Hotel booking for EC?

[rkc]

Hi All,

I am applying for EC in India soon and planning to fly to the UK in the last week of September as I have to take up employment by 2nd October. My employer would be re-imbursing all relocation expenses and will also re-imburse hotel-rent for the initial six weeks after which I need to find my own accomodation. The only issue is that I myself need to book a hotel, and pay the bill initially. I will get all re-imburesements with the first salary. My question here is do I need to book the hotel prior to the EC and then provide proof of the hotel booking to the EC officer? Or is it sufficient to provide the offer letter and enclosing company policy documents which mention that my hotel bill will be re-imbursed by employer. The same applies for flight booking, but someone here mentioned that it is not necessary to book flight tickets in advance of EC. Of course, I will be showing sufficient funds to prove my ability to pay hotel bill initially.

Early feedback will be appreciated as I plan to apply for EC early next week.

regards

[arm]

As far as I know you should show some place in which you are planing to stay after arriving.

[Cool]

Essential: Book hotel before applying for EC and include evidence of hotel reservation in your EC application.

No need to buy flight ticket before EC.

[John]

My question here is do I need to book the hotel prior to the EC and then provide proof of the hotel booking to the EC officer?

Yes, as already said above.

There are of course lots of hotels in the UK but you might like to look at the Travelodge website.

The point is this. Not only are there over 300 Travelodges in the UK, so probably one not too far away from where you will be, but you can book online, and as long as you make a "Flexible" booking ... rather than a cheap rate offer .... you can later cancel or rearrange when your travel plans have been firmed up.

So I suggest you make a "flexible" booking for say 14 nights at a Travelodge near to where you will be working. You will be able to print out the confirmed booking and supply that with the application of the visa.

Later, if you need to, you can cancel or alter that booking as necessary. No charge, subject only to, as regards the booked day of arrival :-

Cancelling later than 12 noon will incur a charge for one night's stay per room booked.

In other words, if you simply don't cancel and don't show up at the hotel, they will charge one night's stay to the credit card you quoted when you made the booking.

[HSMPGUY]

Hi All,

I am applying for EC in India soon and planning to fly to the UK in the last week of September as I have to take up employment by 2nd October. My employer would be re-imbursing all relocation expenses and will also re-imburse hotel-rent for the initial six weeks after which I need to find my own accomodation. The only issue is that I myself need to book a hotel, and pay the bill initially. I will get all re-imburesements with the first salary. My question here is do I need to book the hotel prior to the EC and then provide proof of the hotel booking to the EC officer? Or is it sufficient to provide the offer letter and enclosing company policy documents which mention that my hotel bill will be re-imbursed by employer. The same applies for flight booking, but someone here mentioned that it is not necessary to book flight tickets in advance of EC. Of course, I will be showing sufficient funds to prove my ability to pay hotel bill initially.

Early feedback will be appreciated as I plan to apply for EC early next week.

regards

I think it better or rather it is recomended if you take your booking receipt with you. you can do you booking online. or by calling

[HSMPGUY]

My question here is do I need to book the hotel prior to the EC and then provide proof of the hotel booking to the EC officer?

Yes, as already said above.

There are of course lots of hotels in the UK but you might like to look at the Travelodge website.

The point is this. Not only are there over 300 Travelodges in the UK, so probably one not too far away from where you will be, but you can book online, and as long as you make a "Flexible" booking ... rather than a cheap rate offer .... you can later cancel or rearrange when your travel plans have been firmed up.

So I suggest you make a "flexible" booking for say 14 nights at a Travelodge near to where you will be working. You will be able to print out the confirmed booking and supply that with the application of the visa.

Later, if you need to, you can cancel or alter that booking as necessary. No charge, subject only to, as regards the booked day of arrival :-

Cancelling later than 12 noon will incur a charge for one night's stay per room booked.

In other words, if you simply don't cancel and don't show up at the hotel, they will charge one night's stay to the credit card you quoted when you made the booking.

Nice advice agree with John. just book some hotel or something for a week then look someother place which is near your workplace , which will save time and travelling cost.

[John]

just book some hotel or something for a week then look someother place which is near your workplace , which will save time and travelling cost.

Actually I think make the booking for two weeks, and then indeed alter it as necessary at a later date. The important thing is, if booking on the Travelodge website, do ensure that you click the "Flexible" button, rather than be tempted to go for a cheap rate deal not offering any flexibility.

The point about a flexible booking, even if you do turn up as arranged on the first day of the booking, there will be no hassle if you later say to them that you want to check out prior to the stated end of that booking.

Travelodge is only a suggestion. There are other hotel chains operating in the UK.

[Christophe]

Travelodge is only a suggestion. There are other hotel chains operating in the UK.

But being a well-known chain, they are clean and safe (albeit a bit unimaginative), and they take on-line bookings. And even if you make a flexible booking now - which I would also recommend - there's nothing to stop you cancelling that to take advantage of a cheap rate deal once your travel plans are firm.

The only thing is that some TraveLodges are attached to motorway services, and if you don't have a car it might be relatively hard to get to and from the hotel (although they are usually served by bus). But you might want to book in one that is in a town, unless you know you will have a car. (If you do have a car, of course, the reverse applies - one out of a town might be better because parking is less likely to be a problem away from a town.)