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This has been doing my head in for the last few weeks. After getting 2 apartments ready for early check ins on an already jam packed busy day, the guest messaged me hours after saying that they decided not to check in early and would check in later that night.
So I thought to myself right, from now on, if someone asks for an early check in or a late check out, im going to charge them extra.
So far so good, ive made an extra $30 in one week and the guests are more than happy to pay for the extra time. I believe this will at least take some of the angst out of having to run around like a mad person. I might even treat myself to a lunch with the extra cash
I used to try my best to accommodate people but it was rarely acknowledged in a message and never in a review. I worked out it was 50% of my work for nothing. So I changed my check out from 10am to 11am and have this in the message I send plus in the itinerary:
Hi,
I am sorry we cannot offer late check outs or early check ins. The villa is very popular and only has two to three vacant days a year.
We require this small window of time between 11am -3pm to turn the villa around. We have to clean, wash the linen and towels, complete maintenance and make sure it is up to standard for the next guests.
Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Kind regards,
Poppy
Btw, I was at one of them the other day and as it was ready for the guests I broke my rule and messaged them saying it was ready and they could check in early. Surprise, surprise…I didn’t hear anything from them. Stupid me
In a nutshell, there is no reason to being nice, it is not appreciated.
I agree for charging. I had someone few days ago I charged £30 for 3pm late checkout and they were really appreciative on their checkout message (no review yet). The guests after them were arriving at 6pm so most of the times its just luck.
@SmallNSweet maybe it will help if you remind your guests that checkin is at 5pm in your welcome message because we all know they probably didnt read it before they booked. If they arrive early and you’re there maybe just offer to store their luggage if its possible and then tell them to go away As others said have a locked wardrobe for your linens and make sure you leave those people a bad review
I don’t think it’s “being nice”. You’re in a service industry and if it’s possible to let a guest check in or out either a bit earlier or a bit later then why not? On the few occasions we’ve been able to do it the guests have been grateful and their reviews have reflected this.
We did it yesterday. Group of four in Jerez for a Christmas party on Saturday and they asked at check in if they could leave a little bit later. Our last check out is midday and we offered them a 2pm checkout as that apartment was empty last night. About 1pm four bleary eyed young Spaniards emerged to head back along the coast home. They were very complimentary about the apartment and thanked us again for giving them a bit of latitude over check out time.
Will we get a good review, no idea as they were from BDC and we’ve found the review rate to be significantly lower than Airbnb.
By the way I am sending you that PM so you can send me a link to your listing. I think we are looking at coming over in the autumn when the weather cools down over there a little.
I block out a day in-between bookings for my own sanity so happy to offer a later check out if it works for me and I like the guests.
Early check in’s not so much as I quite often work from home quite.
@Helsi nailed it. Just do not allow it. OR charge for it. I offer a 2 hour late check out for $45, I usually offer a day early check in if not booked for about 60% of regular rate. I have had guests take advantage of the extra day in order to check in early, then show up late. When I get a booking if the day before or after or both not booked I send a message offering those nights at about 60% of regular rate. Most do not book but some do. I figure it’s not going to get booked anyway so win win.
Absolutely. Imagine a situation where I had one of the rentals ready by 2 pm (which happens if a guest leaves a little early to catch a flight) and yet I refuse to let the guest in until check in time at 4. So there’s the apartment, all ready for them, and there’s the guest - tired after a long flight or drive - struggling around town with their luggage or gloomily hanging around in Starbucks until the magic time. Bonkers.
Or picture the situation where I know that the next guest won’t be arriving until seven in the evening. Despite this, I insist that the outgoing guests leave at 11 despite the fact that their flight isn’t until 3 pm and so they have to waste time (and money probably) being bored in the airport. Yet I could have told them that they could check out at 1 pm. Equally bonkers.
On a turnover day, my day is scheduled to deal with that turnover. My other work needs to fit around it. That, as @JohnF says, is a part of what being in the service industry is - service. And it’s certainly not ‘being nice’. It’s a case of arranging matters so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. Sometimes it’s not easy, juggling check in times with check out times plus other necessary work, so tight and efficient scheduling is required but as far as I’m concerned it pays off with great reviews and repeat clients.
I usually send a text between 2-3 letting guest know that housekeeping has finished cleaning the cabin and they can check in just as soon as they snap a picture of their ID and text it to me. Once I get that I send the code. Almost everybody wants to check in early it seems, late checkouts are pay to stay with me. I want to get on with my day.
Getting back to early check-in, I usually try to accommodate guests who want to check in early when it’s possible. Recently I had a guest who was coming to a nearby medical center with her child for a checkup. She asked if she could check in at 10:30 or 11 am as opposed to 4 pm. Since there was no guest leaving that morning, I told her she could come at 11:30. I had an appointment that morning and drove into my garage at 11:30 by my watch. The guest walked around the corner of the garage as I got out of my car. I didn’t think anything of it at the time (and yes, I should have allowed myself more time). In her review she gave me a 4 on check-in because “Cailyn was only a little bit late, but I fumbled around trying to find her.” In reality, she was checking in 4.5 HOURS early with no extra charge. So I’m kind of soured on letting them in early.
Since I don’t know until the last couple days before the check-in whether there will be a prior guest checking out that morning (if I get a new reservation), I haven’t wanted to offer it with a charge. I’m not sure it makes sense to block off a full day that someone might rent for full price so that a guest could come early for a small fee. I have had rare guests leave my place in such a mess that it has taken the entire time (11 am to 4 pm) to clean up. How do those of you who charge for it handle the cleaning if it’s bad and you had agreed to an early check-in?
As others said have a locked wardrobe for your linens and make sure you leave those people a bad review