Adding an extra night for a late flight
 

I've booked 'extra' nights when I've arrived very early (i.e. booked the night before my arrival to ensure that I could get into my room at 7am) and just made sure to note my arrival time on the reservation. However, I'm thinking the opposite on an upcoming trip.

My flight leaves around midnight and it is worth it to me to pay for that night's hotel room so that I have access to the room and shower into the evening - I know that they'd store my bags, but I'd like the room and shower and I cannot get a late check out that late.

Is this doable? How do I deal with check out (since it would be the evening before I am due to check out)?

It depends on the hotel. You could just talk to the front desk staff and have them ready the bill early... and basically go through the same steps as a normal check out. I had a 29 day stay at a RI and it actually came out cheaper to have a 30 day stay instead, and I worked it out with them - left a day early but the 'official' check out was at the 30 day mark.

If the hotel has a fitness center with showers, that may be an option, if they choose to be nice. I've done this once for an 11pm flight: I checked out that day and left my bags at the front desk for a few hours. I went out until it was about that time... then I asked them nicely to let me use the fitness facilities to take a shower and they were ok with it. I showered, got my bags and left for the airport. ;)

When I was in Prague in May, I had booked all of our wedding guests into the Renaissance. One of my friends had given me the wrong date for his flight home, meaning he had an extra night booked that he didn't really need. His flight was around 9pm so he kept the room for that day and then went to check out at around 7pm. The desk clerk said 'but you're supposed to be staying tonight as well' and he explained what had happened. The clerk only charged him a nominal amount for that last day as he had checked out early.

I would either call the hotel before or have a word with the front desk when you get there. I'm sure it would not be a problem.

You can always do it - whether it's worth it is up to you.

I always do this on the back end of a 7-night award if I have a redeye flight. To me, it's worth it in that case. If it were a full-revenue stay, I'd probably look for another option, such as the fitness center or even paying the basic entry fee to the spa.

Some hotels will also work with you on a half-day rate at the end of your stay, which might effectively get you an early-evening checkout and your late-day shower.

Just leave. Setup your Marriott profile to have your final bill emailed to you. Or call Marriott after the fact and they will email or fax your final bill to you.
I haven't stopped by a front desk for checkout in 10 years unless there is an issue. Even with the receipt slipped under the door in the middle of the night, people feel compelled to formally "checkout", I've never understood that.

Being cheap, I'd try to avoid paying for the night with some of the excellent suggestions above. Asking for a later checkout and using the pool/spa facilities are great ideas. Most pools have locker room / shower facilities too.

I forgot to mention that the Renaissance Prague actually offers this service on it's Virtual Concierge service.

I think I'll go with the "just leave" option - pricing it out, it is actually CHEAPER to stay the extra night (since it qualifies for some specials).

Thanks!

On normal stays, there's no reason to visit the front desk. But when I am leaving in the middle of the evening, I *do* visit the front desk - and tell them to formally check me out, print my final bill, and close out my account to future incidental charges.

It's not unusual at all for people to do this. Especially in cities where late-night departures are commonplace (Hawaii, etc.).

I usually swing by the front desk when checking out as a courtesy just to let them know I'm leaving and they can clean the room. If there is a line I skip it though.

That's a idea & courtsey I never thought of, thanks. I wonder just how that info gets transferred up to the cleaning crews though.

In my experiences, the crew is already on the floor when I leave with checklists of who is checking out that day. Several times, they have seen me exit on "departure day" and I've come a few minutes later to use the bathroom or pick something up and they are all over the room already.

For the most part, this information isn't transferred to the housekeepers. This is why you get those knocks on your door if you don't have your do not disturb sign out.

I never stop by the front desk unless there is a billing issue or special request. Just because you checkout with a person doesn't mean the hotel won't bill post-stay charges to your account (real or mistaken).

Right, because they think you may have left without checking out at the front desk.

Whenever asking for a late check out at the front desk, they type something into the computer. I always assumed this info could be seen up on the floors by the cleaning crew. Also, when arriving early or requesting an upgrade, the front desk can see which rooms have been cleaned and which ones have not been. There has to be some sort of link between the front desk and the floors.

No big deal either way. As I pass the front desk, without even stopping, I just yell something like "checking out of 810, thanks"