ihg, holiday inn question

[chl-dawg]

hi guys,
I don't have my CHL license yet but we are traveling for a wedding tomorrow and staying at a holiday inn. I called the hotel and asked about their firearm policy and they said you can't have them.

is this goin to depend on each hotel and whether they have the 30.06 and 30.07 signs? like I said I don't have my license yet but my understanding is that I am able to have my firearm in the room as its my 'resident'.

sorry if I repeated any previous discussion but I am all new to carrying a gun ( home/car for now until chl).

Thanks for your help!

[JerryK]

I stay at a loooot of Holiday inns and consider this to be a 'don't ask - don't tell' I have never seen a enforceable sign and I do not surf their web site looking for problems. Since I drive a company truck I have to disguise my pistol that I do not carry on my person in a company truck and never had a problem walking right in. I carry/transport in a Sneaky Pete holster and have it sitting on top of my computer and never had a problem.

Here is the Tx law for hotels
OCCUPATIONS CODE
TITLE 13. SPORTS, AMUSEMENTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT
SUBTITLE D. OTHER AMUSEMENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
CHAPTER 2155. HOTELS AND BOARDINGHOUSES


Sec. 2155.103. NOTICE REGARDING FIREARMS POLICY. (a) A hotel shall include on the hotel's Internet reservation website the hotel's policy regarding the possession, storage, and transportation of firearms.
(b) If a hotel provides a written confirmation or a written statement of terms and conditions to a consumer after accepting the consumer's hotel reservation by telephone, the hotel shall include information specifying how the consumer may review applicable guest policies. The guest policies must indicate the hotel's policy regarding the possession, storage, and transportation of firearms by guests.

[RoyGBiv]

If you don't have a CHL, 30.06 and 30.07 don't apply to you.

You may find this discussion helpful
http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=36063

[Liberty]

I don't recall any Holiday Inn posting a 30.07 30.06 sign. I haven't been at them all though and I don't pay all that close attention. Texas law, allows you to keep your firearm at your home. The room is your home at least for the night. If there is a 30.06 sign, I wouldn't carry while checking in, or while hanging around the the common areas, such as lobbies restaurants and breakfast areas.

The thing is , you called and asked. When you called you were given effective verbal notice. So even if there are no signs, It is as if there the signs were posted, even if though they probably aren't.

A good rule of thumb is don't ask. Don't ask if there signs, don't ask if you have permissions, and don't open carry unless you know for sure if they are gun friendly. When asked most retail people will give, what they feel, is the safe answer and say no guns are allowed.

[treadlightly]

I finally closed a bank account yesterday I'd let go dormant. The bank, Farmer's State Bank of Groesbeck, is gun friendly in terms of individual employees and managers but they decided to post 30.06/30.07. Very honest folks, stable bank, unfortunately a no-me zone.

The teller and a loan officer who was near the counter engaged me in a nice conversation about the role of firearms in a peaceful non-violent society. The first thing the teller said, when I pointed out their signs don't apply to the general public, was it's not legal to carry in a bank, anyway. When I said that wasn't the case, she told me I couldn't find a bank that would allow it. The loan officer and I both corrected the teller, and the loan officer said I wasn't the first person to close an account over the signs.

Another local bank, victim of bank robberies, is rumored to quietly welcome guns and encourage tellers to carry. My new bank, about five blocks away from hers, is not just gun friendly, at least one officer knowns the difference between isosceles and Weaver.

So, we chatted for a while about banks that not only allow guns but are courteous and friendly to those who responsibly carry. They are safer banks and they push back against erosion of civil rights.

It's pretty easy to have a more precise knowledge of Texas handgun law than someone who hasn't taken an interest. A century and more of repressive gun law left its mark. Common misconceptions would be you can't carry anywhere robbers might go, like a bank. I bet most folks think you can't be armed in a police station, at the public library, in a public park, any place where the last thing anyone wants, lawful gun bearers in particular, is gunfire.

If I'm going to start a long term relationship with a vendor, I don't mind politely asking about gun policy with a statement my business depends on pro-American policies on their part. If I'm about to sign a contract with a customer, where the relationship is reversed, or join a company as a contractor or an employee, I figure in those cases I'm not there to evangelize. If a customer asks, I'll tell them I believe they should carry if they qualify. If a prospective employer tells me I can't carry at work, that will be an important factor for me to consider.

In almost all situations, provide gun rules for my review, with signage or verbal notice, or be happy with me making that choice. Otherwise I'm not going to bring the subject up.

But even if an employer told me I can't have my pea-shooter I would still appendix carry. As in, I still carry an appendix. Never needed it removed. It's precisely the same threat to the public safety as the pistol I always have (where allowed) at 4 o'clock. And, of course, having an appendix can be just as fatal as not having a gun. So I guess intact internals fits in some twisted way with gun free zones.

