Will a Double Work?

In Europe, a double room is for two people. There is usually just one bed in the room. You will either need to book a triple or a double with an extra bed in the room.

It's not like the U.S. where a double here is two full or queen size beds.

"In Europe, a double room is for two people"... Mmm, not always. Did you have any specific hotels in mind? Perhaps if someone on this forum has stayed at a particularl hotel, we could let you know the arrangements.

This will vary from hotel to hotel. Triple rooms might be available or they can bring a roll away bed into the room. Again, each hotel prices differently. Some of the larger chains, such as Ibis, charge per night, but many places charge per person. Age of the child will also matter sometimes, but once they become teens, not so much. Usually a double room listing means for two people. I have never seen it any other way. You can of course look for rooms with twin beds as this is also available in some hotels. I think you will need to check with each hotel to see what their policy is as they are often going to be different from each other. If you are looking on www.hrs.com I think you can type in triple room, twin beds, etc.

Also, Lori, I wouldn't try to "get away" with sneaking the third person in...it won't work. In many hotels the rooms can be too tiny for a third person although we have been in a room with wall-to-wall beds and only about 24 inches to walk at the foot of the beds! Many hotels only charge a little bit more for the third person, others you would have to take an additional room for a single person. Good luck on your search.

In Italy in many hotels (but not all), a double room is a room for two people with two twin beds. So there won't be room for sleeping two to a bed comfortably if at all.

In the US most places charge by the room with sometimes a small upchrge for a third or fourth person. It Italy and a lot of Europe the charge for rental is per person.

If you'd like to save some money, look into private family rooms at hostels. Hostels these days market to families to expand their business and have evolved from the multi-bunk affairs of the past into what look and feel more like hotels than hostels, with private baths, etc. The price is generally figured per person and is usually very reasonable. However, we found some familiy specials in German hostels a couple years back; the 3 of us stayed in a lovely private room in a renovated medieval castle-hostel for two nights with 2 breakfasts and one dinner, about 50 Euros total for the package. And there was a bed for everyone.

We generally use a combination of apartments, B&B's, and hostels in Europe; hostels tend to be more available and accessible in larger cities than the others and have been a good option for us in Germany, Florence, Switzerland, and Rome.

If you happen to have Florence on your itin, I can enthusiastically recommend the Archi Rossi hostel there.

Hey, I will add to the confusion with an answer. First, if your plan is to stay in small hotels (not chains) then understand that little is standard and the smallest will make do with what they have to meet your needs. Second, In Europe, it is generally accepted that a single/double/triple/etc. refers to the number of people. A double can be either two small beds, one large, or two small beds shoved together, etc. When you arrive, they will put you in a room that is available. I have stayed in "doubles" that have ranged from what was obviously intended to be a single to what was a two bedroom apartment. Basically, I was charged a "double" price for whatever was available (OK, I talked them down on the small room.) By rights, you need to look for a triple, but in contacting a hotel, explain your situation. If you simply ask for a triple, then they may reply as not having one, or put you in one of their true triples with three beds. Triples and Quads are harder to come by and may limit your room options. If you explain that you are a family, they may find you what is essentially a "double" and bring in a rollaway bed to make it fit your needs. If this winds up being the case, bargain a bit, you should not pay the full triple price, but more than the double. An alternative would be the chain type hotels (Ibis for example) they do tend to charge by the room or have only small charges for additional people. Russ mentioned hostels, they certainly can be good, and usually have some rooms with four bunks that would work for you, but sometimes they can be the same or more than a small hotel. In the end, I have always found small hotels to be very accomodating, even calling around if they are not able to meet my needs.

My mom, sister, and I went to Europe a few years back and we always had to specify '3 to a room'. Sometimes there were actually three beds in the hotel room, sometimes the third bed was a sofa-bed. Sometimes, the hotel couldn't accomodate us at all except to book us a 2nd room.

In France I think a double means a room with one bed for two people and a twin room is a room with two single beds. As another poster noted, some double or twin rooms ARE too small for an extra bed, and the single beds can be very small, like cots more then full twin size.

Book triples. Or, be very clear that you will need an extra bed for an extra person.

Rooms in Euorpe tend to be small, hence many hotels have fewer triple or quad rooms then we are used to in North America.Many hotels have rooms of all different sizes and shapes, since the buildings may not have been purpose build hotels but are old converted buildings. It helps to be specific in what you need as they can assign you a slightly larger room. There are rooms where opening a door infringes on freedome of movement in room!

You can either ask for a triple or just tell them you are traveling with your two teenage daughters and see what they suggest.

Rates are generally per room but based on the number of people in the room. A triple will be priced better than a double and single.

Definately tell the hotel or B&B that there are 3 of you, it may cost more but at least you will get some sleep. I would also reccomend the Hostel option with a private room for at least part of your trip. As far as sharing beds, I have tried that with my daughters (12+14)and found that I was the one sharing my bed with one or the other of them, because 2 of them together in one bed just wont work.

ITA on calling the hotel. Don't try to guess at sleeping arrangements. Tell them you are the mom with 2 teenage daughters and don't mind sleeping together. You get more creative and cheaper solutions when you let them decide how to fit beds in vs. just asking for a triple or a double.