Recently, in multiple hotels, we paid for a double bed but got two smaller beds near each other instead. The two beds can move apart during the night, if you sleep on the middle. Should we complain? Is two twin beds near each other considered a double bed? It feels a little cheap and not correct.
Did you pay extra for a double bed or was it just in the room description? And what did the hotel owner or front desk staff say when you asked about it?
This is Romania, and yes it had an extra cost, because it is a room, with double bed. We made the reservation online, where it just simple stated that it has double bed. Wierdly I got double bed a few times when I travelled alone. I think at least they should stated that hey, this is not a double bed but two smaller near each other.
For me "double bed" means two separated beds. Useful if you travel with friends: you can have some separation. Queen or King size is about ONE bed, but larger size (usually for two people) -- twin is specific, but on translation and local language such word may not be understood
Did you ask, while just arrived in the hotel, why you got two single beds instead of one big one? (In many places I have traveled this is the normal thing, more expensive than one single bed but the same price for two single or one double beds.)
@GiacomoCatenazzi, that case of two single beds is usually called 'twin' in Europe, if it states 'double bed' you may also expect one bed for two people, (mostly at least 1.4 meter wide,) but two single beds moved together are also common, as OP experienced.
@Willeke: "twin" is used mostly on more touristic (foreigners) hotels, and when they use "twin", usually you have "queen" and "king". On more regional places, they just use own local terminology and with a word to word translation. "Double" has often roots on quantity, not on size. It is a language issue. And we use "twin","queen","king" to remove such ambiguity. Maybe we should check "double bed", "double beds"
@GiacomoCatenazzi In British usage, "twin beds" means 2 seperate, normally "single" beds, and "double bed" means a single large bed intended for two people. While I agree that etymologically it might not make much sense, that is very much how the actual usage of the words is. (US tends not to make the same usage, but even there, "double bed" for two beds in a room is not normal)
@CMaster: yes, but so it confuses because we have many other languages, which different uses. I wrote: translating "word" per "word", once at I time. This question is about a non-English speaking country.
Checked on multiple sites, and it seemed like a definition, that double bed means one large bed, that's why I'm questioning this, to be sure if I can complain or not. The main issue is that the mattresses move during the night, it's pretty uncomfortable for a couple.
Not an answer to your question, but a recommendation: Get some straps or belts, you can use them as extra-protection against your suitcase(s) coming open unexpectedly, and to tie your two single beds together so they don't do that...Google "luggage straps"
Theoretically, you could sleep rotated by 90°if the beds are wide enough. The gap would be orthogonal to your body, left to right. The beds would probably move less, but if they do, it is much less of a problem, and it does not cause the positive feedback runaway of pushing the beds further appart when lieing partially in the gap. Practically, beds are often not wide enough. But it should work with rotating only 45°, and sleeping closely together.
@GiacomoCatenazzi it is indeed a language issue, a "double bed" (at least in British English) is one large bed, queen and king size are larger. It does refer to size and not quantity (and this is not the only case, e.g. drinks etc). Translating "word per word" is wrong. Queen and king do not "remove ambiguity", as it would be false advertising to describe a double bed (140cm) as queen size (160cm).
When i book i always drop a note asking for King Size bed else there is a chance they will give me 2 single bed. Some time the hotel are flexible enough to join it together on request and put a single large mattress but its a lot of waste of time.
Discussion on question by barotia: Is…
Discussion on question by barotia: Is…