HotelChatter OpenThread :: Ask and You Will Probably Not Receive a Late Check-Out

September 10, 2008 at 2:29 PM | by juliana | Comments (10)

Tick, tock, tick tock.

Late check-outs. God, we love them. And need them. Who is ready to leave their hotel room, showered and packed by 11am? No one that's who. And it doesn't seem fair to get less than 24 hours in a hotel room that you've paid for, especially not when the room rate is upwards of $200 a night.

But getting a late check-out these days seems as likely as getting ourselves a date with Gossip Girl hottie Chace Crawford or forcing Bill Marriott to use a computer.

Hotels almost never grant guests late check-outs, claiming to be completely sold out for the day. In fact, in Las Vegas--a town with seemingly a million hotel rooms that we frequent six to seven times a year--the only late check-out we ever received was at the Wynn Las Vegas.

The rule of thumb that seems to be guiding hotels these days is to charge guests a half-day rate or a fee upwards of $50 if they want to stay in their rooms until 2pm and that's if they aren't "sold out." Some hotel guests could take matters into their own hands and squat out in the room until security forces them out but that's never really pleasant. (We've tried!)

So how can we make getting late check-outs easier? Are there any special tricks or tips like slipping the front desk a $20 or promising the concierge to take him out for drinks? Or do we have to start an online petition to have hotels make a 1pm check-out time a standard across the industry?

Whatever your thoughts are on late check-outs, including where and when you asked for and received one, put them below.

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Comments (10)

Return to » HotelChatter OpenThread :: Ask and You Will Probably Not Receive a Late Check-Out

I always try to cheat and stay in my room a little longer. So far I haven't had any consequences, but I assume they exist. I live in fear of that $50 charge.

i once had a hotel tell me that if i didnt return to the hotel and check-out on time, the bellman would go into the room and gather my things for me and put them in the downstairs luggage storage. i raced back to the hotel and packed up my shizz, which was EVERYWHERE. a bellman probably wouldn't even know where to start.

If you have AMEX Platinum and book through Fine Hotels and Resorts you are Guaranteed a 4pm late Checkout, I have taken advantage of that with no problem at all, checking out of MGM Skylofts and Hilton Hawaiian Village at 4pm, without a Grumble...

I seem to remember that Leading Hotels of the World have a Similar Program.

the suggestion of davidf is great, booking with virtuoso also most often gets you a late c/o up to 6pm.

coming from the front desk, i can tell you that being a frequent guest is the best way of securing a late c/o.
even the fhr & virtuoso late c/o only apply when booking their rate which in most cases is higher then the applicable rack rate - figure out for yourself which makes more sense...
something i have realized many guests in the middle east are playing with is booking the room til the day after their intended departure which they will shorten whenever they feel it is convenient. this, however might get you a late c/o charge, depending on your negotiation skills and the occupancy of the hotel you're staying at.

Usually arranged on reservation,see my profile

Yes, all this is true -- NBA Betting

I work at a small hotel and let me tell you, you can't please everybody. Some want an late check out while others want an early check in!

As a hotel employee, it never ceases to amaze me. You people think that a late checkout is owed to you? You deserve a full 24 hours? NO! You should know the general check in and check out times that hotels usually have. Most often, check in is at 3pm and check out is at 11am. If you don't know the standard check in and check out time of the hotel you are visiting, you better make damn sure you find out. And IF we are gracious enough to allow a late check out, consider yourself lucky. Many things need to be taken into account when granting late check outs. Most hotels only allow their houskeeping staff a certain number of hours per day. That means that if you check out at 2pm, they have to stay and wait. Obviously management can't allow this, so most often, that room then has to be rolled over until the next day, meaning that it can't be sold. A room that can't be sold = lost revenue for the hotel. Of course, you inconsiderate malcontents could care less about anything that doesn't concern you. Plan your trip accordingly, taking into account check in and check out times, flight departures and arrivals, and all of the other details that a traveler should and must be aware of. I think that the absolute worst part of all of this is that while you're squatting in our hotels and making demands at us as though we've wronged you terribly and now must appease you, we have to keep this constant "Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!" smile on our faces, when all we'd really like to do is drive one of our luggage carts right down your throat. Hotels are not your playgrounds. They are not party zones. They are places of business and should be treated as such. If I came to your house and treated it the way most of you treat our hotels, you'd be livid. Of course you would. Because this time it WOULD concern you.

In Las Vegas, you can choose a late check out or not, but be sure that you get free slots for fun if you want, you will get it for sure in Vegas

Are you guys retarded?

The reason check-out time is at 11 AM is because the housekeepers and maintenance people have to have all the rooms CLEANED and INSPECTED before the NEW guests come in.

Since you guys all seem to want wicked early check-in and fantastically late check-out, that doesn't leave much room to do any of that.

Every time you stay later than the check-out time that means that the housekeeper in charge of your room has to stay extra late AND someone coming in isn't going to have their room cleaned and ready by 3:00.

When this happens the guest invariably blames the hotel for their tardiness and we have to suck it up and take it, even though the fault lies with the stupid mooch who wouldn't get out of their room.

It's like you people don't even grasp the basic concepts of time. Yeah, the hotels are such jerks. Why can't we have a 1pm check-out and a 10am check-in?! IT'S JUST UNFAIR!

You know what I notice though? When I call people and tell them the checkout time was half an hour ago and they say "we're on our way" they don't come out for another hour or so. When I tell them checkout time was half an hour ago and they have ten minutes to get to the front desk with all their baggage before I charge them a fee, they are ready in five.

You inconsiderate morons. I fear for the future.

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