[DaveloMA]

Hi. Has anyone ever had an issue bringing a bicycle into a hotel? This is a medium-scale hotel (not the Trump Plaza, but not the Red Roof Inn) in the Foggy Bottom section of DC, so, not super fancy, but not one with room access directly from the street (i.e., I have to make my way through a lobby....).

We'll be in DC for several days, and I want to get some riding in, but I'm a little reluctant to leave the bicycle in the car all the time.

Thanks.
David

 

[timmyc]

Of all the illicit things that can happen in a hotel room (I'm sure that no one needs a list) there are probably much dirtier and offensive things coming and going through the lobby of any given hotel than a guy with his bike after a ride. The elevator may be uncomfortable for the people with you, but I bet if you let one rip, especially after a powerbar or two, no one would notice the sweat smell.

 

[Kerry Irons]

Do it all the time

Hi. Has anyone ever had an issue bringing a bicycle into a hotel?

I do this all the time. If there's an outdoor stairwell access, I might go in that way, but otherwise I just wheel it through the lobby. I can't remember ever getting any push back, but if I did, I would just ask them where they thought my tires had been that my shoes hadn't. Further, I would ask them to provide secure storage for my VERY expensive bicycle. It might even be worth asking what their policy might be on golf clubs, that can be covered with dirt. At any rate, it's never been an issue for me.

 

[Cory]

Ask first; policies differ widely.

I'd have the most trouble in cheaper motels, especially in mountain bike areas, because they've had lots of experience with guys cleaning their bikes in the shower, ruining the towels and spraying lube around. In higher-priced walk-through-the-lobby places you can often brazen it out--just wheel the thing past the desk and into the elevator while they're getting organized. But why not call and ask? Better to find out now than after you're committed.

 

[SDizzle]

My team regularly parades through a lobby with each of our twenty-some riders rolling bikes. If you're unsure, try shouldering it (so it doesn't - gasp! - touch the carpet) or leaving the front wheel in the car and rolling it in on the rear alone, with the fork up in the air. For some reason, it has been my experience that this looks less offensive than just rolling it in on both wheels.

 

[JayTee]

In my experience, more than half of the hotels are stupid ridiculous about bicycles. Usually out of ignorance (like telling me it will "drip oil" on the carpet... it ain't a Harley).

I err on the side of sneaking unless the only way to the room is through the lobby. But I hear "no" more than "yes" so I use the "I'd rather ask foregiveness than permission" technique.

 

[Eric_H]

Inverse relationships

Hi. Has anyone ever had an issue bringing a bicycle into a hotel? This is a medium-scale hotel (not the Trump Plaza, but not the Red Roof Inn) in the Foggy Bottom section of DC, so, not super fancy, but not one with room access directly from the street (i.e., I have to make my way through a lobby....).

We'll be in DC for several days, and I want to get some riding in, but I'm a little reluctant to leave the bicycle in the car all the time.

Thanks.
David

I often find that the expensive places are less fussed about a bicycle than the cheap places. My theory on this is that the cheaper, lower end places have to put up with more shady customers and hotel shenanigans, and so they are less tolerant of anybody doing anything that might be considered different from the norm. Two of the nicest places I have ever stayed at are the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui and the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island and the staff never looked bothered with my bike coming in and out every day.

If I have to go through the lobby, I usually carry my bike so that I do not leave any dusty/dirty tire tracks. I'll even go as far as to remove my shoes if the flooring looks sensitive to cycling shoes and cleats. I use Time Impact (plastic bumpers on the cleats) but back when I used Time Equipe with the big brass cleat I always removed my shoes (partly out of respect for the hotel and partly because those brass cleats were slippery on a tile or marble floor).

 

[Scot_Gore]

Hi. Has anyone ever had an issue bringing a bicycle into a hotel? This is a medium-scale hotel (not the Trump Plaza, but not the Red Roof Inn) in the Foggy Bottom section of DC, so, not super fancy, but not one with room access directly from the street (i.e., I have to make my way through a lobby....).

We'll be in DC for several days, and I want to get some riding in, but I'm a little reluctant to leave the bicycle in the car all the time.

Thanks.
David

I've never asked and never been told "no bikes in room" and I've rolled it through the lobby without a thought plenty of times. On a 9 day tour I did in 2004 one of the hotels in the 10 we used had a no bikes in room policy and provided a locked conference room for us to store our bikes. There were 30 bikes so they had to do something or we'd have found another spot to stay and they'd lose 20+ rooms for the night.

