Does Marriott offer late checkout?
 

I'm thinking about leaving Starwood. For me the best feature about having Starwood Gold status is the 4pm late checkout. Does Marriott rewards offer this benefit to their Silver or Gold members?

Thanks!

As a Platinum, I have always been able to get late check-outs whenever I wanted them. I suspect that Gold and Silvers can, too, but I don't believe it's guaranteed.

Bruce

I don't think it's guaranteed either ("subject to availability"). However, if you let them know ahead of time, you can usually stay until 4 PM. Also, some Marriott hotels have a "linger longer" rate that is a reduced rate if you need longer time i.e. redeye flight or something. I think it's a % of the room rate or a flat $50 or $100 -can't remember.

Priority Late Checkout for all MR elite members
 

Travel schedules can be unpredictable, so we offer you priority for late checkout. Simply call the front desk the morning of checkout and let them know your planned departure time. Available at all Marriott hotels except Marriott Vacation Club International and Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club. Time limits vary by location.

Elite membership benefits

AAJunkie,

Marriott does offer "Priority Late Checkout" as a benefit to all elite levels. Simply call the front desk the morning of checkout and let them know your planned departure time. This benefit is available at all Marriott hotels except Marriott Vacation Club International and Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club. Checkout time varies by location.

In practice, I have found that all hotels will fight you on this - almost every time. MR, HH, and SPG - I'm Gold in all three, and have the same experience with all three. If you want a 2PM check-out, ask for 4PM and you will probably be able to haggle down to 2PM. Don't make the 2PM request your opening gambit or else you'll get stuck with 1PM. The whole process of getting a late check-out always feels like buying a used car (including the "I need to talk with my manager" part), even on days where the hotel is obviously not sold out the following night.

Don't mean to burst anyone's bubble...I think Marriott has a fine rewards program...but I wouldn't make a switching decision between any of the big three programs based on late checkouts. It's simply too random and very subject to your own ability to negotiate with the particular staff on that day.

While I agree with pinniped, my experience has been very pleasant in this area. I have received the late check time that I requested every time, with out the negotiations. I'm sure however, that it was always dependent on the property and how booked they were the next night.

I don't strongly disagree with pinniped, but my experiences have been more relaxed than that. When I need a late checkout, I ask for what I need and usually can get it. Once in a while I get into a negotiation, but there seems to be a good reason for it -- like the hotel has a big convention arriving or something like that. It's never arbitrary, as far as I can tell.

Bruce

In fairness to Marriott, I'll add this:
(1) I always login to Marriott.com and check to see that the hotel is not actually sold out before I ask for a late checkout. (Yes, I know they can oversell hotels, but most of the time I'm doing this on either a Sunday or a Friday and it's pretty obvious that the hotel is not oversold.)
(2) The end result is typically good: I hardly ever get fully denied the late checkout. I usually talk to the manager, ask for what I need plus an hour, and end up getting what I want "as an exception for you, this one time only, even though I'm not supposed to do this."

I have had really bad luck with late checkouts and marriott. I was in Key West at a Courtyard and they would not allow it at all. Not even an hour. I was in NYC at the Marquis and they also would not allow it. Those are the only 2 I have requested.

Late Checkout
 

Great idea checking the following night's availability before asking for late checkout ^ . That is a huge factor in the front desk decision to give you the time you need. In my experience, being Diamond at Hilton gets me 2pm, no problem about 80% of the time, although I rarely ask for/receive later than 3pm. As a Silver with Marriott, I bat about about 50% with getting my preferred 2pm time.

Always start at 3pm, and it makes the desk seem like we are compromising....I agree, never START with the time you really desire :) .

The other factor involved is the size/brand of hotel. Your typical CY, FI or RI has limited housekeeping abilities. Also, in the case of a suite/full kitchen brand, more details to freshen and clean. If a hotel has housekeeping staff 24/7 it should be a no brainer to get a mid afternoon checkout (ie a Renaissance or Marriott). If sometimes I get flak, I will jokingly mention that there were housekeepers on my floor when I checked in or were doing turn down service.

