Originally Posted by
SPN Lifer
Sometimes after an hour or two (or less) the front desk clerk gets tired of you sitting in the lobby with your luggage using your cell phone.
Especially if you are sitting on the floor against the wall.
That certainly works at the Sheraton in AMS, who are somewhat hit-or-miss with early flight arrivals. They almost always try for an up-charge for early check-in or lounge access, wording it as your choice of one or the other as elite benefit. Used your method the last time and magically a room became available within 30 minutes, so paid for neither. Next week I'm not expecting to have an issue due to afternoon arrival.
The only improvement to this strategy is to have a couple of small children along - preferably one a screaming baby in a stroller and the other a rambunctious toddler tearing around the lobby.
Of course we're much too old for this to work now but it definitely has in the past.