By When it comes to booking a hotel room for an individual under the age of 18 years, rest assured it would be next to impossible. The main reason would be that an individual under 18 years of age has been considered legally minor in almost all states of the US. Therefore, that individual would not be able to enter into a legally binding contract.
When you consider booking a hotel room, you would enter into a legal contract to pay for that room and adhere to other conditions. It would be inclusive of obligations when you consider canceling the room. If you were under 18 years, there has been no enforceable contract, even if you find a way to pay for the room.
Why do some hotels have a higher minimum age?
A majority of hotels would go further than that and have a higher minimum hotel booking age requirement, for example, 21. It would be because of the presence of alcohol in the minibar or due to the lack of maturity of several people younger than that. Most hotels have a higher minimum age, as they are trying to appeal to an older target market. They do not want younger people around, as it might affect their appeal to their target market.
For a parent or a legal guardian, booking the hotel room for a minor and contacting the hotel in advance to make them aware you would be staying as an unaccompanied minor in their hotel, the latter might accept a minor at their hotel without accompanied by an adult. However, there would be no access to alcohol in the room. Moreover, a cash deposit or a valid credit card would adequately secure the room.
Alternatives to staying in a hotel
You may come across several alternatives to staying in a hotel room, especially if you were an unaccompanied minor. An array of youth hostels does not have a minimum age requirement for booking a room. Most Airbnb suppliers would look forward to renting a room to a minor, only if they have a valid ID, pay in advance for room booking, and have adequate cash deposit for securing the room for lack of a credit card.
With so many available options at your behest, all you have to look for is the right accommodating option at the destination you wish to venture without an adult accompanying you. Consider the safety aspect before you consider booking a room in the available options.
