For several TPG parents, not being able to book a connecting room when traveling with family has been a frustrating part of travel.They say they’ve spent far more money (or points) booking suites, or hoping for a connected room to be available at check-in, which isn’t guaranteed.Now, Hilton is the first major hotel chain to not only make it easier to book adjoining, or connecting, rooms but to actually guarantee them. This is huge news.“Once your family outgrows the confines of a standard hotel room – or when you’re just taking an extended family trip with more family members than usual – it can get tough to book a hotel stay,” said TPG’s director of travel content, Summer Hull, who recently took several extended family trips but couldn’t land a connecting room.“Connecting rooms are usually the best solution for hotel stays when traveling with a larger crew, but historically, it’s a ‘book and pray’ situation when it comes to actually landing connecting rooms,” Hull, who travels often with her two children, said.Many travelers don’t enjoy adjoining rooms because it might mean you’re sharing a door with a stranger, and there may be noise issues. However, families, especially those with children, often prefer to book adjoining rooms that share a connecting door while traveling for privacy or peace of mind.For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.Hilton Honors on June 16 announced that it would give guests the option to book at least two connecting rooms when making a reservation. Dubbed “Confirmed Connecting Rooms by Hilton,” travelers have the opportunity to book a connecting room by logging on to Hilton’s website or by using the Hilton Honors app – and it’s a feature that will be rolled out worldwide.“Research shows that nearly half of travelers booking trips together consider connecting rooms to be important. As families and friends begin to reunite, reconnect and travel again, we anticipate that need will only grow stronger,” said Chris Silcock, Hilton’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, in a statement.“Hilton guaranteeing connecting rooms is a bold guest-centric move for the chain and is much appreciated,” said TPG credit cards editor, Juan Ruiz, a frequent traveler and father of twins. “Particularly in regions such as Europe and Asia where hotel occupancy rates are many times just two people per hotel room, the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms is a major plus for traveling groups and families.“Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.“Confirmed Connecting Rooms by Hilton presents an innovative solution to a decades-old problem and creates a renewed confidence in the booking experience at a time when a record number of people are travel planning,” the Hilton statement continued.Look for this icon that denotes connecting rooms. (Screenshot courtesy of Hilton)In its news release announcing the move, Hilton even acknowledges that booking connecting rooms hasn’t always been seamless. Previously, you had to call or otherwise reach out to your hotel ahead of time to request a connecting room. While hotels rarely guarantee it, many typically accommodate the requests if possible – but you wouldn’t find out until arriving at the hotel. Other hotels, such as Marriott and Hyatt offer connected rooms, but they aren’t guaranteed – and can cost you.According to Hilton, travelers can book their connecting rooms by following three steps:Visit Hilton.com/ConnectingRoomsSelect the number of desired rooms, along with the destination and dates, and choose your hotelWhen selecting a room, check the box to indicate you’re interested in connecting roomsSelect each connecting room at the desired ratesHilton says travelers can book the stay with “instant confirmation” and that the idea was initially engineered by Motto by Hilton, a micro-hotel brand in the hotel chain’s portfolio. Guests staying at a Motto, a hostel-like hotel, can book up to nine connecting rooms. It appears that Hilton is targeting group travelers here, as guests can configure the rooms with “adaptable furniture,” the hotel said.Photo by Joe Hendrickson/Shutterstock.com