Scot

 

[lemonlime]

Just walk in like you own the place.

I've found that the more you look like you're doing something correctly, the more people actually believe you.

 

[PaulCL]

Don't ask first

Hi. Has anyone ever had an issue bringing a bicycle into a hotel? This is a medium-scale hotel (not the Trump Plaza, but not the Red Roof Inn) in the Foggy Bottom section of DC, so, not super fancy, but not one with room access directly from the street (i.e., I have to make my way through a lobby....).

We'll be in DC for several days, and I want to get some riding in, but I'm a little reluctant to leave the bicycle in the car all the time.

Thanks.
David

If you ask and they say "no" then what are you going to do???

Personally, I have always put my bike on my shoulder and walked it in as if it was luggage. I have never had any problem in hotels. The only problem I ever had was in a B&B in Calistoga, CA that my wife and I stayed in for a week. They wanted me to chain my very expensive bike to a tree in the front yard. The lady told me point blank that if I brought it into our room (actually "home" since we had the entire cottage house) she would ask us to leave. We made a compromise: When not in use, I could leave the bike in her laundry/utility room on the back of the cottage house. She gave me as special key. Considering she told me that "cyclists are very welcome, we have them all the time" it's the least she could do. I think what got her is when I said that if it was stolen, I hoped she was prepared to pay the deductible on her insurance claim for a $5000 bike. Money talks...........

Since then, before bringing a bike to a B&B, I always ask specific questions. Hotels....I don't care. It is kind of fun getting stares shouldering a bicycle through a really upscale hotel lobby. But guys drag their dirty, grassy, golf clubs everywhere, why not bikes????

 

[pmf]

Just walk in like you own the place.

I've found that the more you look like you're doing something correctly, the more people actually believe you.

Exactly what I would do. Don't give them a chance to say no. And if they do stop you, tell them that this is a very expensive bicycle and you need to store it someplace secure. Or you could lie and say you called and asked when you booked the reservations and was told that it was OK to bring it in.

 

[terzo rene]

Just walk in like you own the place.

I've found that the more you look like you're doing something correctly, the more people actually believe you.

Walk in? Heck thanks to handicap access I have ridden through lobbys and up to the elevator with no problems. Open air lobbys in Hawaii are especially good for that. There was only once when anyone even looked like saying something but I just gave them a head nod greeting like I owned the place and did it all the time and never heard a peep.

As long as you don't do something that upsets another guest everything's cool. Don't try to squeeze your way onto an elevator with the bike, etc.

 

[BikeGeek]

Even if you mess up the carpet, towels etc they can just bill your card for anything that gets ruined so I don't see the big deal. And if a big bike event is in town I would be very surprised to get any hassle from the hotels.

 

[Argentius]

Yeah.

It was fine. I didn't ask, I just did.

 

[Cruzer2424]

never really had a problem.

been to numerous hotels with my team (think like 5-10 guys) and they never said anything. Then again, I guess they asked first and/or the hotels knew beforehand becuase there was a big race in town.

 

[MarkS]

Never had a problem

My bike has stayed in some very fine hotels -- and a lot of cheap ones. I always have walked it through the lobby and into the elevator as if I were just pulling a large suitcase on wheels. I have had a few strange looks, but no one ever has complained.

 

[Guest]

It ususally is not a problem. Only time I ever relied on someone else was at the Fairmont in Whistler.

They have a secure storage area for skis, boards, bikes and golf clubs - they give a check-out ticket and assume responsibility.

I was there for a week, rode every day in the pissing rain and snow, checked the bike every day and was fine.

Most places I would not do that.

 

[DieselDan]

I work for a large hotel chain, and we don't care what you bring into the rooms, just don't make a mess, and it better be legal.

 

[[email protected]]

I used to travel across the USA on business. First thing unpacked and with me at check-in was my bike. Never a mention about it. In fact, when they saw me roll out from the lobby, many of the front desk people told me to enjoy my ride or have a good time.

 

[truman]

It's not a bike, it's art.

We are not supposed to bring bikes into the office where I work. On the two occassions that someone has challenged me on this I just tell them that I'm carrying a piece of art made from bicycle parts. No policy against bringing art into the building. No more problems.