01What “walking” means
Hotels overbook on purpose to cover no-shows and late cancellations. When everyone shows up, someone has to be relocated to another hotel. That is called walking a guest — and how it is done is entirely up to the team.
02Prepare before the guest arrives
- Check the forecast in the afternoon: if you are oversold, act early, not at 11 p.m.
- Call nearby hotels of the same or higher category and hold a room.
- Agree on who decides and what the hotel will pay for, so the desk is not improvising.
03Choose who to walk carefully
- Avoid loyalty members, guests with long stays, repeat guests and people with special occasions.
- A short one-night stay arriving late is usually the least disruptive option.
- Never walk a guest who is already checked in.
04The conversation
- Say it privately and plainly: apologise, explain, and take responsibility — no blaming “the system”.
- Present the solution in the same breath: the other hotel, the transport and what is covered.
- Give them a name and a direct number to call.
05What the hotel should cover
- The first night at the other hotel.
- Transport there and, if they return, transport back.
- A phone call or message to whoever needs to know where they are.
06Bring them back
If the stay continues, reserve their room for the next day, welcome them back by name and leave a small note. Done well, a walked guest often becomes one of the most loyal.
