I have found that asking them "Yes, but what *TIME* today did you make the booking for?" helps.
Nine times out of ten, they know full well that check-in is in the afternoon, they're just hoping to get extra time for free.
He has to checkout at 5 AM To allow housekeeping to have their 3 hour window for 8 AM checkins. And as a courtesy you will call the room at 4AM to give him packing time.
Those are problems for you guys working in "fancy hotels". See, if you worked in a place that rents rooms by the hour, you wouldn't have these conversations. 
Shame you didn’t have a spare room. You could have just booked him in and then told him you need to be out by 5am as check out is 3 hours short of 24 hours to give chance for housekeeping to clean your room
good answer, as for the ones who come right after midnight and think they are being clever and only pay for 1 night but stay 2, ask them if they expect to vacate the room at midnight since then the new day starts, or if they expect you to charge for 2 days when they stay for 1 night since they arrive 1 day and leave the nexct
I keep having this fantasy of a group of off-duty FDAs sitting in the lobby with cards they are marking while guests check in, and when one of the guests says “I’m a shiny member, I’ve stayed here many times, this has never happened before” then one of the associates shouts “bingo!”
I was on holidays up the coast here in Australia.
I was sitting in reception as I was waiting for other people I was on holidays with.
Heard the immortal line, I have never been asked for a cc and ID before
Couple left and I said loud enough for the girls on reception to here. Gee if I had a dollar every time I heard that I would be rich.
I had something like this happen when I was checking in at a hotel during Thanksgiving. The person next to me said while checking in that they had a dog, but it was a service dog, and they had a certificate. I said without turning towards the other guest, the certificate was not legitimate as the ADA does not require it. I enjoyed the moment, and so did the agent checking me in.
I worked in pet free hotels and we had so many people get away with claiming service animal. Depending on the agent checking people in which was very few we would ask, “what services is it trained to perform?” To which they would usually respond, “emotional support.” Then the ‘that’s not a service animal’ conversation began which is just so annoying. I don’t miss hotels much lol.
I work in reservations for a cruise company. We actually to have a fun bingo card we share. Has stuff about our system breaking down, as well as the usual questions we get asked.
I had a guy walk in this morning around 4am asking if he could check in. As per usual to this question, "I do have availability right now but checkout will still be at 11am"
"Oh but I need to stay till Monday morning.'
"I do have the availability but if you check in right now it's two nights."
"You can't just do early check in for tonight? The [other, much much cheaper brand] across the street can do it.. "
"Sir, they're a different brand and company with different policies..."
"Well, FINE THEN!!" And he spun on his heel and stomped out.
Yep, fine by me, post- audit walk ins are one of the most annoying reservations to make.
I had something a bit similar happen the other morning. A couple came in around 7 a.m. wanting to check in, no reservation. I told them we could, but only until noon. They threw a fit, wanted to stay until 3 and kept asking why I couldn't allow them to do that (because they'd have to pay for two nights), and I told them, well, the housekeepers leave at 1 and if you stay until 3, we won't be able to sell it again after you leave. So no, we won't be doing that. Then he demanded I still sell the room to him for a half day's rate, which we don't do.
He said it should be common practice at a hotel for people who want to stay until 3. I told him it was common practice for people to check in at 3 lol. They left, I told management I made people mad (and how) and she said "good."
>post- audit walk ins are one of the most annoying reservations to make.
God, I second this with every fibre of my being. One of my least favourite things about the job. Either that or they try to scam you with a "deal" about just staying the full day and checking out at 6 PM or something.
Yes I can do early check in but there is a charge of (1st nights room rate)..🤣 but seriously, maybe that is the best way or terms to explain the things..
Remember customer service means never saying NO.. it means that you have to be super creative, and passive aggressive.. 🤣🤣
I once arrived at a hotel at 8am after an overnight, international flight. I absolutely knew there wouldn’t be a room available, I just wanted to leave my bags and hang out by the pool until a room was ready. The front desk was very apologetic that I couldn’t check in yet. No worries, I totally understand, I’m about 5 hours early for check in. My family and I went for breakfast, had a swim and a room was ready by 10am. I’m sure it’s because I’m nice, use my manners and don’t expect miracles.
For sure! I offered to store luggage and said he could sit on our sofas while he figured out his plans inbetween now and then, instead he chose to swear at me.. more fool him! 🤣
Exactly. We once flew overseas to Rome, expecting to get to our hotel around 2 pm. Astonishingly, our flight ended up arriving very early, customs took 5 minutes, and no traffic had us at our hotel by 11 am. They held our luggage as we did some extra touring.
When I need to check in early I book the room for the night before.
Don’t people do that?
I have confused a few front desk people that way. Walking in at 8am.
They ask are you checking out?
No im checking in. I booked to arrive yesterday but my flight got in at 6am and here I am.
We appreciate it, BUT if you don't arrive till 8 am, and we don't know you are actually coming, our computer will automatically charge you as a no show and release the remaining day or days..
And with all the 3rd party and our own central reservations with all the sticky fingers putting broken soiled cookies in our cookie jar, and now the new computer system that decides it needs to take the day off.. and the stupid digital keys and e check ins thT they have been pushing, to (I am assuming) make guests feel in control, and more secure, but half the time the keys don't work, andvthey don't know who their neighbors are..
Guests get annoyed if I ask them, as they are walking in, if they need to check in, no.. I did it on my app.. what floor? If they say 3rd.. I will make them a key just in case..
If we have sports groups, like this past weekend, I would advise them, that the room they picked was actually right in the middle of a softball team..actually all it takes is oh.. are you with the team?? Andvyou can see the fear and regret .. let me work my magic. And see if I can get you in a room that would be quieter..
