Bikes in hotel rooms

[plug]

What's the score with taking bikes into chain hotel rooms e.g. Travelodge, Premier, Ibis etc.?
Do they mind? Is it worth asking first? Or just do it?
I'm going to be needing to do this a few times over the next few months.

[border-rider]

I've always asked first and they've always said yes. 

[Ariadne]

My experience is mostly based on outside the UK, but it might help.

Our first night away was at the Premier Inn in Gatwick. I decided not to ask, but instead just checked in, leaving J outside with the bikes, and then we brazenly wheeled them through reception. Only to find the lift was tiny, so we had to tilt my bike on its back wheel and take it up, while J stood 2 metres from reception, trying to look inconspicuous, until he could do the same with his bike. But noone challenged us.

Once in Europe, we would sneak them in if we could. And a lot of the Etap hotels in Europe let us take the bikes in - some even suggested it, and others were nonplussed but then let us do it once we asked.

It's a gamble, basically - if you ask, they might say no, and then you've got a problem - but if you don't you might piss them off. But actually, in retrospect, noone ever said no. Usually, though, we just asked if they had somewhere secure and they would put them in a cupboard or a garage.

I'm not sure how helpful that is! I don't think there's a straightforward answer - each manager will have their own view. But you have a good chance of getting away with it.

[red marley]

I've never ever had a problem with Travelodge in the dozen or more times I have used them. Just wheel in to your room. If you ask in advance, they can usually book you a room on the ground floor to save carting your bike up the stairs.

I've only used a Premier Inn once, and they were very friendly, but suggested I kept the bike downstairs in view of the reception desk (it was very, very wet at the time). They even provided some scrap cardboard to rest it on.

[David Martin]

What's the score with taking bikes into chain hotel rooms e.g. Travelodge, Premier, Ibis etc.?
Do they mind? Is it worth asking first? Or just do it?
I'm going to be needing to do this a few times over the next few months.

I have never had a problem, whether it be in cheap hotels, expensive hotels or anywhere in between. I've walked in with the bike to reception and checked in, then asked if they have secure storage for the bike. This puts them into a bit of a tiz as now they have a problem. They may offer you a space in the luggage room (crammed full of suitcases). Asking whether they can assure you that your specialist bike worth many ££££ will not be damaged by a carelessly thrown suitcase (or damage the suitcase) gets them thinking and a little concerned. At which point you bail them out by offerring to suffer your bike in your room.. They gratefully agree.

It is the cheaper establishments (hostels, bunkhouses etc) that tend to have bike sheds.
I have never yet had a problem with it at a hotel. Getting it to the room in a lift is another thing.

..d

[Chris S]

Never ever had a problem with Travelodge.

Prior to Kenett Valley 200:

Me: "Can I have a ground floor room, as I have a bike?"
TL: "Sure, I was way ahead of you..."
TL: Allocates me a nice ground floor room, away from everyone else.

 

Also - I've used the Penventon (not a chain) in Redruth,Cornwall a few times. Booking in advance, I've been able to book a "Garden room" with a terrace and patio doors that I could get the bike through. Of course, I don't take the piss with this - if it's raining, I'd stop off at a newsagent and get some unwanted papers to soak up drips and no sully the hotel carpet.

[ScumOfTheRoad]

What's the score with taking bikes into chain hotel rooms e.g. Travelodge, Premier, Ibis etc.?
Do they mind? Is it worth asking first? Or just do it?

Yes, your No. 1  bike does mind. She sits all alone at home every day, polishing herself and getting ready for you to ride her. And what do you do? Check into a Travelodge with some well-sprung downhill hussy. Shame on you. Give some respect to your favourite bike, she may be slower than she was when young, and the saddle is more saggy, but hell I think you can say the same thing about yourself.

[Jurek]

What's the score with taking bikes into chain hotel rooms e.g. Travelodge, Premier, Ibis etc.?
Do they mind? Is it worth asking first? Or just do it?

Yes, your No. 1  bike does mind. She sits all alone at home every day, polishing herself and getting ready for you to ride her. And what do you do? Check into a Travelodge with some well-sprung downhill hussy. Shame on you. Give some respect to your favourite bike, she may be slower than she was when young, and the saddle is more saggy, but hell I think you can say the same thing about yourself.

Top words, SOTR! 

[plug]

What's the score with taking bikes into chain hotel rooms e.g. Travelodge, Premier, Ibis etc.?
Do they mind? Is it worth asking first? Or just do it?

Yes, your No. 1  bike does mind. She sits all alone at home every day, polishing herself and getting ready for you to ride her. And what do you do? Check into a Travelodge with some well-sprung downhill hussy. Shame on you. Give some respect to your favourite bike, she may be slower than she was when young, and the saddle is more saggy, but hell I think you can say the same thing about yourself.

