Here’s a question that comes up with some frequency — while hotels have published check-in times, there’s often some flexibility with how early you can check-in. The question is, how early is too early? Pending empty rooms, can you check into a hotel at 12:01AM? At 6AM? At 12PM? I’d like to talk about that in a bit of detail in this post, and discuss the things that I consider when deciding on a strategy.
In this post:
Most hotels will let you check-in earlier than promised
Hotels have published check-in and check-out times. However, generally speaking, there’s some flexibility there. Most hotels will let you check-in significantly earlier than the published check-in time, assuming a room is available and has been cleaned.
Now, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Hotels will generally prioritize early check-in for elite members or other “preferred” guests (like those who booked through programs like Virtuoso, etc.)
- I find that most hotels allow early check-in for free, though other hotels will charge a fee; in my experience fees for early check-in are most common for airport hotels, or other hotels that sell day rooms
- It’s important to be realistic, and realize that it’s extremely common for early check-in to not be available, given that many hotels run close to capacity, have limited housekeeping staffing, assign guests specific rooms, etc.
- If it’s essential that you to have a room before the published check-in time, you’ll either want to book the hotel for the night before, contact the hotel to ask if you can pay a fee for guaranteed early check-in, or book a hotel that offers guaranteed early check-in (for example, Peninsula will guarantee 6AM check-in or 10PM check-out)
How early is too early for hotel check-in, though?
How early is too early for trying to check into your room, though? No, you generally can’t show up at 12:01AM with a reservation for that day and expect that you’ll be accommodated 15-16 hours before check-in time. So what time is it reasonable to show up and expect that you’ll receive a room, subject to availability?
- This is generally only possible after the night audit is complete, because at most hotels the system wouldn’t even allow it before then; this often happens in the early morning hours, usually by 5AM
- My personal take is that I wouldn’t feel sheepish asking for early check-in starting at around 6AM; that’s not to say it’ll happen or that rooms will be available, and for that matter it’s reasonable if the hotel rejects it on principle, but to me that feels much more reasonable than asking for a 2AM check-in, for example
- If you want to be truly reasonable, I think 9AM is a less controversial cutoff for requesting early check-in, subject to availability
How I approach whether or not to pay for an extra night
When I think of whether to book a hotel for the night before or just chance it, I typically consider how much I actually value having access to the room early, as well as what I think the odds are that the room will be ready early if I don’t pay for it.
Here’s my thought process, broadly speaking:
- If I’m traveling alone, I’m much more likely to chance it, while if I’m traveling with our little kids, I value the certainty a lot more, given how much more schedules matter
- I also consider the cost of an extra night; I’m more willing to chance things on a $1,000 per night hotel than a $100 per night hotel, purely in terms of the total cost of guaranteeing early check-in
- I consider the seasonality of the destination; if you’re traveling somewhere in the off season, odds are much better of there being rooms available early compared to traveling in the peak season
- In the event my room won’t be ready until check-in time, I consider how pleasantly I’d be able to pass time; if I’m staying at a city hotel, I consider if there are good spaces for me to work without having a room, while if I’m at a resort, I consider how many good places there are to work without having a room
- I consider the maximum amount of time I’d potentially be without a room; if I’m landing at 5AM I’d be much more likely to pay for an extra night compared to arriving at 11AM (obviously)
The truth is that I rarely get in a situation nowadays where I can’t decide whether to book a hotel the night before or not (I rarely pay for them, and typically just chance it).
Perhaps the last time I specifically remember paying for the night before was back in 2022, when I stayed at the Alila Hinu Bay in Oman. We were landing at Salalah Airport (SLL) at 4:20AM on Qatar Airways. We then knew it would take some time for us to get our rental car, and then the resort was a roughly 75 minute drive away. I figured that absolute best case scenario, we’d arrive at the hotel at around 6AM.
For what it’s worth, the hotel was charging around $300 per night, so while it wasn’t cheap, it also wasn’t a crazy price. Here’s how I thought through the logic:
- On the one hand, I knew it was going to be a long travel day, and if I booked the night before, I’d be guaranteed access to my room, and would also receive breakfast on account of my Globalist status, which otherwise wouldn’t be included on the morning that I check-in (then again, breakfast wouldn’t cost nearly as much as the room rate)
- On the other hand, I could easily save the $300, and maybe the room would be ready, in which case that would be great, while if wasn’t, I could’ve hung out at the pool, gotten a spa treatment, and paid for breakfast, while still coming out ahead
Like I said, I found this to be an interesting question simply because typically the choice is obvious to me one way or another. It was hard to make this decision without perfect knowledge, but here’s how I thought through it:
- Would I gladly wait a few hours for my room to be ready to save $300? Absolutely!
