Booking an extra night at hotel for early arrival or late departure

[ozbeachbabe]

Just interested to know who pays for an extra nights accommodation on their travels so you can either

a) checkin immediately if arriving really early in the morning eg 0500 rather than waiting until 1400 or later sometimes or

b) checkout late eg 2200 if travelling on a red eye flight after midnight

I know sometimes when making a booking it's easy to think that it's a waste of money if you're not staying a full night however think ahead and walk through your scenario ahead of time eg

Arrive in DRW ex DPS at 0300 and flight to ADL not until 1215 travelling with 2 kids. Just to be able to walk off the flight clear customs, jump on the shuttle bus to the Airport Resort and get 7-8 hours sleep not to mention have a shower and freshen up. You'd almost feel human by the time you arrived back in ADL as opposed to feeling like you'd be shipwrecked.

What are your thoughts? Have you done it & thought it was a waste of money, not done it & wished you had or done it and glad you did?

 

[samh004]

For the second scenario, i.e. a late departure. I usually just check-out and then leave my bags with the concierge and take a walk around the city. Come back a little later, collect my bags and head to the airport. I do sometimes manage to push check-out a little later too, and sleep-in

 

[Heleigh]

If I have energy leave luggage in cloak room and enjoy the city.

Tired have paid for or on a couple of occasion hotel allow late check out without paying extra.

Day occasions check baggage at airport and seen close by activities and have never regretted paying for short time hotel room for comfort.

Helen

 

[yohy?!]

I tend to try and stay at places that will offer earlier check-in (9am) and later check-out (2-4pm) at no additional cost. Of course always important to keep your email from the manager stating that they'll do this - painfully learnt this the hard way previously...

 

[Princess Fiona]

I am happy to do this especially for early arrival and especially for a long haul trip. Obviously nicer if work pays for it but I will also pay myself on leisure trips especially with kids.

 

[markis10]

As an RA I get 8AM check in and 4PM check out at Intercontinentals which helps, and often in Asia I have been given late check outs of 8PM or so which helps when you are flying home and want to make the most of the last day.

Otherwise it would depend on the room rate, I have never booked a room for an early arrival, just taken my chances.

 

[Febs]

I usually try to make the most of SPG Platinum, and check-in early and check-out late where possible. I once checked in at 8am and checked out at 4pm the following day, all for the cost of one night.

If I've got a late flight and it's not an SPG hotel, I'll usually just dump my bags with the hotel and go explore the city (tip - this can be a very expensive exercise at the Sheraton Times Square, who outsource their bag minding and charge a small fortune!!)

If I just want to relax by the pool or whatever (e.g. Vegas recently), I've occasionally paid the extra to keep the room for another 6 hours. Can be worth it, especially if you want to have a shower etc.. before heading to the airport (especially when LAS doesn't have an Admirals Club).

On an upcoming Circle Pacific it was looking like I was going to have to book a few hotels for short periods of time (1am to 11am, that sort of thing) but luckily my waitlist cleared. It wasn't going to be fun travelling Dallas to LA, then a hotel for 10 hours, then LA to HKG, then a hotel, then HKG-KUL. It might be a big weekend of travel, but at least now the stops are only a few hours each.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I tend to try and stay at places that will offer earlier check-in (9am) and later check-out (2-4pm) at no additional cost. Of course always important to keep your email from the manager stating that they'll do this - painfully learnt this the hard way previously...

Which properties Yohy?

 

[straitman]

I am happy to do this especially for early arrival and especially for a long haul trip. Obviously nicer if work pays for it but I will also pay myself on leisure trips especially with kids.

At what time do you consider is a reasonable cut off for paying for an early arrival?

 

[yohy?!]

Which properties Yohy?

