Column: hissy fit

Jo Gardner questions why single room supplements exist

“I’m a pretty reasonable person – black is black, white is white and parenting, whilst magical, isn’t always easy – but even I can’t get my head around a hotel’s decision to charge solo travellers (or those travelling with one small child) a single room supplement.

Surely, a hotel room is a hotel room that two people will inevitably (and logically) make more mess in. They will also use double the amount of toilet roll, more amenities/cotton buds/cotton wool, etc, and more towels, meaning more cycles in the wash (something hotels are trying to avoid for eco purposes). More of the free water allocated for each room will also be consumed
– and water, as we all know, is a fast becoming a precious resource. Then there’s the bed sheets: two people sleeping in a bed will make more mess than one, particularly if the couple is on a romantic break (sorry).

So, when all of the above seems like common sense, why is the solo traveller continuing to be penalised? Recognising the absurdity of this is Virgin Holidays who, last year, teamed up with Elite Holidays to offer rooms to solo travellers at the same price as couples. Hurrah. Can we have more holiday companies - and hotels – following suit please?

And if it’s mess that hotels are after (which, quite frankly, why would they be?), look no further than a parent travelling with one small human – babies tend to be puking/shitting machines [rinse, repeat]; toddlers bulls in a China shop, with nothing safe from damage. As for sleeping, my child moves around so much in the night the bed resembles a boat battling a storm by the morning. Unused it is not.

Perhaps it’s the mini-bar that we are being charged for – two people enjoying an evening drink and a snack will inevitably get through more wine/beer/chocolate/crisps than one, making more money for the hotel. However, this idea goes out the window when it comes to children who, on spying chocolate in the fridge, will harp on about it until a parent has no choice but to cave in and let them have it, crying silently to themselves when paying the bill the next morning.

So that only leaves one question: are we being penalised for not having a partner? And if, so why the hell, frankly? Why should travelling without a plus 1 equal 2. Even the maths defies logic. So, if anybody knows why this single room tax is administered, please let me know – if it isn’t obvious, can we please follow in Virgin Holiday’s footsteps and stop charging guests for travelling without a +1?

Because life as a solo parent is expensive enough, trust me.”

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