Guest Asking To Check In Early

[Kathleane0]

Several times I've had guests asking to check in early, any where from 1 to 3 hours early. Because it's only a few hours, it doesn't feel right to charge extra and so I FLY through the turn-over process, doing a thorough job but I'm skipping breakfast, sometimes lunch, pushing myself hard to get everything ready and then ... the guest doesn't arrive at their requested earlier time, sometimes even arriving hours past the normal check in time. I'm guessing that if I charge extra for the early check in they may arrive on time or at least I got something extra for my extra effort, but I really don't want to do that, it doesn't feel hospitable. Any suggestions on how to handle this? Or maybe this is just one of the conundrums of hosting?

[Alicia753]

Hi Kathleen,

To handle early check-in requests without compromising your well-being, communicate clear policies in your listing and require guests to confirm early check-ins in advance. Consider charging a modest fee to ensure requests are genuine and to compensate for your extra effort.

If you prefer not to charge, frame the early check-in as a special courtesy to set boundaries. Offering alternatives, like local recommendations or luggage storage, can also help. Most importantly, prioritize your own well-being—don’t skip meals or push yourself too hard.

Balancing flexibility with clear expectations maintains hospitality without overburdening you.

I hope this helps.

All the best,

Upfish Management

[Guy991]

Hello @Kathleane0 ,

For early check-ins of 1-3 hours, we don’t charge extra, but we only accommodate them when it’s convenient for us.

It’s important to learn to say no when necessary and not overextend yourself—this approach is better for the long-term sustainability of hosting.

Our practice is to prepare the room as soon as a guest checks out, rather than waiting until the next guest arrives, so it’s always ready for last-minute check-ins.

If early check-in isn’t possible, we offer guests the option to leave their luggage if we’re available, even if the room isn’t ready yet or the previous guest hasn’t left.

Most importantly, stay calm and in my opinion, don’t skip your breakfast or lunch unless it’s an absolute emergency.

[Emilie]

Hi @Kathleane0, 

How often do you get these kind of requests? 

I see that Alicia and Guy have already shared some advice with you on how to approach it, which will hopefully give you some ideas. I wanted to see as well if perhaps some of our other hosts had any more suggestions: @Lauren4555 @Thomas3789 @Dave-and-Deb0 @Mia1090 @Cheri354, how do you managed requests for early check-ins?

Thank you everyone 🙂

Emilie  

[Kathleane0]

@Kathleane0 I've received requests for early check in 4 times (over the last 4 months), all of which I've said yes to with no charge and all of which ended up arriving after the normal check in time. Interestingly, I just noticed when going back through my notes, all of these that asked for an early check-in and then showed up after the normal check in time didn't communicate their change of plans.