Our hotel links go to Booking.com, a third-party hotel booking website. We recommend that you only use the hotels listed directly on youthSociable.com because not all hotels listed at Booking.com allow everyone eighteen years of age and older to check in.
Are hotel age restrictions making your travel planning difficult? Are you under 21 and looking for a hotel room? Many people think hotels require you to be 21 to rent a room but this isn’t always the case. In fact, there are many hotels across the United States that rent to 18, 19, and 20 year olds.
Why do hotels have age restrictions?
The reasons for hotel age requirements vary by hotel. Hotels with minibars may want to avoid the hassle of accommodating 18 year olds when the drinking age is 21. Others may assume that the lost revenue from 18, 19, and 20 year olds customers is made up for by reduced insurance rates. But not every policy is necessarily based on fact and some hotel age discrimination simply comes from stereotyping of young people as irresponsible.
Most common hotel age requirements
Most American hotels have check-in ages of 18 or 21 but there are definitely exceptions. An age requirement of 25 sometimes appears in Spring Break locations or near universities since the hotels are willing to cast a wide net to avoid a party atmosphere. There are hotels with check-in ages of 19, 20, 22, and 23 years old but these policies are not common in the United States.
Are hotels for 18 year olds any good?
There are plenty of great hotels for 18 year olds. In fact, many five star hotels will rent to 18 year olds while many run-down motels set check-in ages at 21 or higher. Hotel quality and minimum check-in age are not connected based on our experience. When we look at the hotel industry this approach makes sense. Check-in policies are not typically set by chains but are instead set by individual hotels with separate owners making their own decisions.
How can I save money on my hotel?
Hotel rates can vary significantly by date, even within the same week. When hotels know they can fill their rooms rates go up but when they expect rooms to otherwise be empty cheap rooms are there for your taking. Sometimes just by moving your trip a few days you can save 20% or more. You can also consider traveling at off-peak times where more rooms are vacant. This comes with the additional bonus that attractions at your destination are likely to be less crowded and may even offer off-peak discounts.