- Would I pay $300 if I knew the hotel were packed and I’d only be able to otherwise access my room at 3PM, the published check-in time? Absolutely, as I don’t want to be without a room for that long…
But there’s a big difference between waiting three to four hours vs. waiting nine hours, for example. In the end, we decided to pay for the night before, and were happy about that decision (as we could get right to our room, sleep for several hours, etc.).
Bottom line
While most hotels have published check-in and check-out times, the reality is that peoples’ travel plans rarely match up perfectly with those. Most hotels are willing to accommodate early check-in on a space available basis (sometimes for a fee, but usually not), though there are limits to that.
You should only expect to be able to check-in after the night audit, and personally I tend to think that early check-in is a reasonable request starting at around 6AM, on a space available basis. That’s not to say that rooms will be available and clean, but it’s the point at which I think it can’t hurt to ask.
What has your experience been with early hotel check-in? To those who work in the hotel industry, do you have any insights on how you view early check-in?
Bear in mind that an early check in reduces the chance of a good room upgrade since you can only be given what is available at the time.
Also early checkin is hardest on a Sunday as hotels are often full on a Saturday night, and people sleep in and checkout late more on Sundays.
Can’t remember the last time I didn’t get early checkin when trying to check in around 10 or 11am. And I travel a couple of times a month with no status (because I believe it’s stupid to by loyal to any of these companies). The earliest I’ve checked in is probably around 5.30 or 6am.
One thing I've noticed is that I've found it much easier to check in early in North America vs. the UK/Europe. In NA I can count on one hand the number of times I've not been granted an early check in after 12pm. Before that it's less but even then I'd say I've mostly been given one. In the UK and Europe I can only think of 4-5 times I've been granted an early check in.
All of my recent early check in experiences are at Hyatt's and involve getting off of sleeper trains (or an early South Shore Line Train or Amtrak train):
- Hyatt Regency Sydney - gave me a room at 8:00am (I was lowly discoverist so no lounge access)
- Grand Hyatt Berlin - no rooms ready but held my luggage and texted me when a room was. Gave me a key card to the...
All of my recent early check in experiences are at Hyatt's and involve getting off of sleeper trains (or an early South Shore Line Train or Amtrak train):
- Hyatt Regency Sydney - gave me a room at 8:00am (I was lowly discoverist so no lounge access)
- Grand Hyatt Berlin - no rooms ready but held my luggage and texted me when a room was. Gave me a key card to the club and I was able to eat a light breakfast and get coffee in the lounge (full resturant breakfast the next morning).
- Hyatt Regency Chicago - got in at 8:15am, no rooms ready but key to the Club and got a light breakfast of yogurt and a banana (full breakfast in a resturant)
- Hyatt Centric Philly - got in around 9am and they got me a room and told me I could use my GOH reward (this stay was 3 nights and when I qualified for gloablist) to have breakfast included that very first morning!
As a former night auditor, my rule of thumb was if they showed up before I left it was still yesterday so the guest would be required to pay the night before in order to check in. When I moved to be a guest service manager at a Hampton Inn, my rule was more like if we were still serving breakfast they'd have to pay the night before, but after breakfast ended it was fair...
As a former night auditor, my rule of thumb was if they showed up before I left it was still yesterday so the guest would be required to pay the night before in order to check in. When I moved to be a guest service manager at a Hampton Inn, my rule was more like if we were still serving breakfast they'd have to pay the night before, but after breakfast ended it was fair game if the room was available.
Now I'm at a full service hotel and breakfast is not complimentary, we do a $50 early arrival fee before noon, complimentary after that.
Lifetime Marriott Titanium here...when I flight overnight from the USA to Europe and arrive early in the morning I head to the hotel and try to check in. If there is no room available, I ask for EL access and wait there. It's almost always granted.
Funny that the one time I didn't plan for an early check-in I needed it the most. My usual is ( offering ) to get an extra day so I can go directly to my room no matter the hour. 12 hours of travel and I need a room. The one off was in Philadelphia Hilton Garden. Who knew a flipping flower show could draw so many?
I refuse to play these ridiculous games and always book the night before, or purchase a guaranteed early check-in.
Most of my travels involve long-haul flights from Delhi (DEL) that arrive early in the morning, often well before a hotel’s standard check-in time. As a result, I routinely request an early check-in if a room is available. With the exception of a few occasions, my requests have almost always been accommodated.
For context, I am a Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite, Hilton Diamond, and IHG Diamond Elite member. However, when traveling in the United States,...
Most of my travels involve long-haul flights from Delhi (DEL) that arrive early in the morning, often well before a hotel’s standard check-in time. As a result, I routinely request an early check-in if a room is available. With the exception of a few occasions, my requests have almost always been accommodated.
