll need to make your request in advance, not upon check-in.

Finally, room types are very different. While it’s nearly impossible to find a hotel or motel in the U.S. with a single twin bed in the room, it’s very likely you will be given just such a room if traveling alone and ask for the wrong thing. A single room is for one person, with a single bed. A double room is for two people, with one double bed. (Many advertise queen-size beds in their double rooms, but they certainly don’t feel as large as American-sized mattresses.) A twin room is for two people, with two single beds. A triple is for three people, usually with one double bed and one single but sometimes just three single beds. Finally, a quad is for four people, with two double beds, four single beds, or one double and two singles. You can see how it gets confusing!

Avoid a surprise at checkout and ask if breakfast and especially VAT (value added tax) are included or not in the price of your nightly room rate. If breakfast is included, (good info on Queen bed Miami hotel rooms) it’s a great way to save money each day of your vacation. Tax is 17.5% and can add a considerable amount to your final bill.