Can I bid on a Priceline hotel while I'm 20 yrs old?

[Angelos]

Hello to everyone! Thank you all for this great site.

I'm trying to book hotel rooms for me and a friend for a trip to Seattle-Vancouver. We're both 20 years old-students in the US. However, Priceline site states that you should be 21 in order to check in to a hotel. I've stayed in many hotels in the US and none of them had this requirement, or they just ignored it. I have a credit card in my name and a passport and all the other requirements... I was wondering whether I could bid and have no problems in my accomodation. Please let me know if you have any previous experience. Thanks in advance, Angelos

[thereuare]

A hotel could deny you your room as it is a violation of the terms of the contract, but whether this woudl actually happen i can't stay... if you handle yourself in a mature fashion i'm doubtful there would be a problem, but an over-zelous desk clerk would certainly be in their right if they wanted to deny you a room.

[ufjoe21]

I stayed at several hotels when I was under 21, even though they required you to be 21 to check-in. Once I had to slip a manager some cash to get my room. But every other time as long as I had a creditcard to guarantee for incidentals and I wasn't making problems for the other guests they could care less as long as I was over 18.

[Angelos]

Ok, thank you all. I'll probably go on and bid for a hotel room. I'll post my winning bids as soon as possible.

[ufjoe21]

just be calm at check-in, don't mention your age at all

if for some reason they say "you're not old enough", ask to speak to a manager.....explain you have a credit card to guarantee the room and you don't want to cause any trouble and are tired and you just want some peace and quiet and would appreciate just being allowed to check-in

also, since this is a priceline reservation, point out the fact that it's already paid for

the hotel reserves the right to not allow you to check-in, the Bellagio 5* hotel in Las Vegas is a famous example of not being allowed to check-in unless you're 21

[thereuare]

I wouldn't try the above in Vegas as most casino hotels have an "over 21" policy that is more likely to be enforced than elsewhere in the country.

[jgassman]

I think this is an example of a case in which, if you are a young man, it would help to look like a tired golfer. In my opinion, many many of the men who check into hotels are road warriors, in sales or some field that makes them have to travel a lot, and they look like tired golfers and the clerks are just used to seeing them and unlikely to question their age.

When I say look like a tired golfer, I mean (if it's not too inconvenient to you) wear khaki pants and a shirt with a collar. You'll look like all of the young road warriors and be virtually invisible to a hotel clerk.

You would probably have no trouble in jeans and a t shirt, but I think this would help.

And don't try this in Vegas. :)

[LoneStar]

I think this is an example of a case in which, if you are a young man, it would help to look like a tired golfer.

A funny analogy, but I'd bet it works. :)

FWIW, I find it disgraceful how we, as a country, "hassle" our young adults. But I guess there aren't enough voters who care.