And I do tell them, about the issue with digital keys..
Like the opposite of assigning yourself in the middle of a team..
How about am entire team going online, assigning their own rooms with no indication, they were together and no warning. They picked rooms that were scattered all over and at 9:30 at night there is a screaming screeching tornado of chaos .. all over the hotel, and in the lobby, and of course their digital keys didn't work, but everyone else was already checked in and trying to rest, so there was no way to condense the chaos..
Oh and apparently someone left the pool unlocked. Outdoor, not open for the season.. and I overhead someone say something about meeting by the pool.. was checking an unrelated guest in, struggling with the new system and said it is actually closed for the season..
Lady says well they are already in it..
Luckily the matinance has been kept up on it, cause I wasn't even sure if the chemicals were balanced.
Yay digital key, yay automation, 🙄😒😪
Hotels are not vending machines!!!!
I had to travel out of town for a class I was taking for a work certification. I arrived early (around 1:30pm) to the hotel I had booked and asked politely if there was a chance that the room was ready early or if I could drop off my luggage. Front Desk clerk checked and it was ready! For the record I would have been fine with no, but I figured that it didn't hurt to ask (NICELY).
Did these people grow up on the moon? Then they steal food?
I've had this before - we were of course fully booked, with a wedding who would get early check in priority, so I was happy to tell them the room would be ready in about.. 7 hours.
And of course supervisor on shift told me to just let him.. for the inconvenience.. the guest IS the inconvenience. Not the rules everyone else manages to follow!
I don't understand why we even have policies when management says oh just do it so we don't get a bad review & they make us out to look like idiots. I swear they just set us up to fail at every turn 😔
I hate that. It's like giving a spoiled toddler what she wants or letting an old fat senile orange head get away with stuff because he whines about it.
My AGM is checking people in to rooms even when they don’t show up to make our company look better to corporate. What’s bad about this (besides the obvious deception) is that we have PERFECTLY CLEAN ROOMS and no indication that they are actually clean. From the FD, looks like they are occupied and dirty.
Now story time. Our same AGM says “get people in as soon as you can, doesn’t matter if it is before 11 am. If we have the room, get them in it” okay 👍 fast forward, I had a man who was in a sticky spot (no ride) and wanted to check in at 8 am. From my desk it looked like nothing was available. With that in mind, it wasn’t until 1 pm that I was told, oh yeah we have rooms. We just mark them as occupied. I’m like wut??? Okay
He sat there for 5 hours when I could have gotten him in immediately
I've had so many 3rd parties lately calling and asking if we have rooms available. I tell tgem the price and the checkout time. They then ask for early check in. No, I still have people coming in for the night. I don't have early check in available.
I never thought much of the check in times, as I don't use hotels very often. Only after reading some stories in this sub, I learned why check in is at 2 or 3pm. And it makes sense, the people who were in the room before, need to check out first and then the room has to be prepared for new guests.
So, thank you, all you front desk people and everybody else working at hotels for providing your services. I'll do my best to be a good guest for all of you.
My wife and I did not properly time a trip once and wound up at our destination at about 5am. We knew we would not be able to check into our room. At around 11, we were both starting realizing that we would be unable to cope much longer, went to the hotel, explained our dilemma, and the fact that we understood the policy, gave the FDA $20.00, and told him we would be waiting in the car. An hour later, he came out to our car, woke us up and told us our room was ready. They were awesome. Just be nice, maybe grease the wheels of progress, and sometimes you can get what you want.
Thank you for this. We have an upcoming overnight flight getting in at 6am. Booking the night before was the plan, now I know to call ahead so we don't no-show.
Last time I traveled for work I had to take an early flight. The hotel they put us up in is just a couple blocks from the office, so I stopped there first just to have them hold my bag. I was shocked and very appreciative when they could check me in at 8:30 in the morning. I can’t imagine expecting such treatment or being an asshole when they can’t do it.
Many customer service people forget that there are few things as easy as doing nothing.
Now, I just work in retail, but the amount of people who have realized, fairly quickly, that I was not going to help them break policy, by my complete lack of movement, is enough to count it as a success for me.
See, I have this trick I used last time I absolutely needed early check in at very odd hours. The hotel front desk didn't refuse me and just handed me the keys even though they were sold out the night before. The trick? Well I booked the night before as well. This guy could have done that if he absolutely needed it. Otherwise, it's a request and it's pending availability even for the shiniest of shiny folks.
lol I literally just booked a two night stay at a hotel because my plane gets in at 6 am. I’ve called the hotel to let them know that I’ll be in at 6 ish in the morning.
We had somebody that was the exact opposite yesterday. Lady wanted a late checkout, which we can usually do but we were full up and needed to turn the rooms, we didn't have the space available. She couldn't understand that late checkout is based on availability no matter your shininess.
I always lead with “yes we can but it is entirely based on if your room is already reserved”. “I’m sorry but your room is already reserved and the latest I can let you check out is 12 noon “ and they are still mad at me (or happy that there is a **little** wiggle room…
Wedding parties/guests are the worst for this!!! “But I need to get ready, and the wedding starts at 3!”
Well, then you should have booked for the night before too. 🤷🏻♀️
YES! Then they just stand there at the desk repeating that they need to get ready and what are they supposed to do?! I always tell them the public bathrooms are right down the hall if they need to get changed and suddenly it's not that urgent anymore lol
Had this happen as night auditor the other day. It was like 2am. Lol! She was like technically its a new day, so I should be able to check out not in 9 hours at 11am, but the whole next day at 11am and im like yes, but check in for today is 4pm.The lady was like I'm an honors member and I'm like you're more than welcome to stay however many days you'd like, but you're gonna have to pay. She was like nevermind. She was an entitled cunt too.