Again, from my glorious front desk Hampton Inn days, our owner wanted housekeepers GONE ASAP, so we were never to give later than 1pm, even if you were 5X Diamond :D . If we were slow, and you had a room type that was popular, I could go to 2pm....again if I was certain we could just leave the room unrented and just clean it the following day. Believe me, that was rare, but I tried....(popular = many in room inventory)....

6PM checkouts to Everyone!!

When its coming to Late Check-out courtesy, InterContinental Ambassadors have the benefit as they are entitled to a late check out time of 4:00 pm.

On the other side of the coin---
A couple of years ago in Bangkok---A young couple checked in late, shortly after midnight, when we also arrived. I observed them 'negotiating" for nearly two days with every associate in the hotel that they should not pay (ANYTHING) for the first night because they didn't get into their room until after 12:00 a.m. Numerous flights from NRT don't arrive in BKK until around 11:00p.m.

"Late checkout", who needs a "Late check-out"??? :confused:
What everyone really needs is an "early-late check-in"!!! ;)
Or would that be a "late-early check-in"??? :confused:

Nice vacation for the dude's "main squeeze" though, listening to him cry for 4 or 5 days!!!

Automatically? Guaranteed? (Is Ambassador a high-elite level in Priority Club?)

Check out as late as 4 pm is a published IC Ambassador benefit (only valid in ICs). The initial fee of $ 150,--/ year goes with a complimentary weekend night certificate and give you basic status (= Ambassador) within IC and mid tier (= gold) status within PC. IC top tier is Royal Ambassador (by invitation only).

"PARDON ME, BOYS"!!! :rolleyes:
"Is this the Intercontinental CHOO-CHOO"??? :confused:
"Get back on track, Jack"!!! ;)

Unless we are all going over to the IC at noon, to spend a few extra hours, and request a late check-out, who cares??? :confused:

Last time I checked, this was a Marriott forum, and I've never had any trouble "hanging around" in my room as long as I wanted. ^

Well, it might be valuable data for someone considering a program change with late checkouts as Priority #1. If you pay $150 for the program, it sounds like the late checkouts are pretty much guaranteed - even if the hotel is full. From reading the IC website, it looks like Ambassador probably trumps all "normal" levels of Priority Club when it comes to stuff like late checkout.

Assuming you can use that free weekend night at a top-shelf hotel, it's almost like a free uber-status. :)

Of course, I've never stayed in an Intercontinental Hotel, whereas Marriotts are everywhere, so again I go back to my initial opinion that I wouldn't pick a program solely because of late checkout opportunities.

Again, this is a Marriott forum. As a Platinum I've never been denied any request, for anything, at any Marriott hotel that we've stayed at. That includes "late check-outs"!
But then, gratuities nearing the IC program guarantee fee @ each hotel, every stay, probably helps!!! ;)

At the Zurich Marriott last month, we requested (and were granted) a late checkout, then had to answer a couple of phone calls and someone banging on the door (ignoring the DND sign) wanting to know why we were still in the room.


The same thing has happened to me at other, non-Marriott properties. I think in general, hotels aren't good about letting housekeeping know when you're checking out. I've almost given up on requesting late checkouts. It certainly doesn't seem to allow you to get any extra rest.

"YA, SHUR"!!! ^
That was just OLGA!!! :eek:
"Ya, Shur", she always does this around noon!!! :rolleyes:
Can't break her of this habit!!! :o
"Ya, Shur, Vat ve gonna do, vit her"??? :confused:

My experiences have always left me feeling as if I were lucky to get a 1:00 checkout... But then again, I'm only a silver....(and soon-to-be spg PLT...even if I gave Marriott all my nights for the year I wouldn't make Gold)

Wow, thanks for all the informative replies!

Besides the late checkout, I feel that Marriott has many more (quality) properties. Finding a decent SPG hotel (I refuse to stay at Four Points) in the areas I travel to has been difficult and often inconvenient.

