Will Hotels Let You Check-In Early? How to Ask and What to Expect
Will hotels let you check in early? If you’ve ever landed before noon and felt stranded with your luggage, you’re not alone.
If you travel often, especially internationally, one of the things you’ll inevitably have to deal with is arriving at your destination well before the usual check-in time. Question is, will hotels let you check-in early?
When you’re in the planning stages, it’s easy to think that you’ll be ready to hit the ground running but after traveling for several hours and potentially dealing with flight delays, it’s not so easy to push through, at least not with any level of enthusiasm.
This is when getting into your room early is a huge help. We want you to be prepared for everything so we’re going to go over how to request an early check-in, what to expect and what to do if you can’t get it, because there will be times when you can’t get it.
Long Story Short
- Request early check-in at the time of reservation
- Contact the property a couple of days before arrival by email or phone
- Be polite when requesting early access to your room when you arrive
- Sign up for loyalty programs in advance since members usually have priority
Can You Check In Early?
The short answer is yes, if it’s available. However, this answer comes with several exceptions and limitations which we’ll go into more detail about in this post.
Early hotel check-in is basically any time before the property’s standard check-in time which is typically between 2-4PM.
Requesting access to your room early is a common practice for travelers especially when traveling abroad to places like Europe since many flights arrive early in the morning.
Having a place to go when you arrive is ideal because it helps to deal with jet lag and fatigue. Plus, it gives you a secure place to keep your luggage and allows you to get settled in so you can relax, freshen up and begin exploring.
How Early Will A Hotel Let You Check In?
As we mentioned earlier, standard check- in times usually fall between 2-4pm.
If you’re hoping to get into your room early, how early they’ll allow you to check in is going to depend on the property, their policies and how busy they are when you arrive.
Generally speaking, if you’re looking to check in an hour or so before the normal time, they’ll usually try to accommodate you if there’s an available room. However, if you want to check in at 9am or 12pm, this may be a little more difficult.
Some of the hotel loyalty programs we belong to offer early room access as a benefit if it’s available. They tend to use 12pm as the earliest available check-in time so we generally use 12pm as the guideline for an acceptable time.
If you’re arriving any time before that, we highly recommend booking a pre-night, day room or coming up with a different plan altogether.
How To Request An Early Check-In
There are a few different ways to request an early check-in for all kinds of accommodations. We highly suggest using more than one just to be sure the request actually makes it to the appropriate people.
- Add a note to your reservation – If you’re booking online, there’s usually a section that allows you to add a note or special request so this is where you would want to mention that you’re arriving before check-in time. If you make your reservation over the phone or through a travel agent, ask whoever is making the reservation to put in the request for you.
- Email the property – Send an email to the property’s front desk as far in advance as possible to request early access to your room. We also suggest sending a follow up email a few days before you arrive.
- Contact the concierge – It’s very common when traveling internationally to contact the property’s concierge to see if your room can be ready earlier. We’ve had a lot of luck with this option.
- Use a mobile app – If you’re using a mobile app for check-in, this is a great time to try to get into your room early. Once the room is available for occupancy, you’ll receive a notification.
Factors That Affect Early Room Availability
Whether or not a room is available when you arrive is a key factor in determining your chances of getting into your room early. If there is, you’ll have a better chance of getting into your room before the normal check-in time.
If you’re visiting a destination during a peak travel time early room availability may not be an option. You might have a better chance if you’re arriving mid-week.
Keep in mind that there may be an additional fee to gain early access to your room so you should inquire about this prior to requesting it.
Does Early Check-In Cost Extra?
Although we’ve never been charged for early room access, there are accommodations that will charge a fee.
This will vary between hotel chains as well as individual properties. Some hotels are individually owned so their policies may differ from others within the same chain.
How much they charge will also vary. Some properties may charge a flat fee while others may charge by the hour. You’ll need to check with the individual properties for their policies.
Tips To Increase Chances Of An Early Check‑In
Getting into your room early isn’t always guaranteed but there are a few things you can do in advance to increase your chances of getting early access to your room.
Contact The Hotel In Advance
Email or call the hotel 2–3 days before arrival. By this time, they may have a better idea as to whether or not they’ll be able to accommodate you. If they can’t, you can make alternate arrangements.
Join Loyalty Programs
Some hotels allow early room access as a perk with their loyalty programs so it’s worth signing up. We belong to the Mandarin Oriental loyalty program and they offer a 12pm check-in as one of their perks to choose from.
It’s still not guaranteed but they tend to give loyalty members priority so you’ll probably have a better chance than someone who isn’t a member.
Check For Credit Card Perks
Many credit card companies also offer early check-in as a perk. Check to see if any of your credit cards offer this. This won’t be guaranteed but it’s another option for increasing your chances.
Arrive Politely and Ask
Once you arrive at your hotel, you can simply ask if a room is available before the normal check-in time. For this, there are two things to keep in mind. First, you need to be extremely polite because kindness goes a long way. Second, you should be prepared for them to say no and be okay with it.
Travel During Low Season
If you travel during the low season you’ll have a better chance of a property accommodating your request since they’ll likely have empty rooms available.
Upgrade or Downgrade Your Room
It’s possible that when you arrive there may not be a room available in the category you booked. If that’s the case, inquire about upgrading or downgrading your room category. Keep in mind that an upgrade will be at an additional cost.
Stay at a Luxury Property
Consider staying at a 5-star property. Many luxury hotels try to go above-an-beyond for their guests so if a room is available, you might have a good chance of being able to check-in early.
