quote:

Originally posted by PURVIS 70:
Maybe they do know you but haven't figured me out yet. I have never found my mini-frig empty but like you avoid it at all costs. In London (Riverbank Park Plaza) a can of coke would be the equivalent of $5.00 Cdn . On returning from the London Wheel I noticed a mini-mart almost at the hotel's doorstep which sold the same can of coke for 70p. If you're out for the day touring pick up any snacks or drink and bring them back to the hotel. Purvis

As always great advice Purvis........taking notes again! I'm just afraid how many pounds of notes will go in the luggage!

isujim: The only time you give your credit card at the hotel front desk is when you check in on your own. Re: taking a shuttle bus (London )or if you arrive by taxi on your own. This however is not an absolute. If you are fortunate enough to be picked up at the airport BY YOUR TD (destinations other than London) you don't give your credit card info. At all subsequent hotel stops the TD picks up the room keys and distributes them to the group. (You do not check in seperately). The other time you may have to give your credit card info is at the hotel bar, restaurant, buying articles at hotel shops and of course to settle a bill before checking out. This is usually for phone calls, computer use or using supplies from the mini-frig. Hope this helps. Purvis

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PURVIS 70,

The TD takes care of all check ins with the desk and then hands out the room keys or key cards.

Some countries may require that you hand in your passport for the hotel to register you (police requirement). (it's returned later).

When you check out, simply go the the desk and say "Isujim" room XXX checking out. They check it out and say bye bye. If anyone has utilized anything from the fridge, room service, phone or whatever they declare it then.

Anyone who does and doesn't declare it, will soon be exposed when the hotel notifies the TD.

On plastic key cards, all your personal data is listed on it (CCs not unless you've left it for something...i.e. a hand dryer loan out, etc.) on private travel, your cc data is encoded on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Roxy:
When you check out, simply go the the desk and say "Isujim"

And the clerk will look back at him and say, "no, iisntjim."

Sry. Couldn't resist...

Jim, when we went to Europe this past summer, our first tour ever...we checked in at the desk when we got to the hotel from the airport. They did not ask for a credit card. We were already booked through Trafalgar so they just handed us our room key. From then on, when we would get off the bus on the tour, our TD would hand out our room keys and when we checked out to give them back their key, the hotel always checked our room number for any extra charges (which we never had because we didn't use anything). I suppose if we had had any charges at that point we could have given them our credit card number to pay. Don't worry at all, your TD will help you in any way. You will have a blast not having to worry about such things! Hope this helps.

quote:

Originally posted by Chech:

quote:

Originally posted by Roxy:
When you check out, simply go the the desk and say "Isujim"

And the clerk will look back at him and say, "no, iisntjim."

Sry. Couldn't resist...

LOL!!!!!

One of the great things about coach travel is not having to worry about the checkin process. When the coach arrives at the hotel, the TD will go in ahead and pick up list and you all go in and he hands your key to you. Sometimes, the keys will all be on a table and you just pick them up after he/she gives you your room number.

On the morning that you leave the hotel, just can leave your card in the room or hand it in at the front desk and that's it. I've never worried about about checking balances on a tour because they don't have my c/c number and I don't charge anything anyway.

If you have a charge but forget and get on the coach, don't worry - the hotel will advise the TD and the TD will come to you on the coach and tell you to go settle your bill.

quote:

Originally posted by isujim:
Ok walk me through the procedure........

You get off the bus during your tour and get to your new hotel for the night.

Do you check in? Is it already done for you? Do you still have to give a credit card at the front desk if you plan to use the bar? If Trafalgar does not give the hotels your credit card number (and personally glad they don't).......I take it each person still has to check in at each stop?????

Remember I'm new at this for a TT. Please help clear up my mind.

Thanks to all in advance.

Jim

(When I get to the hotel, I usually just want to know if the bar is to the left of the entrance or the right.)

Before you've even arrived at the hotel the Tour Director has phoned ahead to the hotel, confirmed dinner and breakfast times, and made sure that the hotel is ready to receive a coach full of tired tourists. I'm assuming that the TD also gives the hotel an estimated time of arrival so that the staff has everything ready.

When you get to the hotel, the Tour Director usually asks you to wait on the coach for a minute while he/she jumps off the coach to let the Front Desk know that you are there. (It is very important that everyone WAITS until the Tour Director returns because he/she will often have important information to pass along and it makes life much easier if he/she can tell everyone at the same time. People are often too eager to leap off the coach and then mass confusion occurs.) The TD will get back on the coach and usually let you know what time dinner arrangements have been made for the tour group and then ask you to exit the coach and enter the hotel. Also by this time the Porters should have run out and started to help the Driver unload the baggage.