[JerryK]

That would be a very well written post if the OP had inquired about banks???

[Pig Renter]

I don't recall any Holiday Inn posting a 30.07 30.06 sign. I haven't been at them all though and I don't pay all that close attention. Texas law, allows you to keep your firearm at your home. The room is your home at least for the night. If there is a 30.06 sign, I wouldn't carry while checking in, or while hanging around the the common areas, such as lobbies restaurants and breakfast areas.

The thing is , you called and asked. When you called you were given effective verbal notice. So even if there are no signs, It is as if there the signs were posted, even if though they probably aren't.

A good rule of thumb is don't ask. Don't ask if there signs, don't ask if you have permissions, and don't open carry unless you know for sure if they are gun friendly. When asked most retail people will give, what they feel, is the safe answer and say no guns are allowed.

Good advice for most. But all of this is irrelevant to the original poster. Any 30.06 or 30.07 signs, or even any "verbal notice" does not apply to him or his situation since he does not have a LTC. I think what he is getting at and would like to know is basically is a hotel room legally considered your residence while staying there in which you are permitted to have a gun, or can hotels legally make policies to not allow firearms? And to this I'm not sure the answer. But to me this would be a hard policy to have since it would also prevent a traveling deer hunter from taking his rifle up to his room, or dove hunter with his shotgun, etc...

[Liberty]

The Verbal notice 30.06 and 30.07 sign does have an effect. Because it would prohibit activities such as Meetings outside his room, Meals, using the lobby and checking in. You are correct that such notice doesn't effect him carrying to and from his room and the gun being in his room.

My messasge was that packing a handgun requires all kinds of discipline. One of those disciplines is not discussing it when there can be only negative outcomes. Don't ask and they won't tell. Some questions are better off not asked.

[Pig Renter]

The Verbal notice 30.06 and 30.07 sign does have an effect. Because it would prohibit activities such as Meetings outside his room, Meals, using the lobby and checking in. You are correct that such notice doesn't effect him carrying to and from his room and the gun being in his room.

My messasge was that packing a handgun requires all kinds of discipline. One of those disciplines is not discussing it when there can be only negative outcomes. Don't ask and they won't tell. Some questions are better off not asked.

If he carries a handgun, openly or concealed outside of his room, with or without signs he would be breaking the law. Those 30.06/30.07 signs are about as applicable to him as those "ALL EMPLOYEES MUST WASH HANDS" signs are to me when I'm eating at Whataburger. I'm just saying he should know this. And if he does decide to carry anyway he should know that he is doing so as a criminal.

[treadlightly]

That would be a very well written post if the OP had inquired about banks???

Sorry. I was thinking more about the strategy of asking about guns and opening a can of worms. There are times to ask, times to just let things be.

[JerryK]

And if he does decide to carry anyway he should know that he is doing so as a criminal.

Not necessarily, I am sure he understands the difference between CC and transportation. If you walk from a car to a room you will be staying in that is transportation and not considered CC. If you live in an apt and transport your firearm from your residence to your car that is not CC and not illegal. So in this situation pack up your pistol and carry it disguised (not in the open) (See my post above) to your room and keep it there until you leave again transporting in the same manor. (and do not use it to protect yourself) during the transportation. And you will be fine.

BTW IANAL

[chl-dawg]

thanks everyone for your input - i do know the diff between transportation and CC :)
hopefully this won't be an issue on my next hotel stay since i have my license !

i know it was probably not ideal, but i decided on leaving my gun at home. next time i should have my license on me so it'll be on my body hopefully :)

[Liberty]

You realize that not actually having a licence exempts you from any 30.06, 30.07 postings.

[aero10]

I stay at IHG hotels a lot. I've never seen a sign posted. I've seen when making a reservation it says no guns, but no signs posted at the hotel. Since most (if not all) IHG hotels are independently owned, IHG itself has no rules regarding guns and leave it up to the individual hotels.

[MrAl]

I just visited Houston from East Tx and found the following;
1) after reserving at Candlewood on Town and Country, I found they has posted the 30.06 notice at their door. I immediately cancelled my reservation and found a HI Express with no such notice.
2) the next day I stayed at a HI Express in Kingwood. Too late I discovered they also had the 30.06 notice. I complied but I will NEVER stay there again. I'll so state in my review.
3) When I tried to express my opinion of the Candlewood location, I learned I could not make a comment because I didn't actually stay there. Of COURSE I didn't !?!
Please folks, opine with your wallet - REFUSE to stay where you're not welcome, and complain to the management (since you can't complain online apparently).
Texas is generally gun-friendly, and most businesses don't impose their own restrictions. While it is their right to do so, we have the rights of free consumers. Winning the constitutional battles is for naught if we allow businesses to undermine our rights without objection or consequence.