Solo Touring - Accommodation Discrimination?

[Paladin - York]

Here we go again.

Outside the summer months I am usually successful in obtaining b&b accommodation either in a single room or single occupancy in a double/twin room, occasionally at a premium tariff. I am planning to cycle from Cape Wrath to York in early May and as usual with a "longish" trip I sometimes like an occasional b&b thrown in to my camping schedule. My March & April trips this year didn't present an overnight problem but now I'm planning for May & beyond and suddenly single rooms & single occupancy accommodation seem to rarely exist, or, as mentioned elsewhere in CC, a minimum of two nights are required. I have recently tried a couple of places but they are "full", which they might be of course, but I guess I'm rather cycnical.

I do recall an incident some years ago in Fort William when I had to pay "double" the single rate to occupy a double room on my own, often it is a single rate plus. When I queried what I thought was an excessive tariff I was told that I was depriving the guest house of another paying space. I was too clapped out at the time, ie West Highland Way, to look elsewhere but I did notice on returning from town after my evening meal that the "vacancy" sign was still up in the front garden. Another paying space?

So to all you landladies & landlords, I've got my Terra Nova Supalite Voyageur.

 

[stephenjubb]

There should be a rule no single occupancy rate for a twin or double room if it is after 9pm (or whatever fair time) and for one night only as it unlikely it would be let anyway.

Both parties win, b and b gets business, customer doensn't pay extra.

Where customer wants to stay more than one night in a twin/double then single occupancy rate is fair as the b and b is potentially losing business and not making full use of the facilities (which if they didn't would mean the average price of each room increasing more)

It will be interesting to see if there are any issues other people raise that would make the above unworkable.

on the positive side at least you can use a tent, how many single people people in a car would have a tent at hand? Most likely they would likely have to pay the supplement, but there again they can tavel further to look for places.

On my tour of Scotland last year in Mallaig there were a family that couldn't get accommadation in september as most places were booked up. Whilst unfortunate on them and taking no pleasure at all from their problems it was a great feeling knowing that with a tent I would always have a roof over my head and not have to worry if B and Bs were full/expensive or charging a single room supplement.

 

[david1701]

intrigued to see how it follows as I've never really camped and I'm not sure I want to start on a cycle tour

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I once insisted on having both breakfasts when charged for a double when cycling alone. Apart from that one occasion I've always booked ahead and never been ripped off had a problem.

 

[shirokazan]

My experience is mostly positive.

I rarely book ahead but usually if the establishment has a "vacancies" sign, they have let me have a double/twin room at the single rate, if they don't have a single room available. Typically, I arrive at my destination between 4pm and 6pm and so I guess they figure some trade is better than, potentially, an empty room, even if they risk having to decline a couple looking for accommodation turning up at their door later on.

The only instance of difficulty I had is when I was doing my LEJOG in 2009. I arrived in Pitlochry at around 7.30pm after 103 miles (very hot day and quite exhausting), so as you might imagine I was keen to end the day's ride. The place was heaving and most B&Bs had "No Vacancies" signs but I found one that could accommodate me but wanted the full double rate (£65 I think). I was almost prepared to pay this but as they wouldn't entertain doing breakfast before 8.30am, I chose to pass on this (I'm an early riser and don't like hanging about). Instead, as I had my tent with me, I was fleeced for £15 at the campsite up the road . Still, it was 8pm and I just wanted to unwind.

Last year, I only used B&Bs a few times and those were booked before I left home. I tend to prefer camping these days as I find it more flexible.

 

[Bodhbh]

I once insisted on having both breakfasts when charged for a double when cycling alone.

That actually is a very good point. If it happens to me again I'll be doing it, even if it means a doggy bag.

 

[Headgardener]

Realy annoys me when hotels/B&B's charge a single room supplement on a room with only a single bed in it. Where do they think any other occupant is going to sleep.

 

[tbtb]

Phone the B&B rather than ringing the doorbell (even if you are right outside) and they may be more likely to offer their best price as they'll think you're ringing round everyone.

 

[snorri]

Nothing worse than looking for single accommodation in tourist honeypots, the landlady/lord eyeing you up and down on the doorstep and then saying no when they have a Vacancy sign in the window.
I usually go to the local tourist info. office, they know who will accept singletons, it costs a booking fee to the office but saves a lot of frustrating miles searching for a place.

 

[slowmotion]

Is this miserable behaviour confined entirely to Scotland....?




( grabs coat....)

 

[xilios]

Is this miserable behaviour confined entirely to Scotland....?

Nope, in Austria last summer we went to the tourist office had a list printed with the prices but when we arrived at the first one the mother/daughter team looked at us up and down and charged us more (the place looked empty). When I showed them the printed out page from the tourist office they said it was old and no good.
So we just left, went down the road and the second place we asked they had a very nice room at a resonable price.