Can I have a early check-in? How do you respond?

[Nancy Bachety]

Can we check in at 11am (instead of 4:00pm)? 

What say you and why?

Depending on the guest and circumstances, my usual answer is my insurance agent and my lawyer advise  me not to allow early check-Ins without charging for it. Only then can the time of your door code activation be changed. The fewer times I say “I” or “we” the better. 

Additionally, I don’t want them to write in their review “they were so nice, they even allowed us to check in early” and I don’t want to tell them not to say that, either. 

How about you? 

[Julie McCoy]

@Nancy Bachety At my cabins in the Smokies, they're usually booked back-to-back and I have plans in place with my housekeepers on how to deal with it.  Basically: I require at least 24 hours' notice, and there's a $20 charge because of the logistics it requires.  I don't get too many requests for it, but when I do, I do my best to accommodate (a lot of the time I can't because my housekeepers are too busy).  If I can guarantee it, I charge the $20, nobody's ever fussed.  If I can't guarantee it, there's no charge, I just let them know as soon as it's been cleaned.  The $20 charge is more a deterrent than anything; I think it heads off any frivolous requests.

My place in California is a whole other story.  EVERYONE wants early check-in and plenty of people feel fine taking their time checking out.  It makes me nuts.  However, plenty of the time there I don't have same-day turns, so I can usually accommodate.  When I DO have same-day turns, I never guarantee it, since the laundry alone at that place takes ages.  I just tell them I'll let them know if it's ready early.