I’m a complete newbie, haven’t scheduled my first appointment yet, so please don’t assume I have a clue.  I came across a comment on a travel review site posted by a family at a local Holiday Inn Express (potential rendezvous site) saying they were denied a room on arrival because they lived within 25 miles of it.   This would not have occurred to me at all, that there might be a restriction like this.  Anyone hear of this, is it restricted to some chains?  So now I know to book a place 25+ miles from home if that becomes modus operandi.

and never had a hassle.  

I’ve never heard of that before. I rented business hotel suits .5 miles down the road from my apartment. It’s possible that your area or that hotel has had problems with prostitution, or drug users and is trying to clean it up? If anyone asked me, I’d just say I got a pest control company bombing the house and I need to be out of it for 24 hours. But if it’s a hotel policy, they must have some reason for it. It’s certainly never happened to me where I live

It is very odd for a hotel to be turning away business. I have rented hotel rooms in my home town numerous times and have never been questioned about it. In fact, locals get discounted rates.

I moved away from Atlanta quite some time ago, but for years I still spent a lot of time there and ironically I would most often stay at a Doubletree Inn barely a mile from the address still on my drivers license. Additionally I would often check in with my ex-hooker GF who is 30 younger than me. I am sure some of the desk clerks that checked me in with her in tow THOUGHT they knew what was going on, but none of them ever said a word to me about it.  

...hotels in Atlanta area close to my home and never had any questions asked and never offered any explanations. If I were you I would call Holiday Inn 800 number and ask what's up with that. Reference the review/ comment you read. No need to give them any info just that you saw the comment, often used Holiday Inn and wanted to inquire.  

The county I am in in Florida has or had a policy like this,  I think they let it expire.   And the purpose was to slow illegal activity such as underage drinking.   Groups of high schoolers would get someone to rent the room in a older motel then party in the room.  The SO also put together photo lineups of know SWers and the county would site the motets if they rented to them.

-- Modified on 3/4/2018 7:15:57 PM

Here is the post on yelp, dated 1/23/18.  The hotel is in Bethlehem, GA.   I understand something like this happened 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, perhaps a pattern?

Looks like I landed on the Bethlehem, PA Holiday Inn site and not the GA, I apologize for the mix up.  I would have suspected a GA hotel would be more likely to have such a redneck policy, does not bode well for steel country.

That inn, like most in the area were booked solid for the Christmas season.

In the Boston area, a major chain has (had?) an advertised promotion of a weekend getaway / dinner specials urging  local COUPLES to spend the weekend at their fantastic hotel and get away from cooking, cleaning, etc for the weekend. Easy 20-minute drive from downtown, free parking ... It was a pretty low rate, as I recall.  
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But I think it used to say, "you and your SPOUSE" not "you and the companion of your choice." Since they were trying to drum up weekend business with the special rates, I don't think they'd care who the couple was as long as they paid the bill and didn't wreck the room.

It's hearsay on Yelp. Even with the error you made in the address, you have nothing to worry about.

It'll be in her name... she'll be responsible for any damages.  While we're on the topic... NEVER leave a provider in possesion of a room rented in your name.   You are still connected to anything that goes on there...   drugs, alcolhol, providing for others, damages.  
If the room is rented just for your tryst... you can reimburses her with cash.    
If you rent the room...  make sure she leaves before you do... doesn't slip back in some how.    

I used to work in hospitality.  There are too many legitimate reasons for someone to rent a hotel room close to their home to list. I could see a policy where prohibiting people under 21 who live within a certain distance might make sense.  Damages and potential liability from under age drinking parties are a much bigger concern than this hobby, affairs, or even weed.  

Based on the feedback, agree that it seems like a rare, isolated case and not something that one really has to be concerned about.   I'm sure I will come up with something more concrete to worry about shortly.  Anyway,  I now know to avoid that particular Holiday Inn Express in Bethlehem, PA, so not a total loss.  Darn, there goes my summer vacation.

so hotel correspondance goes there.   A good excuse is contractors / painters in your home...  

Still requires an email, phone and a credit card (just like the hotel) but there's less corporate oversight. Just a good reminder to have separate email and phone just for your p4p adventures.

After a variety of high profile stories (about unapproved use of the properties), airbnb and some property owners have been cracking down. Surveillance, sometimes secret, cameras; nosy neighbors or agents authorized to question what is going on on the premises, etc.. It's probably easier for a client with one or two visitors than a hostess with a stream of guests coming by hourly. But, check your local board for any discussion of recent airbnb incidents in your area.

My response was predicated on the understanding that we were talking about one hobbyist booking a place to meet a provider. If he's looking to see more than one provider over a course of days, then it might be problematic -- but then he might have that same problem at a hotel.

I agree that a regular joe can probably have an airbnb date without arousing suspicion but some owners and nosy neighbors might still be keeping an eye on things. If you don't tell the owner, "My niece might be visiting ..." or something like that, a young F visitor could raise suspicion with the local agent / snooper.  
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And, some owners might be using nanny cams on the premises. Entrance, LR, kitchen cams might be OK but I think a bedroom cam would probably be against the law.  
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But I still don't get how a trex can rent an airbnb and NOT expect to attract attention.

Posted By: trex44

Re: airbnb can be risky
My response was predicated on the understanding that we were talking about one hobbyist booking a place to meet a provider. If he's looking to see more than one provider over a course of days, then it might be problematic -- but then he might have that same problem at a hotel.  
   
 All of my experiences with airbnb rentals have been positive but then I've only had one provider per rental at any given time -- well, Ok, ONE 3some at an airbnb location.  
   
 I suspect there might be issues with a provider using one and having a stream of clients on the property over a course of days but again, probably a similar issue at a hotel.

Hotels typically assume if you’re local you’re there for nefarious reasons (drugs, party). Even of 9 out of 10 are legit; that one person is not worth the risk.

The credit card clears and it's in the name of "Mr. T. Rex" so they don't even give it a thought.

Nah, I gave those up MILLIONS of years ago! I've switched to a healthier lifestyle since losing most of my family/phylum to that pesky extinction event; not too many of us left (the birds don't count -- they're the dino equivalent of trailer trash wanna bet).
 
So I ride the bike and have cut back on the raw meat -- you can get clogged arteries on a steady diet of ankylosaur and hadrosaur. Lot more pteranodon now -- tastes kinda like chicken!

I would have to believe that for an extinct species,  even the HHR rate would be prohibitive.  I'd suggest skipping the BBBJ on this one.