Do you offer early check in?

[Alexandra316]

I offer early check in at no additional charge, if it's available - if the guest before hasn't requested late check out and if me or my cleaner feel we can get done in time. We are getting a lot of requests for it now: I'd estimate that a third of guests are requesting to check in around 1 pm - 2 hours prior to regular check in. We often hustle to get the flat ready in time. That would be okay, if it was actually a benefit to the guests. What's starting to annoy me is that two thirds of the people who request early check in don't even use it: they check in after the regular check in time anyways. It's making me think that it might be a good idea to charge for it, so that people actually value it as an offering. 

I'm wondering how all you other hosts deal with it. Do you offer it, and if so, do you charge? Have you had the same experiences as me, or do you think offering it is actually adding value? 

[Barbara1312]

I offer early check in at 1 pm only if the room was empty the night before.  This is suppose to be fun, I’m not busting by butt to get the room ready early for no reason. 

[Rachel0]

@Alexandra316 I often get guests who arrive at Heathrow airport on long haul flights around 7am or 8am and then ask if they can check in early.  If it is not going to cause me any inconvenience I allow it, or I allow them to drop off their luggage without accessing the room.  I find late check ins far more annoying and inconvenient than early ones.

[Kelly149]

Yes, they ask, but they don’t really know what it means for you. If I’m going to have to hustle and adjust my day then I ask for a fee (minor, about $10/hour), so that they have some skin in the game. If it really is no inconvenience to me and their communication has been stellar and they’ve paid full-rate then I might agree at no charge. 

The typical hotel response is: let us know when you’re nearby and we’ll let you know if it’s ready early or not, but no promises. 

Another suggestion would be: how about you stop by xyz place for coffee/shopping/etc and I’ll message just as soon as the room is ready. 

** guests just don’t think. This weekend’s guest listed their anticipated arrival at 4-7pm. At 6 when I checked on them, it was “later probably 9-10”. No further word until they messaged to say “we’re here” at 1130pm. Never mind our checkin time is 4-9. Yea!

[Alexandra316]

Kelly, I can't tag you again, but sensible advice, as always. I think this is going to be the approach that I'm going to start to take. I'm going to be less commital to it ahead of time, unless there is a really specific reason or I'm not booked the night before.

The ones that really drive me crazy are the guests who say, "We're only staying one night, so we want to maximize our time..." It's up to them that they only chose to stay one night, not up to us to give them as much time as humanly possible.

That's beyond rude re: the checkin time.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Alexandra316

I agree with Kelly, our problem are not guests who asks for early or late check in...  but those who don't notify us timely that they will be late and let us wait for them in the city (we are off site hosts) .

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As @Kelly149 said - we use typical hotel response - if it will be ready earlier we will let you know .

But we can store their luggage while we are cleaning .

If you are in a hurry and forget something you can expect a bad review. They will forget you allowed them early check in, they will rate the result. So, take your time .

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Alexandra316

All my guests are international so I always ask first "when does your flight arrive/depart and what's your flight no. - so WE can track if your flight". 

Since most of our guests are long term and we get like 4 guests a year so we usually block the day before and after but this isn't something I'd offer if I were hosting short term guests. Most large cities have luggage storage services and plenty of cafes to hang out. If people are coming by car, they can keep luggage in the car and plan around the allowed check in/out times. I really do not think early check in/late check out is something I'd even consider for guests staying 3 nights or less. Up to a week, it would really depend on availability but even then I wouldn't go out of my way to accomodate it. 

[Kath9]

@Alexandra316, I will allow early check in only in exceptional circumstances and usually if I haven't had anyone the night before. I am usually booked up back to back so it really does put pressure on me to check people in any earlier than 3pm (I have 11am check out time) so I prefer not to. Happy for them to drop off their luggage though if they want.  I think it's perfectly reasonable for guests to observe your check in time if they have made the booking and, frankly, unfair of them to request earlier check in.

[Robin4]

@Alexandra316

I am adaptable, if someone wants to drop their things off at 7.00 am in the morning, I will find a space for them, but I do need two hours to do a turn around and I will assess each request on the day.

I have found the main problem is pinning them down to an arrival time!

I have also found the best approach is to bring a bit of humour into the arrival request. I don't use this all the time, but every time I do, I get an immediate response....and most times it is positive......

Something like that will grab their attention and I can be sure within a minute or so I will have a response.  Most will see the humour in it and some want to make some equally outrageous comment like....."Oh really, I always wanted to feed a crocodile,  what time, can I come and help!"

I had one guy who fired back at me..."Crocodiles, what bloody crocodiles, what sort of place am I coming too, a zoo?"

It's an attention grabber and it seems to work well!

Cheers.....Rob

[Alexandra316]

@Robin4 I've seen you post this before, and I absolutely love it :-). Definitely a creative way to get people to respond.

Most guests self check in, so I'm not so bothered about that aspect of it. It just kind of annoys me when I structure my day so that they can check in early, then they don't even use it.

[Victoria567]

@Alexandr4a

I dont offer early check in, as I require the time, to fully clean two full bathrooms and change all the bedding and linens in two large bedrooms.

As well as,doing the laundry, hoovering, dusting and cleaning all the common areas, such as the halls, stairs, front door vestibule, etc and so on.

I do this myself,I do instant book, I do same day bookings, I do one night stays or anything, up to a maximum of 3 nights.

My guests mainly arrive by hired car, so they are free to park their car in the grounds of my home, as there is plenty of parking space which accommodates around 6 cars, anytime before or after check-in

As I only offer 2 bedrooms, the maximum number of cars is up to 3, as our cars are in our garage.

I never let a guest see an unmade room, if they are desperate to use the toilet, I let them use the downstairs vestibule guest toilet and then I remind them that I will see them at 4pm, once the bedroom and bathroom has been fully turned around and out they go.

[Fred13]

Our reality is that guests get dropped off and picked up and we never see them during their stay.  So..

Since our guests check out of mainland hotel at 11am, then must buy supplies (1hr), we meet (aka check-in) 12 Noon.

Since they usually have a 11:40am flight out of the country, we pick them up (aka check-out) at 10am.

It works perfectly for them and really for us, since we rather zoom through the whole affair quicker.

[Hamlet4]

Early checkin can be be given but with relevant charges for it. We use to charge early checkin charges as well as late checkout too.

[Paul1255]

@Alexandra316 I allow guests to drop off their bags early if they are landing before check-in time.

I usually have back-to-back bookings so early check in isn’t really possible, Unless there happens to be a gap in my calendar.

My guests are always grateful for a bag drop off and quick use of the bathroom.

It doesn’t cost me anything- so I don’t charge for it, and this helps come review time 🙂

I don’t allow guests to see their room if it isn’t turned around as no one wants the illusion of a beautiful room shattered!

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Alexandra316 Work to your timings - and then cost is not the issue. We say, sure 8am is fine but your room is use and wont be ready till 1pm- but we will give you key and you can come back anytime after 1pm