Are you going somewhere fun for spring break? For most people, it may be a little cold to camp. So maybe you’re planning to book a hotel. Well, wherever you’re going, make sure you’re old enough to stay there.

It can be hard for a traveling college student to find a place to spend the night. Last summer, I was on a road trip in Tennessee. We had been driving for 11 hours, and needed a place to sleep. We stopped to try to find a hotel, only to be told at Hampton Inn that we had to be 21 to check in, and that it would be the same at any other hotel in town.

Fortunately, that was a lie. We eventually found a more reasonable hotel. But it brought up a problem that I never knew existed. Even when you become an adult, hotels may still treat you like a child. You still may not be able to find a place to stay while on vacation. Or on your honeymoon, for that matter.

I called around to see why a hotel wouldn’t serve an 18-year-old like any other adult with a working credit card. I found that their reasons are pretty silly.

Baymont Inns, in my experience, usually welcome 18-year-olds, so I called one in Kansas City. Twenty-one. Thwarted again. The clerk there informed me that alcohol is easily available in the Kansas City area, and they don’t want underage drinking in their hotel.

I understand they’re liable if people under 21 are found drinking on their property. But, by barring anyone under 21 from booking a room, they aren’t really solving that problem. A 20-year-old could bring their friend who’s nine months older, and therefore 21. Suddenly, alcohol is even easier to get – and they have that hotel room, to boot.

And, just because an 18- or 20-year-old rents a hotel room doesn’t mean they’re planning to get drunk. It’s not like Baymonts have minibars en suite. They probably just want a place to rest before going to Ikea the next morning. Or while they’re on a three-day business trip for their company.

This 21 policy seems to be more of a norm in big cities, but it’s also prevalent in Ames. I called three hotels in town and all of them require a person checking in to be 21.

The Baymont here mentioned underage drinking concerns, but also noise issues. Yet 21-year-olds aren’t always quiet. Just like 18-year-olds aren’t necessarily loud.

The Ames Holiday Inn said they aren’t concerned about underage drinking or noise, but want renters to be 21 because they believe they’ll be better able to handle their credit.

But there are 60-year-olds who can’t handle their credit, and 18-year-olds who can perfectly. Come on. Eighteen-year-olds have been deemed old enough to handle buying cars with credit cards. Why not hotel rooms?

This is all annoying, of course. But the worst thing is that hotels with the 21 nonsense don’t usually tell you about it when you call to make a reservation. Be sure to ask before you drive to California. Don’t get screwed over by a stupid hotel policy that you didn’t know about.

So, you live on your own. You sign contracts and are held to that signature. You may even be married and have a kid or two. You thought you were an adult. Hotels say, think again. And next thing you know, you’re spending the night in your car. Maybe you’ll find a park somewhere tomorrow with a nice shower. Sleep tight.

– Bailey Lewis is a sophomore in English from Indianola.