Somebody said that Housekeeping should contact the desk first. Wrong. The desk relies on housekeeping to let them know who's checked out, since many people use express checkout, or just leave.

I am reminded of my experience years ago at the Grand Hyatt NY. The housekeepers there would unlock and start opening then door, THEN start rapping as it started to swing open. "Housekeeping!?"

Some years ago I was frequently staying at Extended Stays. They seem to have developed an official "bum's rush" policy. They would ask at checkin when you were leaving, call your room the night before checkout to confirm you were departing, call your room in the morning (first thing!), and even after telling them, "I'm checking out at noon," they'd call back AGAIN later in the morning. I quit using Extended Stay.