What To Do If Early Check-In Isn’t Available
On those occasions when you’re not able to get into your room early, you’ll want to have a backup plan at the ready. There are several options available for you, some that require advance planning and others that don’t.
Ask The Hotel To Store Your Luggage
Most hotels will happily store your luggage for you until you’re able to check-in. You can use the time to go and grab some breakfast or lunch.
If you go this route, be sure to have a daypack with anything you might need. We’ve done this for early arrivals as well as on the day of departure and we’ve never had anyone say no.
Use Hotel Amenities
Many properties will allow you to use their facilities while they store your luggage. We usually do this if we’re staying at a resort with restaurants and swimming pools.
Grab some lunch, sit by the pool, order a drink and it’ll be check-in time before you know it! Just be sure to have essentials like bathing suits and sunscreen handy.
Start Your Sightseeing Early
You always have the option to start checking things off your must-see list. It’s a great time to get a head start on your sightseeing.
You can also explore the area and scope out possible restaurants and coffee shops that you’d like to try. More than likely, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel until check-in is available.
Book A Pre-Night: Guaranteed But More Expensive
One of the most common things to do, especially in Europe, is to book a pre-night which is essentially booking the night before you arrive so the room is ready when you get there. It’s more expensive but it is an option for anyone who wants to be guaranteed a room when they arrive.
You’ll want to let the hotel know in advance that this is what you’re doing so they don’t cancel your reservation.
Book a Day Room
This is another option if you want to be guaranteed a room when you arrive but at a slightly lower price.
You’ll generally find accommodations at or near the airports that offer day room rates. Usually the way it works is that you pay a rate, usually lower than what it would cost you for a pre-night at your regular hotel, and you’ll have access to the room for a specific number of hours.
We’ve found that the hours are usually between 9am and 5pm but this might vary. There have been times when we arrived before the 9am check-in time and it wasn’t an issue.
This has been one of our go-to options for early arrivals if we want a guaranteed place to go when we arrive at our destination early in the morning. This allowed us to nap and shower before heading to our regular hotel for check-in.
Day rooms are also great for really long layovers. We had a long layover in London before our flight to Slovenia (7am to 2pm) so we booked a day room at the airport hotel. This allowed us to rest and shower before our flight. By the time we arrived in Slovenia, we were ready to go!
Airport Lounge
Some airlines have arrival lounges at certain airports. For example, British Airways and American Airlines have arrival lounges in London Heathrow.
You usually need to be flying business or first class or have credit card or member status to gain access. In addition, some lounges don’t allow you to bring guests so this isn’t ideal if you’re traveling with others.
We flew business class on Singapore Airlines to Bangkok with a long layover in Singapore. Since we had a tour planned for when we arrived, we used our lounge access in Singapore to shower so we were refreshed and ready to go when we arrived in Bangkok.
We were still a bit tired but being able to shower after a long flight works wonders for anyone.
Find Baggage Storage
If you find out that early check in isn’t available before you arrive, you can always look for a storage locker for your luggage. Many places around the world offer this service. You can explore the area and then grab your luggage and head to the hotel at the normal check-in time.
Honestly, rather than paying for baggage storage, I would check with your hotel first. They’ll usually store the luggage free-of-charge.
Our Suggestions When Requesting Early Check-In
Early check in is never guaranteed unless you book a pre-night so here are some tips to keep in mind.
- Always Confirm Check-In Time When Booking – You always want to confirm check-in and check-out times prior to booking your stay.
- Mention Arrival Time During The Booking Process – Accommodations will often request your arrival time during the booking process. This is a good time to mention an early arrival time.
- Keep Toiletries And A Change Of Clothes In Your Carry-On – We always suggest keeping a change of clothes in your carry-on for a couple of different reasons. First, if you arrive at the property and you’re not able to check-in right away, you’ll at least have something to change into whether it’s a bathing suit or dinner outfit. Second, if the airline loses your luggage, you’ll have some extra clothes available.
- Be Respectful – It’s important to be respectful at all times when traveling but especially when you’re making a special request. No one will want to help you if you have a rude, condescending and entitled attitude.
FAQs
Hopefully, we’ve answered most of your questions regarding early hotel check-in. Just in case, here are our answers to other common questions about early check-ins.
Is it okay to check into a hotel early?
It’s okay to check into a hotel early, but there’s no guarantee that the they will honor the request. If you plan to arrive very early, it’s best to contact the them in advance.
How do I ask my hotel for an early check-in?
You can request early access to your room by adding a note to your reservation at the time of booking. Unfortunately, this won’t be guaranteed but it can’t hurt. We suggest that you follow-up with an email or phone call a couple of days prior to arrival as well.
Are there hotels that let you check-in early?
Yes, most hotels will allow you to check-in early if a room is available. However, some may charge a fee. It’s best to contact the property in advance to find out what their policy is.
In A Nutshell: Will Hotels Let You Check-In Early?
The short answer to the question “Will hotels let you check in early?” is yes, they will. However, it will likely come down to room availability. Your best bet is to request it as far in advance as possible. We also recommend following up a few days before arrival and asking nicely when you arrive.
To increase your chances, be sure to sign up for loyalty programs, credit card programs and mobile apps.
In the event that your room isn’t available before the standard check-in time, ask if they have a different room category available. If it’s an upgrade with an additional fee, you’ll need to determine if the benefit outweighs the cost.
If it’s a downgrade, think about if you’ll be happy in a downgraded room for the length of your stay.
Even if a room isn’t available, it’s not the end of the world. There are so many enjoyable ways to pass the time. Rather than focusing on what you can’t get, focus on all the amazing things yet to come.