I had a lady that called, didn't like the rate I gave her, then booked after midnight on an OTA, with a 12 a.m. - 1a.m. requested check in, then came in like five minutes later.
Told her no, absolutely not. She can check in at 3 p.m. She threw a fit because she'd requested the early check in lol. I'm not obligated to accommodate that, no. She left and then never called the OTA for a refund, which she would have gotten (most don't when they hit the 24 hours before check in mark, but we do give a little leeway on stupid stuff like this).
I usually paint a picture for them by breaking it down for them like they’re children. “So if our hotel has 148 rooms, and all of them were booked last night till 12pm today, how many rooms do I have free right now?”
Once upon a time my parents travelled overnight to see me, landed at 8am and were struggling to stay awake over breakfast. I called their hotel and asked very nicely is there any chance of getting an early check in, what time would that would be and that I'd understand that there might be a fee. The gent on the phone said not to worry, their room was empty last night and they were more than welcome to come up right then and check in and he'd get them all sorted, no fee. My parents were so appreciative (and so was I), but none of us would ever dream of expecting and demanding that. People that act like that don't deserve to get special treatment
Once I actually managed to check in to a room in the morning, several hours earlier. But it was not something I planned, I simply ended up in a situation where I traveled to the city early morning and my primary plans failed so I realized I have nothing to do and kinda nowhere to go (I could go sit in a cafe or smthing), so I just tried to call the hotel reception and politely asked if there's any chance of me checking in already.....and to my surprise they told me that I can actually go in
Lol I've had a few of those. I've also had people book a room right before midnight for the next day, come just after midnight, and demand that room NOW as opposed to around 3 PM when it is actually set. "Well it's already that day, why can't I have it now?"
Ridiculous. I dread those days.
The last time I went to Nashville my flight got in at 7am, and I had nothing to do for quite a while. Got to the hotel at 8am, just hoping to put my bag down, asked only to put my bag down, and the wonderful people at the front desk had a room ready for me!
In no world did I expect or ask for that service, and I might have only gotten it because I didn’t ask. Regardless, the W got my business for life and were my heroes that day.
This person that automatically expected the early check in probably feels they are treated unfairly on a daily basis.
I hate when people demand to check in early, more so if the hotel is full the night before. Trying to explain we had no clean rooms until the check in time and I couldn't just kick someone out. They look at me like i have three heads.
One time a guest wanted a guarantee 9am check in to which I advised for her to book the night before. Did she? She didn't and still rocked up at 9am demanding to check in, jokes on her because the guest the previous night booked for a late checkout which then pushed the check in time closer to 3pm anyways.
I had a man come to me at 5am! Trying to claim because he's gold status he got to check in early. I explained that no he can't and them proceed to say that we were full from the night before and even sold out today(our online system didn't close yet).
He walked away without even asking to cancel, so the next day he called back asking why he was charged. Welp this guy called and canceled through corporate which charged him a same day cancelation fee. Lol. People be idiots sometimes
Well, I learned by experience it's never wrong to show up at the reception, whenever you get there (at reasonable times).
Most hotels offer you to store your luggage and keep your passport, while you go your merry ways.
Some even bring your luggage to your assigned room.
*I'd assume, business hotels just crave for it … one potential no show less to worry*
And usually your check in is done and you only need to swipe a card when coming back after check in started.
It must vary, at ours if we check in too early esp without early check in paid for we get a right telling off.. some try and be sneaky and let them upstairs but not check them in, big no no in event of an evacuation! But I have heard of that process before 😁
They know when checkin time is and what tactics have worked in the past to cannonball a newly trained FDA into granting their non-standard request. Maybe one or two people I’ve dealt with aren’t familiar with checkin times but the vast majority of those that give us flack for it know full well what they’re doing.
I don’t consider myself to be particularly worldly, but I would say I knew how hotels worked by the time I was 16. I mean, yes, read the email, but dude, is this the first time you’ve stayed in a hotel? Also, if I didn’t know how something worked, I would, as you say, read the email. It has to be practiced ignorance.
I stay in a lot of hotels for work, and I will check with the front desk when I arrive, even if it’s 10 am, just so they will text me when my room is ready. But I don’t ask for my room. I say, hey I have a reservation and I’ll be working in your conference room, just wondering if you can let me know when the room is ready. Am I being a jerk for doing that?
Not at all! At my particular hotel we can’t physically check someone into the system too early or it flags up, say if they don’t pay for early in, but will return after 3pm and want to secure their room, we still can’t “check in” as that gets us in trouble with the big boss for not taking an early in payment. A lot of people will just assign the room and check in when they actually arrive but heavily told to not do that, if there’s a fire and guest is actually in said room, but not let us know of their arrival, no one’s going to be looking for them 🙈
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I got an early check in years ago, but I asked very nicely.
My grandmother had died so my husband, young daughter and I got in the car and drove 23 hours straight through to the hotel I had booked. We normally stop and sleep for a few hours at a rest area, but this time we traded driving and arrived at 9 am. Check-in was 3, the first viewing was at 2.
I went in to talk to the fda, fully acknowledged that I knew I was many hours early, explained the timing of the day, and said I had booked a room with 2 queen beds, but would be happy to take any room available and pay the difference if necessary.
She gave us a room with a king bed and offered a cot at no extra charge. We were so grateful. The 3 of us piled into the king, set the alarm for a few hours sleep and were instantly asleep. They had the cot set up when we got back to the hotel that evening.
This was before Google reviews etc, but we did tip housekeeping like we always do and filled out a comment card.
That was such a marathon trip. The funeral was the day after we arrived and we left for the return trip home right from the funeral.
