Checking in and not staying
 

I was wondering, if am trying to get a couple more nights, can I check into a hotel for 4 nights and then just leave? Does it matter if housekeeping know that nobody is staying in that room?

As long as you check in, shouldn't matter. If you want to feel better about it, go to the room and mess up the bedding a bit.

I have done this before. Needed 1 night to complete "4 stays at 4 hotel brands" of my loyalty chain. I was lucky that the hotel was only 300 metres from my workplace, and even though I didn't sleep there, I used the "free included breakfast" the next morning, which also allowd me to freshen up before heading off to work. It was a great way to start the day :D.

Use Caution
 

I've worked in a couple different hotels, so I wanted to mention some possible problems you might encounter in this situation. As Enigma01au states, checking in but not staying for a 1-night stay is not a problem. But, trying to get a 4-night stay credit will likely be difficult.

People leaving hotels early without informing the Front Desk by checking out is common (especially for hotels that cater to the business travel market). Housekeeping will usually alert the Front Desk if they don't see any personal belongings in the room. Although the hotel may try to contact the guest, they probably will just check out the guest. Hotels do this because a checked-in but unoccupied room generally leads to a disputed charge.

I can think of two ways to make this work:

1) Talk to the Front Desk Manager and tell him/her what you are doing. Most of the time, the hotel won't care. I'd even go as far as telling the Manager to put you in the worst room so you affecting other guests. The only potential issue is if the hotel is sold old. In a sold-out situation, the hotel would prefer a live person over you, since that live person might generate other revenue (like room service).

2) Check in, go to the room and put the Do Not Disturb sign out. Just doing that might work at some hotels. But, in my first hotel, we had an Executive Housekeeper that tracked everything. After a room had a Do Not Disturb on for more than a day, she would send security to check the room to ensure the guest hadn't had a medical emergency. If you don't want use option 1 above, you can put the Do Not Disturb on and call the Housekeeping Department to let them know you won't need service during your stay. Then, call the hotel on your check-out date and tell them you left but forgot to take down the Do Not Disturb sign. (Technically, that last part is optional...but, it does make things easier on the Front Desk.)

My post might be excessive, based on your simple question. Still, I figured understanding the hotel perspective might be helpful. If you need to earn stay credits before the end of the year, avoiding any potential problems might be good since there are only 3 weeks left before 2012.

As suggested, you could talk to them.

However, I have reserved rooms for months at a time and left for 3-4 days at a time to go home and never told them or checked out. No problem. To much trouble loading up the bags just for a long weekend trip and all... Perhaps the baggage helped, who knows..

It is type of hotel dependent as well.
Extended stay suites ( Staybridge, ESA etc) no worries as they are used to people coming and not occupying room for consecutive nights. In fact some do not even give everyday housekeeping or you can decline housekeeping
Hyatt, Marriott etc more risk

I have done this and like others said just put out the Do not disturb sign. I left the key cards in the room and just called to check out. Take a shower and mess up the bed, no one would ever know or care. I've also booked packages a couple of times for 7 days and left for 3-4 days to tour the country and came back the last day to catch a flight back home. Good luck

writerguyfl,
Thanks I greatly appreciate your insight from the hotel side.

Some great input from everyone here! Your responses have been very helpful.

Anyone ever pull this off remotely? Calling in to "check in" and just explaining to the manager what you are doing. Is that possible?

This thread is not appropriate for MilesBuzz! so I'm going to close it. If the OP wants to try this with a particular hotel chain he/she can pose this question on the appropriate forum. Thanks.

Re-opening since I couldn't find another "home" for this thread. :)

Can anyone answer the question posted above?

Thank you for re-opening. Sorry I don't have an answer to the question.

Mr Pickles made reference via Twitter of doing this about a week ago but didn't provide any clues about how he did it. So evidently it is possible.

how about checking in, hanging the do not disturb sign on the door, on the last day go back and take the dnd sign off.

colleagues stay all the time and never have the maids touch the room, heck I have even done it.

Many of the projects i work on are overnights, so i am commonly im my room during the day with the DND on for my entire stay. I'd just check in and put the DND on the door. They'll come in on check out day to make up the room and will check you out then...

I do think many of the hotel companies require you physically be there to check in and swipe your card. I know some folks have work arounds but if you don't swipe you may not earn.

If you have a relationship with a GM they can work with you on it but trying to do it via prepaid and no show can be risky.

As for not staying in the room that you check into, advising the GM or having a note on your account that you may be in and out would be helpful, although I have not done it.

If they get their revenue and you communicate, I suspect most GMs would be reasonable and work with you.