Again, thanks very much for the opinions and comments.

I think it really depends on whether the property is full. Hotels nickel and dime for lots of things, but this doesn't seem to be one of them.

For what it's worth, i had no problems last week - simply told them I would be checking out at 4pm and that was that.

We must be really lucky! I am just a "run of the mill" loyalty card holder and have never been denied late check out.

In a select service hotel NJ Rob hit the nail on the head with aside of being sold out the biggest issue is the staffing. If you are at a select service hotel and their Hskp. staff leaves at say 3PM or 4PM and the hotel is full or even almost full it really will not matter if you are 50X PLT you're not going to get much past 1 or 2 PM. At Full-Service this is pretty much as already mentioned a moot point.

So far, I've batted 1.000 for late checkouts. The exchange almost always goes something like this over the phone:
Me: "Good morning, I'd like to do late checkout today."
Desk: "Fine sir, we can check you out at 1pm."
Me: "Can I check out at (3pm)," always negotiating an hour longer than needed.
Desk: "Sorry, we can only do 2pm."
Me: "I am a Gold member."
Desk: "Just one minute, sir" (always a 5-10 sec hold time). "Sure, 3pm it is."
Me: "Thank you."

Late check-out what's that?
 

I am a Marriott Platinum and I usually don't need a late check-out. My best late check out occurred at the Marriott Waikiki. I had a suite overlooking the beach, when I called and requested late check out due to a red-eye flight they asked me what time I would like to check out and when I said 7:00pm I expected them to balk or charge me, instead they said, "No problem!" My experience with the front desk of a full service Marriott in the southwest (not a resort) was completely the opposite and went like this when I asked for late check-out last Friday:
"Front Desk"
"Yes, good morning this is Mark L in room 812, I would like to have a late check out today at 4:00PM."
"I am sorry sir, the latest we can check you out is 12:00pm."
"But late check-out is a platinum benefit. I need the late check out as I have a late flight today."
"Hold on for a minute."
"Hi, this is Katrina XXXx, the front desk supervisor, how can I help you, Mr. L."
"I would like to request my Platinum benefit of a late check-out today."
"I am sorry, Mr. L, but the latest we can offer you is 12:00pm."
"So you are refusing me the platinum benefit."
"As I am sure you know, Platinum benefits such as late check-out and upgrades are left to the discretion of the individual hotel and we choose to extend check out by one hour for our elite guests. If you would like to check-out after that I will have to charge you for another night."
"Will the GM be into today, I would like to discuss it with him."
"He's supposed to be in at 11:00am today. I would be happy to have him contact you when he arrives, but he is the one who set up the policy, so I doubt he will change it for you. Should I have him call your room?"
"I'll be working here, until I hear from him."
So 11:00am arrives and then 12:00pm and there is no call. At 12:45 I review my folio on the TV and the front desk has indeed posted charges of $159 for another night plus taxes. I call down to the front desk and ask to speak to the GM. I get Katrina, who states, "Mr. L, I spoke with the GM and he is standing by his policy. Since it is now after the 12:00pm check out you were originally offered, I will have to charge you for another night. You can now check out whenever you wish up to 11:00am tomorrow morning, Mr. L."
I called the Platinum desk and they indicated the hotels are permitted to establish their own policies with regards to certain Platinum benefits and late check out is subject to availability. They also said if the check out policy was communicated to me prior to the check out time, there was nothing they could do. I stayed in my room until 4:00pm and went to check out. My bill reflected the additional nights charge. Katrina was not there, but there was a note in my file indicating that I was aware of the charge for the late check out and it was not to be removed. I asked to speak to the GM, who was "unavailable." I asked for his card and called him from my cell and left him a nice detailed message. He has not returned my call. Everything else about my stay at this hotel was uneventful (and no, I wasn't upgraded.)
I have written a letter to Mr. Marriott's office and will mail it after my cc statement arrives and I determine if they did in fact charge me for an additional night which I intend to dispute.
This has really soured my opinion of Marriott and how they have been treating their most loyal customers lately.