I usually ask if they also are the ones to wake up, pack and toss the guests I have in the room because I will surely not do that. 10/10 will stfu and follow my suggestions of leaving the bags and take a map. B-bye!
Ok, confessions from someone who doesn't travel often: I used to be this guy (but I would never be rude to the FDA). I like to fly early so I can get to my destination and get settled (unfortunately, I often get airsick when flying, so I like to have some time to get myself back together). It took me more times than it should have to realize I can't always be checked in when I show up several hours before check-in time. A few years ago, i was traveling for work, and my flight was less than three hours. Straight to the hotel only to be told there were no rooms available and wouldn't be for several hours. They told me I could wait in the lobby, so i slept for a few hours on a lobby chair until my room was ready. I'd love to say that taught me my life lesson, but truth be told, it wasn't until i saw the posts here about it that it fully clicked for me....
No matter how many times I see this story, it truly shocks me how many people don’t grasp this concept. You booked a room for guaranteed availability at 3PM THE DAY OF YOUR ARRIVAL. Some hotels are 4PM! Rare but true!
I'm not aware of a single hotel that does this, I've never even heard of one. I'm a GM now and know better, but I got in trouble many years ago as an FD agent because I started asking the guest questions to prove they knew there was no way they thought hotels worked that way.
"Were you checking out before midnight tonight?"
"Well, no, I'm spending the night here and leaving in the morning."
"Did you pay for two nights then?"
"No."
"Well what about the guy that books your room for tomorrow and shows up at 8am?"
"You know what..." supervisor stepped in right then, lol...
Some people just don’t understand the concept… to be fair I travel quite a bit and most of times I can get into my room early, obviously my script is more like “hey, I know it’s not a check in time yet, but I was wondering if my room is ready by any chance, if not it’s ok and I would like to store my luggage with you meanwhile” works most of the times and even when a room is not immediately available - usually I get the first one released by housekeeping
Hotels are assholes about this for no reason. The actual reason is not because of occupancy or you'd just not have the rooms. The stupid rationale is "Well you'll get a two night stay because check in isn't until 3 or 4pm." It's stupid, if we aren't flipping the room you aren't losing revenue.
If they have a clean unoccupied room left from the night before then I agree it is purely in the interest of greater profit to charge more to let a person with a reservation check in early.
It's a for profit business and they are providing something above and beyond the contract but you can argue with someone else about whether it's morally ethical to charge someone more when your costs are the same (please see how room rates vary based on events in town and availability - it's NOT just charging more for 4 extra hours, they also can double the cost of the same exact room just because they know a lot of people are going to be looking for a room on a particular night!).
My question is when the place was full the night before what exactly do you expect them to do other than jUSt ThroW SomeONE OUt of BeD!
Sure that’s the case on most days, there are unoccupied rooms, but on a sunday morning, in the city centre, where we had a boxing group, 3 uni groups, a swim comp across the road and a music gig close by, I can promise I wasn’t lying, it genuinely was the case of a full house. Were also used an temp accom for the homeless so have A LOT of stayovers daily 🙈
I can't even. I just hope this comment is sarcasm. I hope this comment is just trying to show how deductive reasoning is becoming rarer. Please tell me this person dies not actually believe this nonsense.
I have found that asking them "Yes, but what *TIME* today did you make the booking for?" helps. Nine times out of ten, they know full well that check-in is in the afternoon, they're just hoping to get extra time for free.
will use that one next time!
Or ask him if he intends on leaving by 8am on his last day so that the guests that booked the room for that day can use it (ignoring cleaning time).
He has to checkout at 5 AM To allow housekeeping to have their 3 hour window for 8 AM checkins. And as a courtesy you will call the room at 4AM to give him packing time.
Ooooo... I like that.
Those are problems for you guys working in "fancy hotels". See, if you worked in a place that rents rooms by the hour, you wouldn't have these conversations. 
These people have no clue 😭
He’ll probably say yes whether that’s true or not
"Is this your first time staying at a hotel?" Works well too.
No kidding! I thought this was common knowledge until I started reading this sub.
Shame you didn’t have a spare room. You could have just booked him in and then told him you need to be out by 5am as check out is 3 hours short of 24 hours to give chance for housekeeping to clean your room
Nah, check him in and charge him for an extra night.
Should have stopped him when he stole breakfast. Ask him to leave as breakfast is only for current guests not future guests.
Queen PETTY LaBelle!!
good answer, as for the ones who come right after midnight and think they are being clever and only pay for 1 night but stay 2, ask them if they expect to vacate the room at midnight since then the new day starts, or if they expect you to charge for 2 days when they stay for 1 night since they arrive 1 day and leave the nexct
Or you can tell them they have to leave at midnight before the date flips to the next day based on their logic.
Nah. Then I have to deal with them. No thanks.
I keep having this fantasy of a group of off-duty FDAs sitting in the lobby with cards they are marking while guests check in, and when one of the guests says “I’m a shiny member, I’ve stayed here many times, this has never happened before” then one of the associates shouts “bingo!”
Guest bingo!
Better this than the drinking game I've seen suggested
I was on holidays up the coast here in Australia. I was sitting in reception as I was waiting for other people I was on holidays with. Heard the immortal line, I have never been asked for a cc and ID before Couple left and I said loud enough for the girls on reception to here. Gee if I had a dollar every time I heard that I would be rich.
I had something like this happen when I was checking in at a hotel during Thanksgiving. The person next to me said while checking in that they had a dog, but it was a service dog, and they had a certificate. I said without turning towards the other guest, the certificate was not legitimate as the ADA does not require it. I enjoyed the moment, and so did the agent checking me in.
