“Good afternoon. Is there a possibility to check in earlier than the scheduled time?”. The question a guest asked last summer through the Tripadvisor platform to the managers of a hotel located on the outskirts of Madrid where she was staying the next day received an immediate response. ”To check in earlier than the time, which is at 3:00 PM, there would be no problem as long as it is from 12:00 PM and if the availability of clean rooms allows it. If the check-in is done earlier, there would be an extra charge of 23 euros for early check-in. You can also leave your belongings in the luggage storage and check in later at no additional cost”.
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The millions of tourists who stay in hotels during their vacations in Spain have noticed how the check-in and check-out times of the establishments have been getting tighter. Check-in is increasingly later (not before 3:00 PM) and check-out is increasingly earlier (usually between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM). These rules were established after the pandemic and have caused numerous protests among customers in forums where they concentrate their complaints or demands. The most frequent are those who arrive at their destination early in the morning, travelers who have taken long-haul flights, or groups staying to participate in events. All of them are forced to wait for several hours unless they are willing to pay extra to check in earlier (early check-in) or check out later (late check-out).
Two phenomena have exacerbated this trend in recent years. The first is the difficulty in coordinating the schedules of the staff who prepare and clean the rooms. This task is traditionally reserved for housekeepers, commonly known as kellys, who reveal that the real reason behind these schedules is the excessive workload, which prevents having the volume of rooms required by the operator ready in a short time. “It is not a problem of lack of staff, but of scheduling. In the hotel where I work, the check-out time for guests already staying is set at 11:00 AM and the check-in for incoming guests does not occur before 3:00 PM. Those four hours are the time we have to prepare all the rooms,” emphasizes Sara del Mar, president of the Kellys Association of the Balearic Islands. Although it depends on multiple factors (hotel size, category, whether it is located on the beach or in the city, and whether it is aimed at adults or families), she estimates that the daily average cleaning per worker ranges between 20 and 30 rooms.
The hotel group Hotusa justifies these schedules for logistical reasons. “Standard schedules ensure that housekeeping teams have the optimal time for impeccable cleaning and guarantee that the flow of guests, both checking in and out, receives excellent attention,” highlights a company spokesperson, who limits early check-in or late check-out to members of Star Travelers, their loyalty program. “Silver members who make between 6 and 20 stays per year, as well as Gold members with more than 20 annual stays, enjoy this service as an added value to their loyalty,” they detail.
This discrimination among customers is the main reason for the new schedules. The benefits of early check-in and late check-out have been practically limited to holders of hotel chain loyalty programs. A tradition inherited from American giants like Marriott or Hyatt. The second chain has the World of Hyatt program, with 66 million customers worldwide, who usually stay almost exclusively in hotels of that brand in exchange for benefits such as discounts or earning points for each booking to redeem later for new stays. “Hyatt offers these benefits as part of the loyalty program, helping to provide greater flexibility and comfort to members when operationally possible,” highlights a company spokesperson. In the three categories that can benefit from late check-out, check-out is offered between two and four hours later depending on the number of points accumulated throughout the year. “Hotels must carefully manage cleaning schedules, occupancy levels, staff requirements, and room preparation times to ensure that arriving guests can access accommodations that meet Hyatt’s quality standards.”
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A similar scheme is used by Marriott, which offers free check-out two hours later to Gold Elite members, with a minimum of 25 nights per year, and extends it to four hours for Platinum Elite members, with 50 nights per year. Minor, the former NH, also offers the possibility of late check-out for members of the Minor Discovery loyalty program, “as long as they book directly through the Minor Hotels website or app, according to the current conditions of each brand and participating hotel.” In short, chains try to have large pools of loyal customers and boost direct sales.
Although none of the consulted chains explicitly admit it, the possibility of charging for early check-in or late check-out has also become a business line to generate additional income. A Barceló spokesperson acknowledges that offering early check-in and late check-out as paid services “allows maximizing room profitability and offering flexibility to those who need it.” Another Meliá spokesperson assures that guaranteeing both services involves reorganizing the hotel’s usual operation and, in many cases, keeping a room blocked for longer, especially during high occupancy periods. “Both are optional services that allow adapting the stay to the customer’s needs. When the customer wants to guarantee availability, the service may carry a cost that corresponds to the additional operational effort it entails for the hotel. In any case, these conditions are clearly communicated before booking,” they specify. Only Gold and Platinum customers of the Meliá Rewards program are exempt from this payment, provided there is availability.
In the 100 hotels of the Balearic chain Riu worldwide, the standard check-in time is at 3:00 PM and check-out at 12:00 PM. “There are hourly rates for late check-out, which vary depending on the country and currency. Early check-in is usually not charged if there is a room available,” highlights a company spokesperson, who points out that the only exception occurs when a customer wants to check in much earlier than 3:00 PM. “If they need to check in eight hours earlier, then yes, they are charged,” they cite as an example.
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