London Hotels - Frequently Asked Questions

All rates shown are in GBP (£).
All rates are per room per night.
All rates include tax (VAT @ 17.5%).
No booking fee or other charges.

Welcome to the FAQ pages. Click on any of the questions below to be taken to the answer.

If you do not find the answers you are looking for here, please view our contact us page for information on how you can contact us by email or telephone.

About londonnights.com top ^

What is londonnights.com?

londonnights.com is a London hotels booking agency. We offer discounted hotel rooms in a number of carefully selected, well managed hotels in Central London. The reservation service is open to anybody and is FREE to use - we charge NO FEES to our customers. Each time you make a booking with londonnights.com, you make a saving - because every hotel room we sell is DISCOUNTED.

How can you offer such great discounts?

We sell a high volume of hotel rooms through our website, and this means we have strong 'buying power' with the hotels we work with. We negotiate the best rates we possibly can and we pass those savings on to you.

Quality of service top ^

What standard of service can I expect from booking online with londonnights.com?

londonnights.com strives to provide excellent customer service combined with a seamlessly efficient online booking engine. When booking through londonnights.com, the booking process is fast, straightforward and accurate. Furthermore, the customer relationship doesn't end the moment you make a booking; we provide various means for you to interact with our customer services team, who are available to support all of your after-sales needs.

How can I be sure that my hotel will be of good quality?

All the hotels that are featured on our website have been inspected to make sure they offer high standards of accommodation and service commensurate with the rate charged. London is home to a vast number of hotels, so with such a range to choose from londonnights.com has selected only those hotels providing the best value for money.

Payment for bookings top ^

Do I pay any money to londonnights.com?

NO, londonnights.com is a NO FEE service. Your payment is made directly to the hotel at the londonnights.com rates. londonnights.com will make the reservation for you with the hotel and in so doing will pass on your credit card details (only to the hotel you have selected).

How do I pay for the booking?

After selecting a hotel on the website, you will be taken through a simple booking process in which you will be asked to input information, including your credit card details. The hotel requires your credit card details ONLY to guarantee your reservation. Your card will NOT be charged until you arrange payment when you arrive at the hotel; at this point you may pay by cash or with an alternative credit card accepted by the hotel, according to your preference. Most hotels will require you to produce a method of payment upon arrival - whether it be cash, banker's cheque or credit card. If you fail to cancel your reservation and do not arrive at the hotel, the hotel may charge your credit card with a cancellation fee - normally equal to the cost of the first night's accommodation.

What credit card details must I supply?

We require you to enter the following credit card details on the booking form: full credit card number, start date (optional), expiry date, security code, issue number (for Switch cards only), and the full name and address of the credit card holder.

What exactly does the hotel do with my credit card details?

Our reservation system sends your credit card details to the reservation department of the hotel you book. The hotel does not charge your credit card; they will carry out an electronic pre-authorisation to ensure that the credit card is valid and that sufficient funds are available to cover the cost of the first night's accommodation. This is standard room reservation procedure used throughout most of the world.

Under what circumstances would the hotel actually charge my credit card?

When you arrive at the hotel, you will be asked to arrange payment for your accommodation at the agreed rate. At this point your credit card will be charged, unless you decide to pay by cash or another payment method acceptable to the hotel. The only other circumstance in which your credit card will be charged is if you fail to arrive at the hotel without prior cancellation, in which case the hotel will charge a cancellation fee- normally equal to the cost of the first night's accommodation. (Note: if you cancel within the terms of the cancellation policy, you will not be charged a cancellation fee).

Can I make a hotel booking without a credit card?

Unfortunately this is not possible. All the hotels require credit card details (as a form of guarantee) to reserve a room. If you do not cancel the reservation within the cancellation notice period, and you do not arrive at the hotel, the hotel is entitled to charge the credit card for the first night's accommodation only. They will then release the room and sell it to other guests. If the hotels had no credit card details they would risk being left with an empty room and no payment. This is why a credit card is needed - to guarantee the booking.

Can I pay for the room with cash instead of with a credit card?

Yes, you can pay with cash when you arrive at the hotel. However, in order to make the booking, we do need your credit card details as a guarantee.

Which Credit Cards are accepted?

Most hotels accept all major credit cards; however, there are exceptions. You can see on each hotel page a list of the credit cards that are accepted by that hotel. This can also be found on the booking form, where your choice of payment methods will be limited according to which credit cards the hotel accepts.

Rates top ^

What are Rack Rates?

A Rack Rate is the rate a hotel would offer you if you approached them directly. These are rates that have not been discounted.

What are Discounted Rates?

All hotel rooms sold through our website are discounted, which means they are always cheaper than the rack rates. We sell a high volume of hotel rooms through our website, and this means we have strong 'buying power' with the hotels we work with. We negotiate the best rates we possibly can and we pass those savings on to you.

What is VAT?

Value Added Tax (VAT) is a tax imposed by British tax law. VAT is added to most goods and services. All rates displayed on the londonnights.com website include VAT. This means that the room rate you see on the website is the total price for the room - no other taxes or service charges will be added to your bill.

Is the rate per person or per room?

All the rates shown on our website are per room, and never per person.

Are there any other charges such as additional taxes?

All the rates that you see on londonnights.com include taxes and any service charges. There are absolutely no hidden charges. The rate you see on our website is the rate you pay.

Is breakfast included in the rate?

Many of the rates found on londonnights.com do include breakfast, but some do not. To find out if breakfast is included in a rate you need to carry out a hotel search for your chosen dates. You will then see clearly if breakfast is included by looking at the rates: they will be marked with either an 'e' for English Breakfast, 'c' for Continental Breakfast, or 'b' for breakfast (unspecified). Breakfast is only available free of charge for the days where you see one of these breakfast codes. If some of the days are not marked, then breakfast is not included for those days.

