Originally Posted by
nonstarter
Yeah, you missed it because I never said it
from my OP: "would appreciate an early check-in if a room is available"
Of course I would expect to pay to guarantee a room. I simply wanted to put myself at the head of the queue for an empty room, should there be one. If they said no rooms, so be it. But I was surprised by a type of charge I had never heard of before.
Ah, then I stand by my original comment. If you're just asking for an early check-in and a room's available, it should be made to you at no additional cost, assuming you're not getting additional housekeeping services that day. If a hotel holds back some rooms for premium members, so be it, but, if rooms are sold "first come, first served", then I don't see any reason why you shouldn't get one that day. Now, if you're asking to be put "at the head of the queue" ahead of your arrival, I don't think they should honor that, especially if you have no standing with that chain. But, if you show up at the front desk at 7 am with a reservation for that night and they have a room ready, they should give it to you. There's no discernible cost to the hotel for doing that.