Answers to frequently asked questions about dealing with hotels when trouble arises.

What's Below:

Must a hotel honor my prepaid or guaranteed reservation?
Is a guaranteed reservation for a hotel room the same as a confirmed reservation?
Do I have the right to a particular hotel room?
Do I have a right to privacy in my hotel room?
Why do hotel room rates vary so much?
I paid a lot for a hotel room that fell way short of my expectations. Do I have any recourse in a situation like this?
I fell and hurt myself on a hotel's premises. Do I have any recourse against the hotel?
Does a hotel have any special obligation to protect guests around the swimming pool?
Is the hotel responsible if I am the victim of a crime at or near the hotel?
Is the hotel responsible if my belongings are stolen?
Is the hotel liable if my car is damaged, broken into or stolen while it is parked at the hotel?
What if I don't check out of my hotel room when I say I will?

Must a hotel honor my prepaid or guaranteed reservation?

A prepaid or guaranteed reservation is one where you give the hotel a credit or debit card number and the hotel promises to have a room for you no matter when you show up, even if it's midnight or 3:00 a.m. If you have a guaranteed reservation and the hotel does not hold a room for you, the hotel has breached a contract and must do everything it can to find you a room -- even if that means sending you to another hotel. If you guaranteed your reservation with a credit or debit card, the hotel may be required under the terms of its agreement with the card issuer to pay for your first night's stay at an alternate hotel, to provide free transportation to the alternate hotel as well as a three-minute phone call to let your family or office know where you'll be staying, and to forward all incoming calls to your new hotel. If the alternate lodging is more expensive, the hotel should pay the difference. Be sure to request these services.

Is a guaranteed reservation for a hotel room the same as a confirmed reservation?

If you have not paid for the reservation in advance or guaranteed it, but have received a confirmed reservation from the hotel, the hotel must keep a room for you unless you haven't met the conditions of the reservation. For example, it is common for a hotel to say, "We will hold the room for you until 6:00 p.m." or "We will hold the room for you if we receive a written confirmation and deposit by a certain date." If you do not fulfill these obligations, then the hotel does not have to hold the room for you. If you do meet your obligations and the hotel doesn't have a room for you, it must do its best to find you comparable lodging.

Do I have the right to a particular hotel room?

Generally, no. A hotel manager can put you anywhere or move you from one room to another, as long as it is not done in a discriminatory way. The only exception is if you've reserved a certain room, like the honeymoon suite for your honeymoon.

If it's crucial for you to have a particular room, make sure the hotel management knows in advance and that you receive written confirmation for your reservation of that particular room. If the room you reserved is occupied by other guests, the management may, but is not obligated to, move those guests to another room. (A hotel can satisfy its obligation to you simply by providing a room comparable to the one you reserved.) If the room is uninhabitable (say, a water pipe breaks), then the hotel is excused from providing that particular room.

Do I have a right to privacy in my hotel room?

If you are using your room in a normal way, not engaging in illegal acts or disturbing other guests, then you have a limited right of privacy in your room. But if the hotel management believes that you are carrying out illegal activities (such as dealing drugs), it is entitled to enter and search your room, even without your permission. The hotel management cannot, however, authorize the police to search your room without your permission or a search warrant.

The hotel management also has the right to enter your room to clean or perform needed maintenance, or if necessary, to stop you from disturbing other guests (for example, if you are playing the television very loudly) or destroying hotel property.

It is generally considered a violation of your privacy if the hotel tells an outside person the number of your room. The hotel can tell an inquirer whether you are a guest at the hotel and connect any caller to your room. If you wish to maintain complete privacy, you must make it clear to the management that you are not to be contacted by anyone and that no one is to be told whether or not you are staying at the hotel.