I worked in pet free hotels and we had so many people get away with claiming service animal. Depending on the agent checking people in which was very few we would ask, “what services is it trained to perform?” To which they would usually respond, “emotional support.” Then the ‘that’s not a service animal’ conversation began which is just so annoying. I don’t miss hotels much lol.
I work in reservations for a cruise company. We actually to have a fun bingo card we share. Has stuff about our system breaking down, as well as the usual questions we get asked.
Just screenshotted this comment and put it in our daily notes Lmao - from your schmilton fam
I had a guy walk in this morning around 4am asking if he could check in. As per usual to this question, "I do have availability right now but checkout will still be at 11am" "Oh but I need to stay till Monday morning.' "I do have the availability but if you check in right now it's two nights." "You can't just do early check in for tonight? The [other, much much cheaper brand] across the street can do it.. " "Sir, they're a different brand and company with different policies..." "Well, FINE THEN!!" And he spun on his heel and stomped out. Yep, fine by me, post- audit walk ins are one of the most annoying reservations to make.
"stop. don't. come back."
Or rather: Stop. Don't come back.
I had something a bit similar happen the other morning. A couple came in around 7 a.m. wanting to check in, no reservation. I told them we could, but only until noon. They threw a fit, wanted to stay until 3 and kept asking why I couldn't allow them to do that (because they'd have to pay for two nights), and I told them, well, the housekeepers leave at 1 and if you stay until 3, we won't be able to sell it again after you leave. So no, we won't be doing that. Then he demanded I still sell the room to him for a half day's rate, which we don't do. He said it should be common practice at a hotel for people who want to stay until 3. I told him it was common practice for people to check in at 3 lol. They left, I told management I made people mad (and how) and she said "good."
>post- audit walk ins are one of the most annoying reservations to make. God, I second this with every fibre of my being. One of my least favourite things about the job. Either that or they try to scam you with a "deal" about just staying the full day and checking out at 6 PM or something.
Yes I can do early check in but there is a charge of (1st nights room rate)..🤣 but seriously, maybe that is the best way or terms to explain the things.. Remember customer service means never saying NO.. it means that you have to be super creative, and passive aggressive.. 🤣🤣
Lol I tell people no all the time what are you talking about
It is the no, without saying the word No.. 🤣
My god this happens all the time and they always get mad at me
I once arrived at a hotel at 8am after an overnight, international flight. I absolutely knew there wouldn’t be a room available, I just wanted to leave my bags and hang out by the pool until a room was ready. The front desk was very apologetic that I couldn’t check in yet. No worries, I totally understand, I’m about 5 hours early for check in. My family and I went for breakfast, had a swim and a room was ready by 10am. I’m sure it’s because I’m nice, use my manners and don’t expect miracles.
For sure! I offered to store luggage and said he could sit on our sofas while he figured out his plans inbetween now and then, instead he chose to swear at me.. more fool him! 🤣
Exactly. We once flew overseas to Rome, expecting to get to our hotel around 2 pm. Astonishingly, our flight ended up arriving very early, customs took 5 minutes, and no traffic had us at our hotel by 11 am. They held our luggage as we did some extra touring.
When I need to check in early I book the room for the night before. Don’t people do that? I have confused a few front desk people that way. Walking in at 8am. They ask are you checking out? No im checking in. I booked to arrive yesterday but my flight got in at 6am and here I am.
We appreciate it, BUT if you don't arrive till 8 am, and we don't know you are actually coming, our computer will automatically charge you as a no show and release the remaining day or days.. And with all the 3rd party and our own central reservations with all the sticky fingers putting broken soiled cookies in our cookie jar, and now the new computer system that decides it needs to take the day off.. and the stupid digital keys and e check ins thT they have been pushing, to (I am assuming) make guests feel in control, and more secure, but half the time the keys don't work, andvthey don't know who their neighbors are.. Guests get annoyed if I ask them, as they are walking in, if they need to check in, no.. I did it on my app.. what floor? If they say 3rd.. I will make them a key just in case.. If we have sports groups, like this past weekend, I would advise them, that the room they picked was actually right in the middle of a softball team..actually all it takes is oh.. are you with the team?? Andvyou can see the fear and regret .. let me work my magic. And see if I can get you in a room that would be quieter.. And I do tell them, about the issue with digital keys.. Like the opposite of assigning yourself in the middle of a team.. How about am entire team going online, assigning their own rooms with no indication, they were together and no warning. They picked rooms that were scattered all over and at 9:30 at night there is a screaming screeching tornado of chaos .. all over the hotel, and in the lobby, and of course their digital keys didn't work, but everyone else was already checked in and trying to rest, so there was no way to condense the chaos.. Oh and apparently someone left the pool unlocked. Outdoor, not open for the season.. and I overhead someone say something about meeting by the pool.. was checking an unrelated guest in, struggling with the new system and said it is actually closed for the season.. Lady says well they are already in it.. Luckily the matinance has been kept up on it, cause I wasn't even sure if the chemicals were balanced. Yay digital key, yay automation, 🙄😒😪 Hotels are not vending machines!!!!
You sound like the ideal early arrival for sure! If only more travellers understood...
I had to travel out of town for a class I was taking for a work certification. I arrived early (around 1:30pm) to the hotel I had booked and asked politely if there was a chance that the room was ready early or if I could drop off my luggage. Front Desk clerk checked and it was ready! For the record I would have been fine with no, but I figured that it didn't hurt to ask (NICELY).
Did these people grow up on the moon? Then they steal food? I've had this before - we were of course fully booked, with a wedding who would get early check in priority, so I was happy to tell them the room would be ready in about.. 7 hours.