All Hong Kong hotels so far this year due to arrival times: Harbour Grand HK (early check in, late out), Crowne Plaza (early checkin), Dorsett Kowloon (early checkin and late out) and W HK (late out)

 

[mole]

When we travel to Honolulu (arriving 7am) we always pay for the night before so we can check in straight away and I personally think its worth every penny. Dont do it in other parts of the US as we usually arrive a little later and hotels usually allow a little earlier check in but Honolulu hotels are very rigid on check in times (unless you pay for an upgrade).

 

[trooper]

A competition we attend in PHX finishes up by about 1 pm on the Sunday... NZ flights out of LAX are of course late evening. So.. we pay for the Sunday night at our PHX hotel.. allowing us a place to freshen up and relax after the comp and before heading to the airport...

Money well spent.

 

[oz_mark]

I've done the former, paying for an extra night to make sure I had a room after arriving on a red-eye.

 

[k_sheep]

I've never paid extra. But for the 2135 departures from KUL, I tend to stay in a starwood property the last night (to get the 4pm checkout), or failing that, store my luggage. I've also often asked if I'm able to get a shower when collecting my luggage, and have never been refused - normally they send you to the gym showers. Makes a huge difference before going to an airport with no lounge and flying on a LCC!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Just interested to know who pays for an extra nights accommodation on their travels so you can either

a) checkin immediately if arriving really early in the morning eg 0500 rather than waiting until 1400 or later sometimes or

b) checkout late eg 2200 if travelling on a red eye flight after midnight

I know sometimes when making a booking it's easy to think that it's a waste of money if you're not staying a full night however think ahead and walk through your scenario ahead of time eg

Arrive in DRW ex DPS at 0300 and flight to ADL not until 1215 travelling with 2 kids. Just to be able to walk off the flight clear customs, jump on the shuttle bus to the Airport Resort and get 7-8 hours sleep not to mention have a shower and freshen up. You'd almost feel human by the time you arrived back in ADL as opposed to feeling like you'd be shipwrecked.

What are your thoughts? Have you done it & thought it was a waste of money, not done it & wished you had or done it and glad you did?

Forgot to mention I love the Airport Resort at DRW, great staff, pool. Much better than anything in the CBD

 

[blueflamenco]

When we travel to Honolulu (arriving 7am) we always pay for the night before so we can check in straight away and I personally think its worth every penny. Dont do it in other parts of the US as we usually arrive a little later and hotels usually allow a little earlier check in but Honolulu hotels are very rigid on check in times (unless you pay for an upgrade).

^ I agree. And Honolulu is the only place in the US where this has happened to me repeatedly.

I have been lucky with Hilton properties in that they usually allow me to check in early. On my last visit to Seattle I was absolutely wrecked and arrived at 8am. They allowed me to check in and invited me to breakfast!

On the way out I usually do as others have mentioned, leaving my bags at the hotel until I head to the airport.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Forgot to mention I love the Airport Resort at DRW, great staff, pool. Much better than anything in the CBD

I agree. It's actually a hotel that fits the description ie has a resort atmosphere so you could well imagine staying in this type of property for a week in Bali or Fiji.

I've seen plenty of people lying comatose on the floor next to the baggage carousels - one couple actually pitched a small tent in the terminal :!: or in some uncomfortable foetal position on couches, never mind taking up two spots when there's limited seating for all.

A hotel room is a lot more restful than hearing constant PA's chasing up fail to board pax that have gone MIA somewhere between customs and their boarding gate!

 

[Wannabee]

Forgot to mention I love the Airport Resort at DRW, great staff, pool. Much better than anything in the CBD

I liked it the first few nights too. Having spent 56 nights there since 01 Jul the charm soon wears off. If course if I was traveling somewhere it may be different but for me it is where I stay while working in Darwin.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I liked it the first few nights too. Having spent 56 nights there since 01 Jul the charm soon wears off. If course if I was traveling somewhere it may be different but for me it is where I stay while working in Darwin.

But so much nicer than HI!

 

[markis10]

But so much nicer than HI!

The HI is nice after the refurb, and a better view, its also a good location for a walk.