Hotels & Meals

Rooming

• Participants stay in multiple-bedded rooms, usually with two or three beds depending on destination and tour type.
  • Please structure different rooming patterns for your group based on doubles and triples before departure. These patterns will almost always require some adjustment depending on the mix of genders in your overall bus group.
  • Once rooms are assigned, participants must never switch rooms without the permission of their group leader and tour manager.
• During peak travel periods, hotels sometimes add an extra temporary bed in order to accommodate heavy bookings. ACIS endeavors to prevent this, but cannot guarantee that it will never happen.
• Some hotel rooms have a Grand Lit, or an over-sized double bed, instead of twin beds.
• ACIS makes every effort to keep groups together within the hotel. However, groups may not always be able to be placed on the same floor or section of the hotel, especially if your group is large and traveling during peak travel times.
• Those who have paid the double room surcharge, including all adults, stay in double rooms in hotels.
  • Adults are not provided with, nor charged for, double occupancy rooms on overnight ferries.
• Group leaders are guaranteed the comfort and privacy of a single room when they lead at least six paying participants. You may, of course, choose to share a room with a companion.
• If your trip includes an overnight ferry or cruise, please speak to your program manger for complete rooming information.

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High-Season Contingencies

The travel year is seasonal. Spring and summer, the seasons when most people travel, can bring certain pressures. As European and American vacation times often coincide, overcrowding can be an issue, and last-minute changes sometimes need to be made as a result. For example, if a hotel is overbooked, your group will be accommodated at a nearby hotel of similar standards, and in very rare instances, your group may be divided between neighboring hotels.

In these situations, keep in mind your role as “morale officer” and ensure that your group understands the circumstances. Your participants will likely not be upset if you are not.

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Hotel Etiquette

The behavior of your participants directly impacts our ability to continue working with quality hotels. Many hotels in Europe that would have been ideal for ACIS groups have had a bad experience with other educational travel groups and therefore no longer accommodate any. Only with your help can we avoid this happening with our hotels. Please help us maintain the exceptionally high standards for which ACIS is known.

• Students are responsible for any damage. ACIS will do its best to investigate when damage is reported, but ultimately considers the hotel’s report to be definitive. We inspect our hotels regularly, know the management well and are confident of their integrity.
• Students must pay for phone calls made from their rooms and any items taken from the room mini-fridge prior to their departure. No alcohol may be consumed from the mini-fridge.
• Picking up “souvenir” items, such as bathrobes, from the hotel rooms is absolutely forbidden. Participants will be required to pay for any stolen items.
• Students must be considerate of other guests and keep noise levels low. Noise after 10 P.M. and running or shouting in the hallways at any time is prohibited.
• Clothing may not be washed in the hotel rooms.
• Students may not go barefoot or shirtless anywhere in the hotel outside of their rooms.
• Do not leave money or valuables lying in your hotel room out in the open. Keep your money, passport and any other valuables in the hotel safe when possible.
• As an ACIS representative, your tour manager is charged with helping to maintain a positive relationship between ACIS and the hotel. Please help the tour manager by ensuring the full cooperation of your group.
  • Your tour manager will also pass along any specific information about the hotel to you—for example, if it has a dress code for dinner.

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Meals

You will enjoy fine quality meals, mixing both familiar and unfamiliar cuisines. Encourage your group to keep an open mind and be willing to sample everything.

• You will be served a continental breakfast (that includes a variety of fresh rolls, cereal, pastry, butter and jam, coffee, tea or hot chocolate) or a hot buffet throughout your tour. On trips to the Americas you may be served the traditional rice and beans.
• On most ACIS trips, lunches are not included. Exceptions are on full-day excursions on certain programs where lunch might be provided instead of or in addition to dinner.
• On most tours, beverages at dinner are not included. Your waiter may put soft drinks or mineral water on the table without being asked. Be aware that your group members will be charged for any beverages consumed.
• You never need to tip waiters at meals provided by ACIS.
• Although ACIS will try to accommodate special meal needs including kosher, vegetarian and low salt, we cannot guarantee all requests.

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