Our children will be with us... do they stay for free?

Usually children under 8 years of age stay for free in their parents' room using the existing bedding. The age requirement differs depending on the specific hotel's policy. This may be listed on the hotel's main Information page. If no information is displayed about this topic on the hotel's main Information page, please contact us by phone or email.

Choosing a hotel top ^

How do I choose a hotel?

The easiest way to choose a hotel that suits your needs is to use our 'Search' function. You just need to enter the date that you wish to arrive at the hotel, your departure date, and the type of room you wish to stay in. Our search system will check all the hotels and present you with a list of all those that are available.

You can also use our 'detailed search' function, which allows you to specify the hotel star rating you are looking for.

Are rollaway beds/cots available?

Most hotels offer rollaway beds and cots, normally at a charge. Some may have restrictions on which room types will allow rollaway beds - this may be listed on the hotel's main Information page. To find out more information on the availability and cost of having an extra rollaway bed or cot for a certain hotel, please contact us by phone or email.

Do hotels have minimum age requirements?

Please be aware that some hotels may have minimum age restrictions or requirements when reserving a room. For example, some hotels with casinos may require you to be 21 years of age to check in to a room. Please enquire with a customer care advisor or with the hotel directly.

Special requirements top ^

Can I specify room location or any other requests?

At londonnights.com, we try our best to make your stay as perfect as possible. We realise the importance of special requests, and we do pass on any requests made through us to the hotel. You can enter any special requests at the 'enter guest information' section of the booking process. We will then pass on your request to the hotel, at which point they will try their best to accommodate your requirements. However, neither we nor the hotel can guarantee that your request can be met.

Can I check in earlier than the check-in time?

This depends on the availability at your hotel. When we send your booking through to your chosen hotel, they enter your name into the system, and allocate you a room for your stay. If the room that you are booked into is occupied the night before your stay, then it is not possible for you to check in early. This is because check-out time for the guests before you is normally 11:00 am, and then the housekeepers need ample time to clean your room. If the room you have been booked into is not occupied the night before your stay, then it is possible to check in early. It is advisable to request an early check-in when booking, and then contact your hotel the night before your stay to see if your request can be accomodated.

Can I check out later than the check-out time?

This is not normally possible. A check-out time is in place so that the housekeepers can work to a schedule to keep all the rooms that are due to be vacated clean and tidy. It also depends on the availability of your room. If your room is booked for guests arriving after you, then you will need to check out on time to give the housekeepers time to prepare your room for the next guests. You can request a late check-out when booking your room, and your chosen hotel will try their best to accommodate your request.

Can I leave my bags at the hotel?

For the majority of hotels, the answer is yes. Most hotels have a concierge desk where you can leave your bags before checking in. In other hotels where there is not a concierge desk, it is usually possible to leave your bags behind the reception desk before your checking-in time.

Cancelling An Existing Booking top ^

Before cancelling your booking please read the following cancellation policy carefully:

Cancellation policy:

Unless otherwise stated in the cancellation terms, you may cancel your booking without charge up to 48 hours prior to arrival. Any cancellations received less than 48 hours prior to arrival at the hotel will be subject to a cancellation fee, normally equivalent to the cost of the first night's stay. Failure to show for your reservation will result in a no-show fee equivalent to the cost of the first night's stay.

Cancellation procedure:

After reading the cancellation policy, if you wish to proceed with a cancellation please follow the easy steps below:

Open the booking confirmation email that we sent you. Take note of the Booking Reference that appears in the top section of this email. You can then either scroll down the email to the section entitled CANCELLATIONS to find a link to the cancellation form or use the link below:

CANCELLATION FORM
This link will take you to the 'Find Your Booking' page. This page asks you to input your Reference Number and Surname into a form. Once you have done this press the find your booking button.
You will then be presented with a page displaying your booking details. On this form you can choose from the following options:

Request the confirmation email be sent to you again.
Cancel the booking. If you wish to continue to cancel the booking check the box and press the Cancel My Booking button.

You will then be presented with the 'Confirm Cancellation' page where you will be asked "Are you sure you wish to cancel your booking?" If you are sure check the box and then click the button to confirm.
This will take you to a further page advising you that "Your booking has been cancelled" and that "you will receive a cancellation email shortly".
When you receive the cancellation email it will look like the original confirmation email but will clearly state "CANCELLATION OF BOOKING" at the top.

What will happen if I do not cancel and do not arrive at the hotel?

If you do not cancel and do not arrive at the hotel a non-arrival fee will be charged against your credit card, normally equal to the cost of the first night's accommodation.

Mystery Hotels: Your questions answered top ^

How can the hotels offer such great rates?

Our partner hotels are so confident that you’ll want to stay there again that they are prepared to offer discounted rates. It’s also a question of availability – if the hotel has a quiet period they don’t want to leave rooms empty. Whatever the reason, Mystery Hotels are a great choice if you can’t decide where to stay, as they all come recommended by us.

Why the mystery?

These prices are so low that the hotels we work with don't want to advertise them. They're offering these exclusive rates on condition that the hotel's name is hidden until your booking has been completed.

How will I know where I'm staying?

When you have made your booking, you will receive an email confirming all the details, including the name and address of your Mystery Hotel.

Will the hotel be of a lower standard?

No. The rooms on offer are no different to any others. You can expect the same standard of quality and service as you would with any regular hotel booking.

Find a Hotel...

About londonnights.com

Quality of service

Payment for bookings

Rates

Choosing a hotel

Special Requirements

Cancellations

Mystery Hotels: Your questions answered