Those Pesky Single Supplements And How To Avoid Them

It is enough to strike terror into the heart of any solo traveller, that asterisk below a great travel deal that sends you to the small print below which tells you "Single Supplement applies".  Your delight soon turns to disappointment when you realise that that great travel deal isn't so great anymore.

Most tours and hotels cater for couples and their pricing is worked out on a double occupancy room rate, same price whether one or two people use it.  This is completely understandable since the room needs the same amount of cleaning and the bed linen the same amount of laundering for single or double occupancy.  Unfortunately those hotels that do offer single or studio rooms generally have them tucked away in the least attractive, often dark, part of the hotel making solo travellers feel pretty second rate. These rooms are usually more than half the price of a double anyway. A couple of years ago I took the spectacular Australian Ghan Train journey.  I loved every minute of it but it cost me a fortune because I had to pay almost double for single occupancy of a double room.  The Ghan does offer extremely compact single cabins with no single supplement but whereas double cabins have their own bathroom facilities, for single cabins bathrooms are shared and along the corridor. Call me fussy but, no thank you. 

Very comfortable single bed on
The Ghan

While young, solo, back packers are happy to stay in hostels and dorms,  older solo travellers, in the main, prefer the luxury and comfort available to couples, and why shouldn't they?, but not at close to double the cost.  Hotels and tours are missing a trick here.  The solo travel market is steadily growing and I believe that hotels with attractive single, cheaper, rooms would find a ready customer base.

I have done a lot of travelling in the ten years since my husband died and I hate to think what I have spent paying single supplements. Now I look for deals and try to avoid the dreaded SS if I can.

Book a hotel which includes breakfast and make it one of  your two main meals for the day, after all the hotel has priced breakfast for two people in your tariff.

Here are some hints for avoiding, or at least reducing the pain of the single supplement:

1. Book directly with a hotel, even couples will usually get the best price that way, and negotiate a deal or request a waiver - you have nothing to loose and just might be lucky
2. Travel off season.  Often tour companies are quieter then and may prefer at least one more traveller, at a single price, to fill their spaces.
3. Google "single holiday specialists" and see what's on offer.
4. Share with a friend.  I have done this several times and it has been fun but I take most trips alone and I don't want to share with strangers.
5. A few travel companies will pair you with a room mate if you are happy to share.  Intrepid Travel is a good company for this.
6. If you are fit and adventurous go on adventure holidays.  Accommodation is likely to be hostels or dormitories and you will pay for a single only.
7. Take a repositioning cruise on a cruise ship.  These are great value as the ship is simply returning to a starting point and it makes sense to fill the cabins on the way there.  The cruise will still be as good as any other cruise.
8. Cruise ship companies are now realising that the solo travel market is growing and are increasing their numbers of single cabins. Norwegian Cruiseline offers 128 studio cabins, P and O  has 18 on The Azzura and will have 27 on The Britannia, even Cunard offers 9 on the Queen Elizabeth 2.  Do a Google search for cruise ships with single cabins. Many European river cruises waive the single supplement too.
9. Set up a Google Alert with a message like "Single Supplement
   waived".  This way deals will come direct to you.
10. And last, but not least, my favourite tip.  Be a truly independent traveller, it is what I do most of the time. Book your airfare to a destination yourself (look for a good deal), also book the hotel directly asking if they have a "special" or a deal. Make sure you get a hotel which includes breakfast in the room tariff.  At your destination book a single ticket on day trips.  I travelled to many places in both Portugal and the Czech Republic on day trips, I got to see a lot of both countries but also had the freedom to be spontaneous. This way you avoid any single supplement apart from double occupancy of your hotel room. 

On  my self booked trip to bath.  I negotiated a great deal by booking direct with the hotel

I know the disappointment and frustration of having to pay a single supplement.  It is bad enough not having the pleasure of travelling with your loved one without having to pay a premium for it.  I hope you find these hints helpful and that maybe, if enough people start making noises, more travel companies will get the message and start catering more fairly to the solo market.

  Happy solo travels!!