Upon entering the hotel, you make your way to the Front Desk (the TD will likely be standing there as well). The Front Desk person will ask you your last name and hand you an envelope that contains your room key(s)--if you are sharing a room, then both person's name should be on the envelope--they will also tell you your room number and give you directions (ie: through that door, up one floor, turn right.) On some occasions, the envelope that contains your room key will also contain a short document that has your name and some other info on it that the hotel would like you to sign for their records. Trafalgar has already given the hotel your pertinent information (home address, passport number, etc) so all you need to do is sign this form and drop it at the Front Desk. Not all hotels do this.

After you get your room key(s) from the Front Desk you should take your hand luggage and make your way to your room. [I usually take a few minutes to inspect my room and make sure that it is clean and has everything that I need for the night (ie: towels, and so on).] You can then either (a) wait for the Porter to bring your luggage up or (b) go downstairs to the bar. If you are not in the room when the Porter arrives with the luggage, they will leave it outside the door.

Generally you will have approximately 1 hour to freshen up before your group's allocated dinner time. Sometimes you get more time, sometimes less, but it's usually around an hour. This usually gives people enough time to orient themselves, find the bar, and find the dining room.

Should you wish to avail yourself of an "adult beverage" at the bar before dinner, this would be the time to do it (most hotels will let you take your bar beverage to the dinner table with you). If you want to charge your bar purchase to your room, you will likely be asked by the Barman for a credit card swipe and your room number (they may also ask for proof of your room number, such as your room key, if the name on your credit card doesn't match the name registered to the room). Alternatively if you found yourself wanting to watch Pay TV, take something from the minibar, make a long-distance phone call using the hotel phone or use the hotel Internet, it would probably be best to stop by the Front Desk and give them a credit card swipe first and then go to dinner.

(Have I gone on too many tours?)

Fox designs: Your answer to isujim's question was very thorough & I'm sure he and others who are new to Trafalgar tours will benifit from it. I have never had a TD direct us to remain on the bus while he or she went ahead into the hotel to get the keys but I'm sure some do. It seems by the time we collect our belongings and get off the bus and in some cases retrieve our carryons from beneath the bus the TD is well prepared to hand out our keys. Purvis

Hi Purvis: On most of the tours I've been on (UK Tours), the TD usually wanted to use the coach PA system to let us know what time dinner was, and the "bags out" time and breakfast times for the next day. They also use this opportunity to let people know what time to meet if there is an optional that evening. Much easier to make all of these announcements when you have everyone in one place.

quote:

Originally posted by PURVIS 70:
Fox designs: I have never had a TD direct us to remain on the bus while he or she went ahead into the hotel to get the keys but I'm sure some do. It seems by the time we collect our belongings and get off the bus and in some cases retrieve our carryons from beneath the bus the TD is well prepared to hand out our keys. Purvis

Purvis, I have been on 4 coach tours now and on the TT in October 2009, our TD made us wait on the bus and then came and told us our rooms. This is the only TD who has done this. When she came back onto the bus she read out the rooms (I did sometimes not hear when she called mine out!!), then when we got into the hotel we had to wait further for her to hand out the keys. I cannot understand this and do not think it is necessary.

All TD's make announcements regarding wake up calls, bags out, breakfast and departure time on the bus. They also have a notice board with this information and all the next days activities on it for everyone to read, which is a great idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Chech:

quote:

Originally posted by Roxy:
When you check out, simply go the the desk and say "Isujim"

And the clerk will look back at him and say, "no, iisntjim."

Sry. Couldn't resist...

I don't know about Isujim, but I had a laugh

quote:

Originally posted by PURVIS 70:
I have never had a TD direct us to remain on the bus while he or she went ahead into the hotel to get the keys but I'm sure some do. It seems by the time we collect our belongings and get off the bus and in some cases retrieve our carryons from beneath the bus the TD is well prepared to hand out our keys. Purvis

Purvis ~ On a recent TT we took the TD would have us all remain on the coach while he went & picked up the keys from the Reception desk. Once he was back on the coach he would announce what time dinner would be &/or what time the night time optional would be, he would then announce wake-up call, bags out & breakfast times for the following day, reminding us all that he would also put the info on a poster in the foyer. Then & only then would he hand out the keys & we would then leave the coach.

IMO this was one of the best systems I have come across. Handing out keys in the hotel lobby does sometimes make it hard to hear numbers of rooms & times. Taking care of business while still held captive does seem to work much better.

quote:

IMO this was one of the best systems I have come across. Handing out keys in the hotel lobby does sometimes make it hard to hear numbers of rooms & times. Taking care of business while still held captive does seem to work much better.

This happened on our last tour too. Our tour director was very professional, though it didn't happen in all of the places we went to.

Isujim, there are slight differences in the way TDs may run their "ship"...focusing on directions will always work...no need to stress on precise procedures since they may differ slightly...the generalities have all be shared now for a good overview...isuexcited?