Hotels sell inventory, not people

A hotel primarily sells room nights. Many room types are built and marketed for double occupancy because that maximizes revenue for a fixed footprint.

“Double occupancy” is a pricing anchor

Even if a room can hold one person, the hotel’s price expectations are often anchored to what that room earns when booked by two.

Why solo rooms are limited

Single rooms often exist, but in small quantity. That scarcity can make “no supplement” offers feel rare or unpredictable.

What changes for the solo traveler

The solo friction often comes from:

  • room type availability
  • policy defaults in booking engines
  • how packages are constructed by intermediaries