I was able to book my son a room at a Marriott at that age. I had to give sign a form and send it back and I paid for it. Call the manager. It worked out fine.

I have had luck calling hotels directly and speaking with the manager. Explain the situation. Offer for them to have them put a security deposit hold on your credit card.

I travel for work and stay at Marriotts so when we were in a similar situation I called a Marriott hotel and had success.

Just this past weekend my 19 year old son, who is in the Navy, was able to rent an air b and b. No bending of the rules.

I believe the Graduate hotels are 18+

^ I would add that the one time there was an issue with digital key system, she had no problem checking in at the desk. I have always added her name when I make the reservation.

I don’t understand this why this is such a crisis. If your child is over 18 you can add them as an additional person on your reservation and they can check in. I’ve done this on the Hilton app at least 5 times for my 19-yr old, so she can break up her drives home from college and once as a present for a concert in Canada.

I have her text me when she’s about 30 minutes from the hotel, then I check in on my app and she gets the digital key right to her phone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The irony of mommy complaining that hotels won’t treat her DS like an adult as she calls around trying to solve this problem for him.

Maybe because if the 19 year old calls around they just assume he’s trying to get a hotel room for whatever reason - mom calling at least offers an “over 21” co-signer and they still won’t budge. Maybe the 19 yo already tried.. don’t assume what you don’t know.

Yeah ok.

Anonymous wrote:We use Hilton app in our name, then check in contactless through the app. The kid never sees the front desk.

I booked my 19-year-old son on the Hilton app, but he checked in at the front desk. I did call ahead of time to make sure it was ok. They had no issues letting him use the room. I paid for the room, but he had to use his own card for incidentals. No issues and pretty easy.

Anonymous wrote:Can his job book his room? Maybe a corporate rate has more leeway.

OP - tried that route as well. No go. I may have found a Hilton through a LOT of googling though - of course it’s the most expensive one but.. it’s legal according to their official website for 18+ to check in. I appreciate any of the helpful suggestions and am frankly a little shocked by the snarky ones. May karma never find you with travel problems.

^^^ If the route works, the Granville Inn is wonderful!

Can you call some bed and breakfast places to explain the situation and book a room?

https://www.columbus-bed-breakfast.com/

https://www.columbusnavigator.com/bed-and-breakfast-columbus-ohio/

Can his job book his room? Maybe a corporate rate has more leeway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Columbus Ohio. Prefer a Marriott or Hilton for points redemption.

I have a kid that goes to University of Dayton (about an hour from Columbus) and when I visit I stay at the Hilton Garden Inn in Miamisburg. I always use the app room key and I've never had to stop at the front desk. It's in a nicer/somewhat upscale shopping center with several restaurants (my favorite is Deweys pizza.) There is also a Kroger right next door.

My DC graduated from Denison a few years ago and I can attest that New Albany, Ohio and Easton are nice areas with good restaurants nearby.

[youtube]

Anonymous wrote:OP - for your info he hasn’t left yet - leaves soon. And have you seen the economy lately??? No way he’s giving up an internship in a great company in his desired field of study over a stupid hotel issue.

Okay, but that's his and/or your responsibility to sort out.

Have you checked to see if he can Amtrak it and use a sleeping car?

Anonymous wrote:Beyond frustrated! My 19 yo son is traveling for an internship and I am about to lost my mind over trying to find him a safe hotel to sleep in while on his 16 hour (2 day) car trip to the internship site. WTF he is 19, responsible, literally traveling for work and he can’t check in to a hotel to sleep for the night before driving a second full day? What do hotels want him to do - sleep in his car in some random parking lot or rest stop (which many also have laws against sleeping at???) Do they just want him on the roads for 16 hrs straight fatigued and dangerous?? I have called, told them I will sign waivers as a parent but no luck?? I am flabbergasted. WTH. You can apparently die for your country at 19 but you can’t sleep in a hotel???

NP. Look, they are not making this decision at you. It's a business decision as to what they will and will not accept responsibility for -- but they have never been charged with some kind of global responsibility to offer safe passage for all travelers and make sure people aren't on the road, not any moreso for someone who is a minor than someone who had been drinking ("Do they just want someone who is wasted on the roads driving drunk?? Don't they have to let someone in, in that case??") That isn't their job. They don't "want" anything at all for or about your son. He's not their responsibility, not unless an adult of majority is with him. You just need to make a different plan.

OP - for your info he hasn’t left yet - leaves soon. And have you seen the economy lately??? No way he’s giving up an internship in a great company in his desired field of study over a stupid hotel issue.