   Rumbled!  I'd better take them all along and make a night of it!

[toekneep]

Based on very limited experience, we stayed in some posh gaff in Cheshire because we got a double room for £25 based on a newspaper offer. On arrival we asked if there was any secure bike storage and we were invited to wheel our bikes through reception and into an office. The photocopier made a very good support to lean the bikes against.

[drossall]

A friend and I stayed at the Bath Travelodge a few years back on a two-day ride to Minehead. Our wives met us at Bath, and I was half-prepared to have to put the backs of the cars down and use them as mobile garages. No need - the staff happily let us wheel our machines into their conference room for the night. I think taking them up to the rooms might have been challenging for the reasons above, and also incurred resistance from other sources

[tiermat]

As some one who has spent far too much of his recent history in hotels and lodgings I have found the following:

1) Hilton hotels don't really care what you keep in your room as long as it isn't illegal and doesn't upset the other guests.
2) Smaller B&Bs (especially those found through Farmstay) have secure outbuildings where a bike can be stored.
3) The staff find it amusing, you walking across reception in full cycling gear (especially if you get bewildered looks from tourists just off a trans-atlantic flight!)

[GruB]

The wierdest aspect from me was the fact that I had the bike in the room with me. 

[Charlotte]

When Liz and I were touring in the States last year, Josephine the tandem came into all our hotel rooms with us apart from one.  That was the eighth floor room in San Francisco, accessible only by a very small lift dating from the 1920s...

[Greenbank]

Never had a problem with taking the bike into the room in a Travelodge, the people on reception usually suggest it anyway. Have had to cart it up the stairs a few times but that's hardly tricky.

Similar story from Premier Inn.

[Chris S]

The best ones are those you can only get to by motorway.

People look at you, then the bike, then you/your clothes  - and you can almost hear the cogs whirring. "How on earth did you get here? You didn't cycle on the motorway did you?"

Bless 'em.

[Greenbank]

The best ones are those you can only get to by motorway.

Membury Services is fun for this (as you know from The Dean and Severn Across), however it's even better when there isn't even a non-motorway access road (like the services at the M18/M180 junction near Thorne).

We did get a quizzical look from two Police Officers and two Ambulance drivers at those services, I was really hoping they were going to ask.

[handcyclist]

Never had a problem.

I always stuff a sock over the bar end to stop it scuffing the walls and a plastic bag under the wheels if they are wet or dirty.

[David Martin]

When Liz and I were touring in the States last year, Josephine the tandem came into all our hotel rooms with us apart from one.  That was the eighth floor room in San Francisco, accessible only by a very small lift dating from the 1920s...

A case of 'not tonight, Josephine..'

I think I left my coat thataway ->

..d

[Cunobelin]

We have used a variety and most are fine.

Some will offer you a place to keep the bike and this varies from a conference room, to a bedroom excusively for the bikes at no extra charge.

We were in the Novotel in Bristol last weekend and they put the bikes in the reception along with a rather nice Bianchi single speed

Other hotels and pubs have had the bikes in beercellars, sheds and garages.

Always ask when you book though rather than turn up on the night.

[Euan Uzami]

Always been suspicious of premier inn after the receptionist at fort William  was adamant my bike was not coming in.
All others have never been a problem but have always checked first.
Have just done so for the one I'm in next week and the receptionist was quite proud to inform me that premier inn "since the tour de France are now a bike friendly chain" and allowing them in is now their default policy.
Worth remembering maybe.

[red marley]

Is that "in" as in "in your room" or "in the building"? Although Travelodges let bikes in rooms without a question (the one exception has been an overzelealous manager at Scotch Corner), I've always found Premier Inn prefer to have them stored behind reception or in a locked room rather than in your room. Not a big problem, but not quite as convenient for last minute faffing.

[mcshroom]

B&Bs are the one's to check IME. I missed asking on my tour in MArch and my bike ended up chained to the (inside of the) garden fence overnight on a not very substantial lock. It was a nice area and out of sight from the road, but I would have preferred locking it in somewhere.

On other scores it was a lovely B&B though

[Euan Uzami]

Is that "in" as in "in your room" or "in the building"? Although Travelodges let bikes in rooms without a question (the one exception has been an overzelealous manager at Scotch Corner), I've always found Premier Inn prefer to have them stored behind reception or in a locked room rather than in your room. Not a big problem, but not quite as convenient for last minute faffing.

In the room was what he said - but what he was emphasizing was not just that it happens to be ok with him at this particular one, but that it's now premier inns policy to allow it (in the room), as it is Travelodge's. In other words they've made a conscious decision to up their game and compete with Travelodge for cyclist business is the gist I got of what was behind it.
I'll see when I get there tomorrow.

I tend to much prefer chain hotels to most independent b&bs, always just cleaner and more modern.

[Kim]

Aw, I thought this thread would have pictures...