Originally Posted by
kipper
I've not been hit with an early departure fee. However, I can understand why they do that. Think about it from their perspective:
Customer A books a room for 3 nights. Customer B calls about a room for night 3, but is told the hotel has no availability. After night 2, Customer A decides to check out early. The room is now vacant, but the hotel is unable to fill the room for the night, losing out on that revenue.
It's much like the fee for a no-show. Since they held the room for you all night, they missed out on the revenue from filling it, and as such, you get dinged for the previously agreed upon fee.
If the hotel has a "cancel by" time that is not on day of arrival I can accept this to an extent. If the hotel has a auto cancel at 6pm (not guaranteed) or cancel by 6pm day of arrival policy then a person can just make X consecutive bookings and just cancel as needed ( as I have done when going to hotels with that policy ). Just check out as normal and cancel the remaining bookings
If it is a special rate where it is cheaper based on X nights or if the hotel has a cancel at least 1 or 2 days in advance of check in policy, then the early departure fee has merit
They are no more "dinged" by someone checking out early, than by someone who cancels at 5pm or has an unguaranteed booking which they let lapse
The policy is there and definitely agree that they can charge it, but seems v flawed concept when its a booking type that can just do multiple occurrences as necessary