I’m actually on a bus tour right now, which I’ll leave to do some fly dates with another artist then come back to. So, the hotel puzzle is fresh in my brain. As with everything else you do as a tour manager, attention to detail—or lack thereof—when it comes to hotels can cripple you and any respect a tour has for you. That sounds dramatic, but it’s true. If anyone tries to check into a hotel and you haven’t perfectly arranged for them to do so, you might as well just slap their grandma in the face. If you do it once, it’s annoying but fine. Twice? You’ll get a gnarly nickname like Joe ‘Can’t-Get-a-Fuckin-Hotel-Check-In-Right’ Smith. Do it three times, and you’ll probably be fired. Hotels are serious business when you’re traveling, and sitting in a lobby when you’re tired because someone you’re paying doesn’t get it right is no bueno.

There are several ways to go about booking hotels and so, so many variables to consider for each tour. Budget is always a good first place to start. What kind of hotels is the artist used to staying in? I’ve worked with artists who will only stay in 4- or 5-star hotels, I’ve worked with the Hampton Inn bands, and I’ve worked with the “as long as it has a door that locks” bands. Have a conversation with either the artist or their management to ask about their expectations.

Here’s what I do when I’m looking for a hotel: I open Maps, type in the venue address, and then click the little hotel button at the top of the map. It will show you every hotel near the venue on the map and give you a rough estimate of how much they cost per night. I click through a few of those and choose one based on cost, the hotel’s quality, and how far away it is from the venue. If there’s a $250 hotel a block from the venue and a $200 hotel 20 minutes away, the Ubers to get there and back will cost more than the $50 extra bucks to book the room a block away. I never book motels, and I will always prefer a hotel with free breakfast over a fancy one.

Always book a hotel room directly with the hotel.
For example, if you want to book a Courtyard Marriott, go to Marriott’s website, etc. Don’t use a third-party website like Priceline or Expedia. It may seem like a good deal, but the hassle when something goes wrong isn’t worth it. If you book with the hotel directly, they are able to help you if you need to cancel or move dates. Open rewards accounts with every major hotel chain (Marriott, Hilton, IHG) and use your account when booking. Eventually, you’ll earn status and be able to use points for rooms or get early check-ins and late check-outs.

The Credit Card Authorization Form:
This is your friend and will solve all of your problems. Go on the hotel’s website, book the room, then call the hotel’s front desk directly and ask for a credit card authorization form. They’ll email you the form, you fill it out with the name of the person who will be checking in, and they’ll be able to get into their room without having you or credit card that was used to book it with them. I sometimes do this even when I know I’m the one checking in so I don’t have to stand there and swipe the card for incidentals for every room. It also helps get your artist into their room quicker, which is always appreciated.

Days Off:
Try to find a hotel that’s near stuff. No one wants to sit in the middle of nowhere on their day off. A mall or movie theater nearby is cool. Wherever it is, there should be several places to eat within walking distance. If you’re in a bus, find a mall outside of town on Maps and press the little hotel button at the top. It will show you all the nearby hotels on the map. Use the satellite view to check the parking lots to see if they have room to park a bus. If you think they do, call the hotel’s front desk directly and confirm with them that they have bus parking. Don’t just show up in a bus—call them.

You Need Lots of Rooms: If you’re traveling with a large group (8+ rooms), call the hotel and ask to speak with someone in the sales department. Tell them who you are and what you need. They will work out a discounted group deal with you and make it much easier to check everyone in at the same time. 

You could also have a travel agent handle this for you, but where’s the fun in that? Booking hotels is a labor of love and has completely consumed my life for the past 6 months. Keep notes when booking if you need to, and make phone calls to confirm everything. And whatever you do, don’t forget the credit card authorization form.