Checking out early - fee?
Dec 8, 2018, 9:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,846
Checking out early - fee?
I'm currently staying at a Renaissance. I got an earlier flight to head home from a trip direct on Sunday night instead of connecting Monday morning flight. Will they charge an early departure fee? Is it better to just check out on the app the next morning to avoid any risk?
Dec 9, 2018, 12:32 am
#3
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
I see the early departure fee a lot at Hiltons, but haven't encountered it yet at Marriotts. Just depart before check out time, and the balance of the stay should not be charged. I would tell the FD, since app check outs sometimes do nothing.
Dec 9, 2018, 3:30 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott LTT & Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 88
I'm not sure if this applies to you but:
A handful of time a year I will book Monday night and Tuesday night. I will leave the hotel anywhere from 5:00p - 11:59 pm Monday night. I'm not charged any fee, I just pay for Monday and Tuesday nights.
A handful of time a year I will book Monday night and Tuesday night. I will leave the hotel anywhere from 5:00p - 11:59 pm Monday night. I'm not charged any fee, I just pay for Monday and Tuesday nights.
Dec 9, 2018, 5:32 am
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
When I've seen the early departure fees, it tends to be a USA large city hotel, often a convention or convention-like property. The charge tends to be $25-50, so it's less than paying for a night. AFAIK this would not apply to a prepaid rate, nor if you change your departure date at check in.
Dec 9, 2018, 5:57 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
OP - What does your rate say? What happened to someone else someplace else is irrelevant to what you agreed to.
Just compare what it will cost to check out early with what it will cost to simply pay for the night and pick the cheaper alternative.
Even if there is a fee, it may not be much. If the property is suddenly in need of the room, it may even waive the fee to get you out if you can agree to leave by a certain time.
Just compare what it will cost to check out early with what it will cost to simply pay for the night and pick the cheaper alternative.
Even if there is a fee, it may not be much. If the property is suddenly in need of the room, it may even waive the fee to get you out if you can agree to leave by a certain time.
Dec 9, 2018, 6:17 am
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
Yes, compare the costs, but at this time of year, some folks need extra nights for status, so it might make sense in some cases to just discretely leave a day early, pay for the last night, and get one more night credit. The difference between the room rate (including tax of course) and the early departure fee can be less than the cost of the cheapest available mattress run.
Dec 9, 2018, 6:51 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,846
I've used the app several times to check out. What do you mean they sometimes do nothing?
Dec 9, 2018, 7:04 am
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
Then there's no problem. The early departure fee applies when you decide to leave early rather than paying for your entire reservation period. Moreover, to guarantee a 6 pm checkout at the time of reservation, you would need to pay for the night anyway, so you're not really checking out early.
I've taken advantage of the fifth night free to get either a very early check in or very late check out for hotels in Asia.
I've taken advantage of the fifth night free to get either a very early check in or very late check out for hotels in Asia.
Dec 9, 2018, 7:38 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 1
It will depend
Fees may depend on the kind of rate you booked and how you booked (directly with hotel Vs third party) . There is no general rule.
The easiest is to simply talk to the front desk and they will tell you right away.
The hotel may be more open to waiving fees if you booked directly (i.e. via hotel website or call centre) vs. a third party. With certain third parties the hotel has no control over payment as you already paid your travel agent (which isn't necessarily doing business with the hotel directly but via intermediaries) There are also fees for the hotel related to third party bookings which they will pass on to you in which case it may be also more difficult to waive fees.
So best, talk to the front desk and for the future consider booking directly with the hotel to avoid any issues or complications.
The easiest is to simply talk to the front desk and they will tell you right away.
The hotel may be more open to waiving fees if you booked directly (i.e. via hotel website or call centre) vs. a third party. With certain third parties the hotel has no control over payment as you already paid your travel agent (which isn't necessarily doing business with the hotel directly but via intermediaries) There are also fees for the hotel related to third party bookings which they will pass on to you in which case it may be also more difficult to waive fees.
So best, talk to the front desk and for the future consider booking directly with the hotel to avoid any issues or complications.
Dec 9, 2018, 8:54 am
#12
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
Checking out a day or two early has never been a problem. I let the front desk know the day before usually, or whenever I know I'm going to leave. I've never been charged a night or a fee in over 20 years. If you plan on staying in the room past 4:00 PM (or whatever checkout time you have) then you will have to pay either a day rate or the rate for the night, but for evening flights, just hang out in the lobby or lounge until it's time to go.
Dec 9, 2018, 9:38 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,993
There is certainly no fee on top of the charge for the night. Where there is an "early check-out fee", it's to make up for the revenue lost by not charging you for the night that is missed. Since you paid with points and it's the free night, I can't see how there would be a fee.
If you need the night credit, just leave - they'll check you out the next day. There's really no need to check out online.
If you don't need the night, you could tell them you're leaving so they can use the room in an emergency. 6pm is probably too late to resell, but they may have a late walk-in or an oversell.
If you need the night credit, just leave - they'll check you out the next day. There's really no need to check out online.
If you don't need the night, you could tell them you're leaving so they can use the room in an emergency. 6pm is probably too late to resell, but they may have a late walk-in or an oversell.
Dec 9, 2018, 12:08 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: WN F9 HA UA AA IHG HH MR
Posts: 3,305
It seems to be property specific, but I've used the app to check in/ make requests/ check out and have the FD not receive the message, or it vanished down the rabbit hole. With a situation such as checking out early, I would not depend on the app to make that known.