It is five in the afternoon, it has rained since lunch, and you are choosing between two guesthouses in the next town. Both say "parking". One of them means a locked garage. The other means the square in front of the church.

Three words that are not the same

Covered: there is a roof. The bike stays dry, but anyone can walk up to it.
Private: the space belongs to the house. It is off the street, often behind the building, and usually open.
Locked: a door or a gate closes behind the bike at night. This is the one you want after a long day with luggage on.

If you don't ride, the difference is easy to miss. That is why "secure parking" can be a locked garage or a car park with a camera. Don't guess, ask.

Words to look for in other languages

French: fermé means closed, abri is only a roof.
Italian: chiuso is closed, custodito watched, coperto covered, cortile the courtyard.
German: abschließbar locks, überdacht is only a roof.
Spanish: cerrado is closed, cubierto covered.
Romanian: supravegheată means a camera or a person, not a locked door.

What to find out before you arrive

How many bikes fit. A garage for one does not help a group of six.
Whether it costs, and how much.
Whether you have to reserve it. "On request" can mean the space is taken when you arrive.
Whether bikes share it with cars. You can't always get out of a full garage at seven in the morning.

Four questions for the phone call

Does a door or a gate lock behind the bike at night?
Is there room for all of us, and do I need to reserve it?
Is it included in the price?
Can I get the bike out early, before reception opens?

A drying room for wet gear, a hose or a few tools are rare. A house that mentions them has had riders stay before.

On Motonest you see what kind of parking each place to stay has. After you sleep there, the app asks where your bike slept. Your answer helps the rider who comes after you.