One of the great joys of becoming an adult is the freedom to do what you want without having to ask for permission. For me as an itchy-footed teenager, that meant the freedom to travel. But when I embarked on my first road trip around the UK at 17, crisp new driving licence in hand, there was something I hadn’t taken into account. How old you have to be to book a hotel room.
Many airlines let unaccompanied minors as young as 12 to fly on their own (with adult permission, of course). But when it comes to booking a hotel room, typically, the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might hope. It varies wildly not only from country to country but also from hotel to hotel.
If you’re planning a trip in the UK or abroad, it’s important to know you’ll have somewhere to stay. Read on to get a clear understanding of age requirements for booking a hotel room in the UK and overseas.
How old do you have to be to book a hotel room in the United Kingdom?
Visit Britain tells hotel owners that guests should be 18 years old to book a room in the UK. This is because, “Anyone under the age of 18 does not have the same legal capacity as an adult to enter into a contract, such as making a room booking”. Sometimes referred to as the ‘legal age of majority’, this approach applies to all the countries of the UK.
Visit Britain caveats this, however, by saying that “You can accept bookings for someone under 18 to stay, but you should be careful. For example, the booking itself should be made by someone 18 or over – such as a parent, guardian or another adult who can take responsibility for payment or damages.”
This means there’s no definitive legal answer to the question and instead it falls to the hotels to decide.
Do hotels have minimum age policies for booking?
In the UK, all the major hotel chains enforce a minimum age of 18 to book a room.
There are various reasons for this. The primary being that minors (anyone under 18) can’t be held legally responsible for a contract they enter into. This includes the contract formed when booking a hotel room. Hotels may find themselves liable for anything that happens to guests during their stay. And insurance policies likely won’t cover unsupervised minors.
Hotels also want to ensure all their guests have a great stay and having minors there may make that hard. Children, after all, aren’t always renowned for being able to follow some rules. Being quiet, respecting other guests, not causing any damage and even not paying are all concerns. And if the room has a mini bar with unrestricted access to alcohol, it can lead to even more problems.
Some individual hotels may be more flexible and allow 17-year-olds to book, but that’s the exception rather than the rule. In such cases, the hotel may require an adult to sign a waiver making them liable for the guest who’s staying. If in doubt, check the hotel’s terms and conditions on their website or call in advance and ask.
Internationally, this minimum age of 18 is commonplace but certainly not true of all hotels in all countries. Many hotels across the Middle East and Africa enforce a minimum booking age of 21. In North America, and the USA in particular, it varies according to state laws and local ordinances.
What are the age policies for specific hotel chains?
There’s no hard and fast rule for age policies with hotels, so it’s always important to double check before booking. Here though are the current policies for the most popular hotel chains in the UK and around the world.
- Travelodge: You must be 18 years or older to book a room and to stay alone. This means an adult can’t book a room on behalf of a minor.
- Premier Inn UK & Ireland: You must be at least 18 years old to make a reservation. Those under 18 years old are not permitted to stay unless a guardian is also staying in the hotel.
- Hilton Hotels & Resorts: Hilton states you must be at least 18 to book a room via its website. Some of its international resorts have a minimum age of 21. It asks you to contact the specific hotel directly for assistance if you’re younger.
- Marriott Bonvoy: Most Marriott hotels require guests to be 18 years or older to check in. Some such as all-inclusive adult-only international resorts set a minimum age of 21. Always check with the hotel directly to be sure.
- InterContinental Hotels Group: Most IHG hotels, including the very popular UK Holiday Inns, require guests to be at least 18 to check in. Some international locations set a minimum 21 years of age, though.
- Hyatt: Generally, the minimum age to reserve a room is 21 but varies by hotel, so it’s best to check first. A person of the minimum age requirement must be present at check-in and become a registered guest in the room.
- Radisson Hotels: Individual hotel policies vary but most Radisson has a minimum age of 21. It’s best to call before you book to be sure.
Age to book versus age to check-in
It’s important to remember that booking a hotel room and checking into it are not the same thing. Anyone can go online and book any room they like the look of – all you need is a valid credit card. It’s at reception where you may run into problems if you’ve used, say, your parents credit card to book.
Hotels typically won’t ask you how old you are as they don’t want to appear discriminatory. But they will ask you for a government-issued ID or passport to go along with the credit card, even if you prepaid your room online.
If you fall below a hotel’s minimum age requirement and you’ve already paid, you might not even be able to get your stay refunded. Because of this, make sure you check at the time of booking. And if they will let you check in as a minor, ask what requirements come with that – such as a signed letter of indemnity from the credit card holder.
Booking a room and checking in around the world
Countries all over the world consider age requirements differently. Take a closer look at policies around the world.
Europe
In general, Europe follows a similar rule to the UK. Booking and check-in policies typically require guests to be at least 18 years old to stay alone. This can vary by individual hotel or hotel chain, since a company’s policy may specify a higher check-in age.
Americas
Canada and Mexico are all fairly close in line with each other – typically around 21 years old. The USA is a bit more of a minefield with restrictions varying greatly based on state laws and ordinances. For a comprehensive breakdown, take a look at the KAYAK guide to how old you have to be to stay in a hotel in the US.
In South America, it is generally possible to check in at 18 years old, but you should always read the internal policies of the hotel.
Africa, Asia and Australia
While the standard around the world is 18 years old, Southeast Asia and parts of Africa may have more lenient policies, or not enforce policies strictly. As always, it’s best to check before you book.
Conclusion
The simple conclusion we can draw from this is that there is no strict, consistent, legally enforced rule for how old you need to be to book a hotel room. This is the same for pretty much every country in the world, which can vary by state and municipality.
Instead there are established guidelines to follow but the ultimate decision often comes down to the hotel itself. And you’ll rarely find a hotel that doesn’t hold guests to some age standard. After all, hotels need to protect not only themselves and their reputations but also their other guests. They also need to make sure they get paid – minors can’t be held liable for debts.
So if you or one of your kids is heading off alone and are under the age of 21, there’s only one golden rule to follow: check directly with the hotel you want to stay at for their specific policies.
Now you know whether you’re old enough to check into a hotel, KAYAK can help you find the perfect stay for you. That could be anything from an all-inclusive hotel to a hostel, a motel or my personal choice, a boutique hotel.
FAQs
Typically in the UK, hotels require that their guests be at least 18 to book and check in. Internationally that age can go up to 21 depending on the country, state and municipality. Individual hotels may have age requirements that differ slightly, so it’s best to check with your own hotel before you commit.
Yes, almost all hotels will ask for an official ID like a passport when you check in (and if they don’t it’s usually down to an oversight by the check-in staff). This is usually to confirm you are who you say you are, to make sure your booking details match your payment details, and in the US in particular because it could be considered discriminatory to ask your age. If you don’t provide a valid ID, they may cancel your reservation and not refund your deposit.
There’s no international law that prohibits a hotel from checking you in under 18 years old. However, hotels want to be paid and protect their guests. People under 18 aren’t as likely to be carrying a credit card to act as a safety deposit for damage to the room. Because a hotel can’t hold a minor to its contract, it may choose not to allow them to check in. Why tempt fate? Call the hotel first.
