Chris Elliott draws our attention to an increasingly pervasive phenomenon at hotels: Earlier and earlier check-out times. What was once a 1 p.m. check-out might be an 11 a.m. check-out now, or even earlier.
Small difference, you might say, but big money: “penalties for late checkouts were among the fastest-growing of the hotel fees.” So for every hour they take away, not only are you losing an hour of time that you paid for, it’s a new revenue opportunity for them.
If you’re ever cutting it close, try to use video or phone checkout before the cutoff time, so they don’t charge you. Then gather your things and leave. You might milk another 15 minutes out of it…
Watch the posted signs, and ask at the front desk if you’re not sure of the check-out time. And better not linger, it could be expensive.
(image)
RSS (FeedBurner)
Read with Amazon Kindle
Subscribe by E-mail
Follow on Twitter
August 31st, 2006 at 1:39 pm
Well, not only the late check-out fees, but by getting guests to leave their rooms earlier in the day, and only permitting new arrivals to check in much later at some properties (as late as 4:30 PM in a few hotels I’ve been in), a big or busy hotel can do with fewer housekeeping staff.
Obviously, it takes less staff to turn over 400 rooms in five hours than it does to turn them over in three or four hours.
September 17th, 2008 at 10:49 am
goodday,
I am a small hotel owner from belgium, early checkout also allows us to make earlier checkin
Please also remember that a 400room hotel is rarely fullbooked.
a checkout before noon (11 am.) just gives us a 75% smoother planning