do you check out of hotels?
 

I once forgot to check out and nothing happened, so now I generally don't bother checking out. They send me the bill and if I notice anything wrong (very rarely), I call the manager and sort it out.

Is there a downside to not checking out? I guess it kind of screws the hotel because they don't know they can clean the room and give it someone else. Is that the only downside?

In the US I don't check out and I keep the key, if it's electronic.

Last month I stayed in 3 hotels in Europe and had to check out to get the bill and turn in the metal keys.

I always check out unless I'm in a hurry, mostly to check the bill. It's easier to get things fixed on the spot than to try to do it remotely afterward.

I do to make sure that the bill looks correct. If they slip it under my door I could go on my way without checking out, but I need the feeling of closure. :p

Same here. Plus, there's been a few times when the hotels got my billing wrong. It's always easier to stop by the front desk or call 0 (if I have time) and fix it before I leave than to do it via phone later.

You take the risk of late check out charges depending on the hotel. If they did, you have no proof that you did not stay late.

If the bill under the door is correct, I'll always use the phone/tv checkout unless I plan to be back soon and have a question.
If there was an issue with anything of course I'd try to rectify it when checking out - and remain loyal to the site according ot my satisfaction. :cool:

I always check out so I can get a zero-balance bill (required by some of the organizations I contract with) and so I can have the bill immediately in order to submit my travel reimbursement request. I don't like to wait for the hotel to mail me a bill, it holds up my check!

I need the closure. Usually it's a pass by the front desk on the way to breakfast and yell my room number. If they've got a problem they'll find me.

If possible, I always check-out through the TV as well. I would inspect my account, and if everything looks good, would check out that way. I much prefer bypassing the front desk as much as possible.

If they slip the bill under the door and it looks correct I never bother checking out. Haven't had any problems with late checkout fees.

That's what I do as well. Except today at the lousy Doubletree Sacramento, when it took me five minutes to get the one person working the front desk at 8am to stop working with the tempermental customer in front of her long enough to catch my room number.

Ditto.

I usually check out via the TV, but if that function isn't working or isn't available at the hotel, I skip checkout.

As a true FT style I normally check out in person to make sure that all my certs have been applied correctly and that all the appropriate bonuses or airline affiliations are notated on the folio.