Late Checkouts
 

I'm batting about .023 on getting late checkouts as well.

The places where I really need the late checkout are the ones that seem to be least likely to provide it (particulary when I'm on vacation and don't want to sit in the airport all day the day of departure).

My experiences have been like FormerUAConsultant's...this is a paper policy when push comes to shove, and the hotels will simply not grant it as it's their discretion.

I was married over the summer and spent the night of my wedding at a Marriott, and they threatened me with the same (charging an additional night) if I wasn't out of my room on time. They even sent people to my room to enforce this.

One of the virtues of this board is to share experiences so that we might know what type of treatment to expect at particular properties. Since the treatment you receive is not necessarily generic to all Marriotts, please share with us which property treated you in this way.

Stayed at the full service marriott in Dowtown Indianapolis. I believe this was the only time in my career as a Marriot Rewards Member (1 year and roughly 200 nights strong). I had absolutely no problem requesting a late checkout as a gold (2PM), but then again in this overwhelmingly conference-centric city, I doubt Fridays are very busy.

I reviewed my credit card statement online today and the charge did show up. I do not want to jeopardize my chances of getting this resolved by naming the specific hotel. I will say it was one of the full service Marriotts in Phoenix and it was not a resort or JW.

I feel for you - that is a really dumb thing for Marriott to do. It does not make any business sense for them to fight you so hard over a late checkout just to win 1 night's room revenue. If they end up winning in the end, they lose because you probably flee to SPG or HH. If you're paying $159/nt. for a hotel room in PHX, you are clearly on business and therefore one of Marriott's valuable customers - regardless of your status level.

If Marriott continues to bong you, you could probably contest the charge with your CC company. Legally, they might still have you - after all, the front desk laid down the law for you before the charge happened, as mean-spirited as it is. However, chances are it'll be a different Marriott employee processing the disputed charge paperwork, and if there is a well-reasoned explanation of what happened that person might just do the reasonable, human thing and allow the disputed amount to be reversed.

Yesterday - Residence Inn Washington - I (silver) requested a 4pm late checkout (3pm would have worked for brunch and then back to clean up, but asked for 4pm just to be safe). Was told I could have 1:30, otherwise pay for half a day for 4pm.

No thanks.

Sheraton Fourpoints (gold) down the street has been OK with Sunday 4pm the last few times there.

Two weeks ago I requested a late checkout to 4 PM and was told "NO problem", but you will be charged half the daily room rate (even though I was a Life-Platinum) in the HGA program. I told them "NO Problem, I'll check out at noon, store my bags with the bell staff and have a late lunch.

I have never had a problem requesting a late check-out with Marriott. I usually call the front-desk the day before I need to check-out and explain the situation. It's usually because a meeting has been moved or something else outside my control. Even when it's just because I was running late the morning of, I've found Marriott to be quite accommodating. This could just be my personal experience though.

1konsultant

Guarantee or Not?
 

I've read though the treads and I didn't see anyone asking for or getting compensated when denied Late Check Out. Doesn't that apply here? Or is it since Marriott calls it Priority Late Check Out, that it's not guaranteed?

I just had a stay where I was able to catch a late flight out of town and wanted to keep the room a bit later than Noon. Called to the front desk and asked for a 3pm check out. I was told normally they go as late as 1:30 but she would check can call back. When she called back I was told no, that I had to check out by Noon.

When I stopped by the front desk to check out I asked for the manager and he was not available. I explained my view that Late Check Out was a benefit of of the MR program and that compensation was due if not delivered. She said no one was there that could authorize that. I took names and eMail addresses to write them.

Am I missreading the MR benefits? I realize their situation, but if they aren't going to deliver, or if each property has the ability to ignore it, why offer it?

Its not part of the guaranteed benefits. The T&C states that time limits vary by location.