For context, I am a Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite, Hilton Diamond, and IHG Diamond Elite member. However, when traveling in the United States, I typically prefer Four Seasons properties, and globally I frequently stay at GHA (Global Hotel Alliance) brands. Across thousands of hotel stays and early check-in requests over the years, early access to a room has generally been provided as a courtesy whenever occupancy permitted.
On a couple of occasions when I arrived particularly early (around 7:00 a.m.), I proactively offered to pay for a half-day stay. Despite this, only one hotel—the JW Marriott Atlanta—has ever actually charged me for a half-day room rate.
@Ben
Peninsula Time is not guaranteed. Due to official terms and conditions it is still subject to availability. „Early check-in and late check-out depend on occupancy, room type, and operational considerations on the relevant dates and will be confirmed at the Hotel’s discretion.“
Generally, if I need to check in really early (let's say more than two hours ahead of check-in), I usually offer to pay. With the exception of one time, hotels have generally not asked me for payment though.
Thank you for being a valued Hilton Diamond elite member. Check-in starts at 3 PM.
Ben regarding "would also receive breakfast on account of my Globalist status, which otherwise wouldn’t be included on the morning that I check-in", I found that some Hilton unofficially let Diamond members have breakfast when checking in early :-)
Ben regarding "would also receive breakfast on account of my Globalist status, which otherwise wouldn’t be included on the morning that I check-in", I found that some Hilton unofficially let Diamond members have breakfast when checking in early :-)
@GRK - yep the Konsulat in Reykjavik (great hotel BTW) not only accomodated my wife and myself on a layover while traveling to Copenhagen (took advantage of Icelandair layover option) at 9 AM arrival but also offered the full breakfast and upgraded us to the best available suite. I am Diamond and had stayed their before (and was upgraded to that suite) so knew it was nice and sent a note to the manager requesting...
@GRK - yep the Konsulat in Reykjavik (great hotel BTW) not only accomodated my wife and myself on a layover while traveling to Copenhagen (took advantage of Icelandair layover option) at 9 AM arrival but also offered the full breakfast and upgraded us to the best available suite. I am Diamond and had stayed their before (and was upgraded to that suite) so knew it was nice and sent a note to the manager requesting the early check in and also the upgrade if available since it was my wife's first trip to Iceland. Obviously they didn't need to do anything but really took care of me.
Funny working overnight people came at 6/7 am trying to check-in and wonder why I wouldn’t let them! Check in at at 3pm and soon as they see someone check out they ask if that room available? Like how cleaning staff doesn’t arrive to 10/11am please wait till at least 1pm to ask
Request an early checkin and if they say it’s not possible go fall asleep in the lobby ; if it’s an upscale hotel you can expect
a tap on the shoulder that your room is ready.
Definitely not true lol! If you keep bugging us we definitely make you wait till 3pm, we will tell you the lobby is not for sleeping please go explore the city.
Or a tap on your shoulder followed by a polite statement that they don’t care where you go, but you can’t sleep here.
Don't remember the name of the hotel but it was a grand old hotel in Lisbon. Arrived early 9am or so - and they would not allow early check-in.
Hotel had a beautiful lobby - so I sprawled on a huge sofa and fell asleep.
Magically a room became available very shortly.
Didn't hurt that they were welcoming a group of Viking Cruise guests.
I have been denied earlier check in only in Medellin .
In Dubai I had checked in at 6:30am and upgraded to a massive two bedroom suite (V hotel) with status to more recently at Grand Hyatt Taipe at 7:30am with no status and upon request they approved breakfast same morning vs when checking out.
Non chain hotels are way better at this.
8am checkin is never a problem if there is an empty room.
While it doesn't hurt to ask, many places in Japan will not allow free early check in. They might do all the paperwork and even move luggage into your room ahead of time but they won't release keys until the second official check in time has passed
lol.. I had this happen at the JR Inn at Hakodate. They made us card keys and wrote down a room number on the envelope but wouldn't let us in the room till 3pm.
Least Japanese hotels will hold your luggage for you and I can trust them with it to handle with care.. if they can't, just heading out to the local train station you can find an abundance of lockers to store it.
There’s a massive difference between destinations when it comes to early check in.
I find that in South East Asia hotels would make a real effort to get a room for you if at all possible, and will almost always text you as soon as a room is available.
In Japan on the other hand they would be very very very unlikely to let you check in early, even if the hotel is...
There’s a massive difference between destinations when it comes to early check in.
I find that in South East Asia hotels would make a real effort to get a room for you if at all possible, and will almost always text you as soon as a room is available.
In Japan on the other hand they would be very very very unlikely to let you check in early, even if the hotel is mostly empty.