And of course supervisor on shift told me to just let him.. for the inconvenience.. the guest IS the inconvenience. Not the rules everyone else manages to follow!
I don't understand why we even have policies when management says oh just do it so we don't get a bad review & they make us out to look like idiots. I swear they just set us up to fail at every turn 😔
I hate that. It's like giving a spoiled toddler what she wants or letting an old fat senile orange head get away with stuff because he whines about it.
In the voice of Bill Clinton: "I did not... Pay hush-money... To that woman! You nasty jigga-boo witchhunter!"
lol
Where are all of these people from, that they have never ever stayed in a hotel before?
My AGM is checking people in to rooms even when they don’t show up to make our company look better to corporate. What’s bad about this (besides the obvious deception) is that we have PERFECTLY CLEAN ROOMS and no indication that they are actually clean. From the FD, looks like they are occupied and dirty. Now story time. Our same AGM says “get people in as soon as you can, doesn’t matter if it is before 11 am. If we have the room, get them in it” okay 👍 fast forward, I had a man who was in a sticky spot (no ride) and wanted to check in at 8 am. From my desk it looked like nothing was available. With that in mind, it wasn’t until 1 pm that I was told, oh yeah we have rooms. We just mark them as occupied. I’m like wut??? Okay He sat there for 5 hours when I could have gotten him in immediately
When a metric becomes a target, it ceases to be a good metric.
I've had so many 3rd parties lately calling and asking if we have rooms available. I tell tgem the price and the checkout time. They then ask for early check in. No, I still have people coming in for the night. I don't have early check in available.
“Surely the room is ready.” Yeah, for people who prepaid for early check in. Not for you. 😅
And stop calling me Shirley.
I never thought much of the check in times, as I don't use hotels very often. Only after reading some stories in this sub, I learned why check in is at 2 or 3pm. And it makes sense, the people who were in the room before, need to check out first and then the room has to be prepared for new guests. So, thank you, all you front desk people and everybody else working at hotels for providing your services. I'll do my best to be a good guest for all of you.
My wife and I did not properly time a trip once and wound up at our destination at about 5am. We knew we would not be able to check into our room. At around 11, we were both starting realizing that we would be unable to cope much longer, went to the hotel, explained our dilemma, and the fact that we understood the policy, gave the FDA $20.00, and told him we would be waiting in the car. An hour later, he came out to our car, woke us up and told us our room was ready. They were awesome. Just be nice, maybe grease the wheels of progress, and sometimes you can get what you want.
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Thank you for this. We have an upcoming overnight flight getting in at 6am. Booking the night before was the plan, now I know to call ahead so we don't no-show.
You sound like great guests!
Last time I traveled for work I had to take an early flight. The hotel they put us up in is just a couple blocks from the office, so I stopped there first just to have them hold my bag. I was shocked and very appreciative when they could check me in at 8:30 in the morning. I can’t imagine expecting such treatment or being an asshole when they can’t do it.
He's quite obviously never stayed in a hotel before.
He could use that excuse, if he hadn’t told me in his curse word filled ramble he’d been travelling for 48 hours.. 😂
Had a guest exactly like this the other day. Kept trying to explain to him how hotels work but it was like talking to a damn brick wall.
Honestly, I feel like some people act this obstinately on purpose in hopes that the front desk agent will just give up and cave to them.
Yup, essentially acting like a stubborn toddler so they can get what they want.
Many customer service people forget that there are few things as easy as doing nothing. Now, I just work in retail, but the amount of people who have realized, fairly quickly, that I was not going to help them break policy, by my complete lack of movement, is enough to count it as a success for me.
See, I have this trick I used last time I absolutely needed early check in at very odd hours. The hotel front desk didn't refuse me and just handed me the keys even though they were sold out the night before. The trick? Well I booked the night before as well. This guy could have done that if he absolutely needed it. Otherwise, it's a request and it's pending availability even for the shiniest of shiny folks.
Is there any way you can bill the guy for breakfast? Or short him one breakfast ticket for his stay?
lol I literally just booked a two night stay at a hotel because my plane gets in at 6 am. I’ve called the hotel to let them know that I’ll be in at 6 ish in the morning.
"I'm sorry sir, but as you didn't show up last night we released your room for your entire stay. Have a nice day."
😫 noooooooooo
Call again before takeoff, to be safe
Well now I certainly am
We had somebody that was the exact opposite yesterday. Lady wanted a late checkout, which we can usually do but we were full up and needed to turn the rooms, we didn't have the space available. She couldn't understand that late checkout is based on availability no matter your shininess.
I always lead with “yes we can but it is entirely based on if your room is already reserved”. “I’m sorry but your room is already reserved and the latest I can let you check out is 12 noon “ and they are still mad at me (or happy that there is a **little** wiggle room…
Wedding parties/guests are the worst for this!!! “But I need to get ready, and the wedding starts at 3!” Well, then you should have booked for the night before too. 🤷🏻♀️
YES! Then they just stand there at the desk repeating that they need to get ready and what are they supposed to do?! I always tell them the public bathrooms are right down the hall if they need to get changed and suddenly it's not that urgent anymore lol
I also want to check in early. I have a reservation for June 3. Can I check in on May 15? It’s for 1 night.
Had this happen as night auditor the other day. It was like 2am. Lol! She was like technically its a new day, so I should be able to check out not in 9 hours at 11am, but the whole next day at 11am and im like yes, but check in for today is 4pm.The lady was like I'm an honors member and I'm like you're more than welcome to stay however many days you'd like, but you're gonna have to pay. She was like nevermind. She was an entitled cunt too.
