Originally Posted by
AMDB7
I have to say that this is not something I have experienced at all. Mostly, whenever I check in to any hotel it's after the published check-in time in any case, but on the frequent occasions over the years that I have arrived in the morning I have never been refused check-in purely on the basis of time. At least, not to my knowledge - I can't deny the possibility it may have happened and the reception staff shielded me from such a ridiculous rule by telling me that my room's not ready yet.
And of course I'm not just talking as an RA checking in at an IC. I'm talking of various chains/brands that I have experienced.
Seems to me that in a service industry like the hotel business, keeping the customer happy with any REASONABLE request is good business sense. I do the same with my customers (it's only the unreasonable ones I try and whittle out). So if a customer comes to me with a request that I can fulfil at little inconvenience and zero cost incurred, I'd be a mug to deny them; I bet my competitors wouldn't deny them.
Hotels are a business, so draw the line somewhere, mostly where too many requests occur, eg airport hotel where instead of 9am early checkin for you, hotel can sell day rooms instead for 08.00-18.00 then sell same room for an overnight stay.
For really early arrivals times, eg Cairo 3am, I book the night before to avoid problems when I am tired and just want my room without any discussions.
Agreed hotels more than likely say rooms are not ready yet as the easy option, so the answer from reception that time was refreshingly open/honest, maybe only mentioned as I stay there a lot and staff member did want to let me have room right away but couldn't.
I usually stay at ICs and CP's that have lounges, so if no room ready I usually get offered use of lounge and is no longer an issue at IC's due to my RA status. As long as I can leave luggage I am ok most times.
Post midday early checkins are almost never an issue unless hotel is full, checkins 1100-1200 sucess rate maybe only 33% excluding where hotel is full night before. I very rarely arrive earlier than 11am as I travel by air either evening or morning, and not by car/train.
Maybe some hotels checkin's are running older software systems , and the software might not cope with checking in of guests before 12noon due to software rather than other reasons.
(Similarly some hotels can not cope with post midnight checkins and one ends up with non-qual stays and no points and stats posting as a day-rate)