Originally Posted by
pinniped
I mean, true, nobody should be a jerk....but there are cases where the guest is GUARANTEED a late checkout, e.g. legitimately entitled to it, and the front desk either doesn't know or doesn't care. There's obviously an art to communicating this without being a total AH, but if it sometimes seems like a guest is acting "entitled", it could be because they legitimately are entitled to that benefit.
Most Marriotts, for example. A published guarantee for Plat and above, not "if available". There are clear exceptions, like vacation clubs and resort/convention hotels, but I've had FDC's argue with me on this even when it's clear-cut guaranteed, not subject to any exclusions.
(I realize early check-in is never guaranteed and always an "only if available" thing - usually a room that was empty the night before.)
And to add to the first comment, I never want to hear that my room isn't ready because of "too many late checkouts." Are you giving me a refund because my room isn't available until 5pm for my 3pm checkout? No. And the hotel should have known because it has X guests entitled to late checkout. So, for all the times my room isn't ready, if a room is ready, early, I expect to get it if it is clean and ready to go, at no extra charge.