Early check in is much easier im Spain than, say, Germany. Usually pretty easy im Australia and near impossible for some reason in Israel.
It all depends on what time you get to the hotel .
I’ve seen people arrive at hotels around 1AM with family and kids demanding a Checkin as it is the next day already. Indians know the motel business. The Patel cartel.
For me it also depends on flight time. Flying from Australia to Buenos Aires, I booked from the night before so I had a guaranteed check in. Agree with the person below, always contact the hotel in advance so they don't give away your room.
If you fly from Argentine to Buenos Aires , you won't have any problem or jet lag .
The flight in question (see above) was AUSTRALIA to
Buenos Aires!
It is quite a long flight time, crossing numerous time zones, and one would indeed have some jet lag!
My rule of thumb is that if breakfast service has started for the day (so usually 7am or so), its ok to ask about early checkin. Anything earlier than that, you should probably book the previous night.
I have had excellent luck with early checkin pretty much everywhere in the world thankfully. I have never had to wait beyond 10am to get into a room. In fact recently at a Hilton property I just asked...
My rule of thumb is that if breakfast service has started for the day (so usually 7am or so), its ok to ask about early checkin. Anything earlier than that, you should probably book the previous night.
I have had excellent luck with early checkin pretty much everywhere in the world thankfully. I have never had to wait beyond 10am to get into a room. In fact recently at a Hilton property I just asked to store a bag while I headed out, and the hotel offered me early check-in instead. But I never take it for granted.
Woah, I recall where you're based (and the industry you're in), so maybe that's a-thing there (Africa, or Asia, etc.), or perhaps at airport hotels, or perhaps you know someone, but to try early-checkin at 7AM as a general guest (or even a status member) at a hotel in the US, or Europe, corporate or otherwise, you'll probably get laughed outta there. And, if you have experienced that early of a check-in in the West,...
Woah, I recall where you're based (and the industry you're in), so maybe that's a-thing there (Africa, or Asia, etc.), or perhaps at airport hotels, or perhaps you know someone, but to try early-checkin at 7AM as a general guest (or even a status member) at a hotel in the US, or Europe, corporate or otherwise, you'll probably get laughed outta there. And, if you have experienced that early of a check-in in the West, please, do tell, WHERE. Because that's just wiiiild, bud.
Have done it very regularly at hotels in the UK and Europe. The latest I have had to wait is around 10am at the Hilton Milan.
That would be too late for breakfast , no ?
Molto bene! Very impressive, especially for the Italians. Sean, you must have a way with words and a nice smile, or the business card and title suits you well, and/or are a very generous tipper!
Maybe worth mentioning that when booking the night before (to ensure early AM check in) to reach out to the hotel to let them know your arrival (that you won't be checking in the night before), so they don't mark you as a 'no show' and release your room.
I find an email in advance can be helpful. Last week we flew on a very long trip from Brazzaville to Toronto, via Addis and Rome. The Park Hyatt Toronto checked us in at 10 am on an Amex FHR booking. They specifically said they’d noted the time of arrival, and the fact that we had such a long flight from my email. Of course this is a courtesy and I’d never assume we’d be accommodated but it was very king of them and we were grateful to have a room asap.
This is incredibly important especially in east Asia where employees are more likely to treat things as black and white. I often arrive in the early morning (8-9 by the time I get to the hotel) and the one time I forgot to tell them I would arrive the next morning they had marked me as no show and it took an army and over an hour to undo that and get me to a room.
Friends, it never hurts to ask. Specifically, I've used that 12PM early check-in 'if-available' with FHR countless times to great success. And, if they say no, why not ask if you can use the spa/gym/dining while you wait (if it's a place with those amenities.) If you've arrived in Europe at 9AM, obviously way too early, why not book a massage; it'll pass the time and get the blood flowing again. Get creative!
Multiple times, including in summer, I managed to check in as early as 9.30am in hotels in London. And got breakfast offered :-)
I always ask for early check in when flying to Europe and have been accomodated at 9 or 10 AM quite a few times. Other times the room isn't ready but I store my luggage, walk around or have a cup of coffee and usually it is available well before "normal" check in time. On the other hand I am doing this as a Diamond/Titanium/Globalist member or for a stay booked through FHR or The...
I always ask for early check in when flying to Europe and have been accomodated at 9 or 10 AM quite a few times. Other times the room isn't ready but I store my luggage, walk around or have a cup of coffee and usually it is available well before "normal" check in time. On the other hand I am doing this as a Diamond/Titanium/Globalist member or for a stay booked through FHR or The Edit so can't speak to how it would be handled outside of those statuses. However, clearly agree w @1990 - it never hurts to ask.