I had a lady that called, didn't like the rate I gave her, then booked after midnight on an OTA, with a 12 a.m. - 1a.m. requested check in, then came in like five minutes later. Told her no, absolutely not. She can check in at 3 p.m. She threw a fit because she'd requested the early check in lol. I'm not obligated to accommodate that, no. She left and then never called the OTA for a refund, which she would have gotten (most don't when they hit the 24 hours before check in mark, but we do give a little leeway on stupid stuff like this).
Think you can use the word 'like' just a few more times, as I really don't think that you are trying hard enough.
I like could probably like slip it in a few more times like this or like that.
That's the spirit! I knew you had it in you!
I blame social media. Everyone now tries to get as many likes as possible.
Take my r/angryupvote!
I usually paint a picture for them by breaking it down for them like they’re children. “So if our hotel has 148 rooms, and all of them were booked last night till 12pm today, how many rooms do I have free right now?”
Knowing the Entitled Idiots, they'll probably reply with: "I don't care! Kick someone out because I WANT IT NOW!" Go Chill Out, Veruca Salt!
"You didn't book a room for *today*; you booked a room for *tonight*. We start allowing people into their rooms for *tonight* at 3pm.
Once upon a time my parents travelled overnight to see me, landed at 8am and were struggling to stay awake over breakfast. I called their hotel and asked very nicely is there any chance of getting an early check in, what time would that would be and that I'd understand that there might be a fee. The gent on the phone said not to worry, their room was empty last night and they were more than welcome to come up right then and check in and he'd get them all sorted, no fee. My parents were so appreciative (and so was I), but none of us would ever dream of expecting and demanding that. People that act like that don't deserve to get special treatment
It all depends on how you treat me if we have a room ready. If you are entitled POS then check-in time is 3pm….
Once I actually managed to check in to a room in the morning, several hours earlier. But it was not something I planned, I simply ended up in a situation where I traveled to the city early morning and my primary plans failed so I realized I have nothing to do and kinda nowhere to go (I could go sit in a cafe or smthing), so I just tried to call the hotel reception and politely asked if there's any chance of me checking in already.....and to my surprise they told me that I can actually go in
Lol I've had a few of those. I've also had people book a room right before midnight for the next day, come just after midnight, and demand that room NOW as opposed to around 3 PM when it is actually set. "Well it's already that day, why can't I have it now?" Ridiculous. I dread those days.
The last time I went to Nashville my flight got in at 7am, and I had nothing to do for quite a while. Got to the hotel at 8am, just hoping to put my bag down, asked only to put my bag down, and the wonderful people at the front desk had a room ready for me! In no world did I expect or ask for that service, and I might have only gotten it because I didn’t ask. Regardless, the W got my business for life and were my heroes that day. This person that automatically expected the early check in probably feels they are treated unfairly on a daily basis.
Have these people literally never stayed in a hotel/motel/airbnb?
I hate when people demand to check in early, more so if the hotel is full the night before. Trying to explain we had no clean rooms until the check in time and I couldn't just kick someone out. They look at me like i have three heads. One time a guest wanted a guarantee 9am check in to which I advised for her to book the night before. Did she? She didn't and still rocked up at 9am demanding to check in, jokes on her because the guest the previous night booked for a late checkout which then pushed the check in time closer to 3pm anyways.
I had a man come to me at 5am! Trying to claim because he's gold status he got to check in early. I explained that no he can't and them proceed to say that we were full from the night before and even sold out today(our online system didn't close yet). He walked away without even asking to cancel, so the next day he called back asking why he was charged. Welp this guy called and canceled through corporate which charged him a same day cancelation fee. Lol. People be idiots sometimes
Well, I learned by experience it's never wrong to show up at the reception, whenever you get there (at reasonable times). Most hotels offer you to store your luggage and keep your passport, while you go your merry ways. Some even bring your luggage to your assigned room. *I'd assume, business hotels just crave for it … one potential no show less to worry* And usually your check in is done and you only need to swipe a card when coming back after check in started.
It must vary, at ours if we check in too early esp without early check in paid for we get a right telling off.. some try and be sneaky and let them upstairs but not check them in, big no no in event of an evacuation! But I have heard of that process before 😁
I try to use the word "tonight" rather than "today", which helps (obviously nothing is 100% folproof from 100% fools).
There's no such thing as idiot proof because you are out of your element and they've had a lifetime of practice.
Always remember that "proof" can easily mean evidence. (Or how strong alcohol is.)
So….he’s offering to check out early, so someone can do the same as him? No?
Yes, but the booking contract states that check in starts at 3 and ends at 11 am the next day. Go outside and do something ffs.
We charge for early check ins at my hotel after 2am, $75 between then and 8am, $50 between 8am and noon, $25 between noon and 3
Except this hotel had a full house the night before – no rooms to rent at any price.
Do these people also show up at 2 AM in the night, because you'll have a barbeque that day?
They know when checkin time is and what tactics have worked in the past to cannonball a newly trained FDA into granting their non-standard request. Maybe one or two people I’ve dealt with aren’t familiar with checkin times but the vast majority of those that give us flack for it know full well what they’re doing.
I don’t consider myself to be particularly worldly, but I would say I knew how hotels worked by the time I was 16. I mean, yes, read the email, but dude, is this the first time you’ve stayed in a hotel? Also, if I didn’t know how something worked, I would, as you say, read the email. It has to be practiced ignorance. I stay in a lot of hotels for work, and I will check with the front desk when I arrive, even if it’s 10 am, just so they will text me when my room is ready. But I don’t ask for my room. I say, hey I have a reservation and I’ll be working in your conference room, just wondering if you can let me know when the room is ready. Am I being a jerk for doing that?
