Hotel Check-In Time & Upgrades: What Strategy Maximizes Your Odds? - Other Hotels

Hotel Check-In Time & Upgrades: What Strategy Maximizes Your Odds?

Ben Schlappig — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:53:54 +0000

Does the time that you arrive at a hotel (and attempt to check-in) impact your odds of getting a room upgrade? That’s a question that reader Sam asked me, and I think it’s worth a discussion. He asks this in the context either of having elite status with a hotel group, or booking through a…

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JD — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:44:01 +0000

If I'm traveling for just one night and especially coming off from a redeye, I would rather have them give me any rooms that are available as soon as I get there. I don't care about an upgrade. Never had any issues checking in as early as 6am, at least with my status with Marriott. But I have noticed that on these short 1-night stays, that I am most likely to be upgraded anyways. Makes sense given that they are taking that premium room from inventory for one night as opposed to multiple.

JustinB — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:18:59 +0000

Aren’t specific rooms (not just blocks) largely assigned the night before these days? For the longest time the Hyatt app would briefly show me my assigned room number when I did online check in first thing and that was always the room I ended up with once the room was ready

1990 — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:48:32 +0000

Oof. Highly variable, no real 'rule,' major 'it depends' and 'set low expectations' vibes on all of this. You win some, you lose some. Be grateful when it 'works out.' Treat people as you wi...