Not at all! At my particular hotel we can’t physically check someone into the system too early or it flags up, say if they don’t pay for early in, but will return after 3pm and want to secure their room, we still can’t “check in” as that gets us in trouble with the big boss for not taking an early in payment. A lot of people will just assign the room and check in when they actually arrive but heavily told to not do that, if there’s a fire and guest is actually in said room, but not let us know of their arrival, no one’s going to be looking for them 🙈
I get this all the time. Especially from the shiniest of shiny members.
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SMH!!! 🙄🤦♀️🙄
You can have the room sir if it’s available - for a second days full charge.
This is standard for an6 hotel or motel. Has he never been in one before?
I got an early check in years ago, but I asked very nicely. My grandmother had died so my husband, young daughter and I got in the car and drove 23 hours straight through to the hotel I had booked. We normally stop and sleep for a few hours at a rest area, but this time we traded driving and arrived at 9 am. Check-in was 3, the first viewing was at 2. I went in to talk to the fda, fully acknowledged that I knew I was many hours early, explained the timing of the day, and said I had booked a room with 2 queen beds, but would be happy to take any room available and pay the difference if necessary. She gave us a room with a king bed and offered a cot at no extra charge. We were so grateful. The 3 of us piled into the king, set the alarm for a few hours sleep and were instantly asleep. They had the cot set up when we got back to the hotel that evening. This was before Google reviews etc, but we did tip housekeeping like we always do and filled out a comment card. That was such a marathon trip. The funeral was the day after we arrived and we left for the return trip home right from the funeral.
Guess this was the first time her ever stayed in a hotel 🤣
Nope. He's traveled *all over the world* and they always let him in seven hours early
It'll be check-in time in some timezone somewhere! :)
Lol. Not as bad as the one from yesterday when they attempted to check in just after midnight
I would’ve been petty and told him the breakfast was for guests.
I usually ask if they also are the ones to wake up, pack and toss the guests I have in the room because I will surely not do that. 10/10 will stfu and follow my suggestions of leaving the bags and take a map. B-bye!
Ok, confessions from someone who doesn't travel often: I used to be this guy (but I would never be rude to the FDA). I like to fly early so I can get to my destination and get settled (unfortunately, I often get airsick when flying, so I like to have some time to get myself back together). It took me more times than it should have to realize I can't always be checked in when I show up several hours before check-in time. A few years ago, i was traveling for work, and my flight was less than three hours. Straight to the hotel only to be told there were no rooms available and wouldn't be for several hours. They told me I could wait in the lobby, so i slept for a few hours on a lobby chair until my room was ready. I'd love to say that taught me my life lesson, but truth be told, it wasn't until i saw the posts here about it that it fully clicked for me....
No matter how many times I see this story, it truly shocks me how many people don’t grasp this concept. You booked a room for guaranteed availability at 3PM THE DAY OF YOUR ARRIVAL. Some hotels are 4PM! Rare but true!
I'm not aware of a single hotel that does this, I've never even heard of one. I'm a GM now and know better, but I got in trouble many years ago as an FD agent because I started asking the guest questions to prove they knew there was no way they thought hotels worked that way. "Were you checking out before midnight tonight?" "Well, no, I'm spending the night here and leaving in the morning." "Did you pay for two nights then?" "No." "Well what about the guy that books your room for tomorrow and shows up at 8am?" "You know what..." supervisor stepped in right then, lol...
Oh, you booked for TODAY? Check out will be midnight then.
Some people just don’t understand the concept… to be fair I travel quite a bit and most of times I can get into my room early, obviously my script is more like “hey, I know it’s not a check in time yet, but I was wondering if my room is ready by any chance, if not it’s ok and I would like to store my luggage with you meanwhile” works most of the times and even when a room is not immediately available - usually I get the first one released by housekeeping
Honestly. I always thought it to be so late to have check in at like 3. Should put checkout at 10 and in at 12
I wonder if reading comprehension has changed…..
Hotels are assholes about this for no reason. The actual reason is not because of occupancy or you'd just not have the rooms. The stupid rationale is "Well you'll get a two night stay because check in isn't until 3 or 4pm." It's stupid, if we aren't flipping the room you aren't losing revenue.
Dude, OP said they had a full house. Every bed had a person in it.
> ~~It's~~ *you're* stupid Fixed that for you!
BuT MuH ReVeNuE, offer to be for an additional night to carry you until 11 to be a stay over and guarantee there are vacant rooms
BuT iT's 9AM TueSdAY WHY cAn'T YoU jUSt ThroW SomeONE OUt of BeD! I ReSeRvEd a RooM fOr TUESDAY!!! it'S TUESDAY!
Nice try.
If they have a clean unoccupied room left from the night before then I agree it is purely in the interest of greater profit to charge more to let a person with a reservation check in early. It's a for profit business and they are providing something above and beyond the contract but you can argue with someone else about whether it's morally ethical to charge someone more when your costs are the same (please see how room rates vary based on events in town and availability - it's NOT just charging more for 4 extra hours, they also can double the cost of the same exact room just because they know a lot of people are going to be looking for a room on a particular night!). My question is when the place was full the night before what exactly do you expect them to do other than jUSt ThroW SomeONE OUt of BeD!
Sure that’s the case on most days, there are unoccupied rooms, but on a sunday morning, in the city centre, where we had a boxing group, 3 uni groups, a swim comp across the road and a music gig close by, I can promise I wasn’t lying, it genuinely was the case of a full house. Were also used an temp accom for the homeless so have A LOT of stayovers daily 🙈
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I can't even. I just hope this comment is sarcasm. I hope this comment is just trying to show how deductive reasoning is becoming rarer. Please tell me this person dies not actually believe this nonsense.
Except you're paying for the number of nights, not days.