Early check-in hotels are properties that allow guests to check in before the conventional time of between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. This may mean offering earlier check-ins, offering 24/7 check-ins, or offering self-check-ins. Providing options for early check-ins can be especially important for hotels receiving lots of international guests, as many flights land early in the morning. Early check-ins can optimize the guest experience and boost revenue. In this article, you will learn about the benefits of offering early check-ins and the technology that facilitates this.

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What Are Early Check-In Hotels?

What are early check-in hotels? They are businesses in the hotel industry that allow guests to check-in earlier than the conventional mid-afternoon slot. This usually means allowing check-ins before 2:00 pm. Early check-in hotels have emerged as an important concept in the industry, because international flights land around the clock, including in the morning. These travelers want the convenience of being able to check in when they arrive.

Hotels are essentially left with a choice for delivering the early check-in experience. They can either offer longer check-in hours, which include some hours in the morning, they can provide a 24/7 check-in experience, or they can explore options like mobile check-ins, check-in kiosks, and other self-check-in options.

Why Are Early Check-In Hotels Important?

Why are early check-in hotels important for the guest experience? They provide a far greater degree of flexibility for guests who may be arriving at different times. This makes the entire check-in process smoother. Traditionally, many hotels have expected their guests to arrive and check in within a fairly short window; often around 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm. However, this is not always great for the guest experience, especially if you have international guests arriving at various times who then have to potentially wait several hours to check-in.

In situations where travelers are landing at an airport early, the absence of early check-in options could easily be the difference between that guest choosing your hotel and choosing a rival instead. Early check-ins are one of the biggest hotel trends because guests want a frictionless experience, without any unnecessary delays.

The Key Benefits of Early Check-In Hotels

In the following sections, you can learn the key benefits of a hotel business providing early check-in services.

1. Early Check-Ins As an Extra Revenue Stream

One of the biggest benefits of offering early check-ins is the ability to monetize this option. Monetization is primarily achieved by charging extra for the early check-in option. This is important because it opens up an entirely new revenue stream for your hotel and allows you to earn additional income from some of your guests.

Many travelers will be happy to pay a little bit more for the added convenience and you can even price this option dynamically, in line with room rates. Alternatively, some early check-in hotels add this option to special bookings, including corporate bookings and honeymoon packages, helping to enhance the value of those deals.

2. Improved Guest Satisfaction and More Bookings

An early check-in hotel can provide a greater level of guest satisfaction by eliminating friction at the check-in stage. This, in turn, can lead to more bookings being made. Delivering a better guest experience upon arrival is important because first impressions count. A guest who is happy with the check-in process is more likely to enjoy their stay.

Ultimately, guest satisfaction is one of the most important ways to measure hotel operations and overall performance. The happier your guests are, the better your hotel’s reputation will become, especially when those guests leave online reviews. As a result, you will find it easier to attract more guests in the future.

Early Check-in Hotels - Improved Guest Satisfaction and More Bookings

3. Enhanced Utilization of Rooms in Your Hotel

An early check-in hotel will make more effective use of the space available to them. This is because their guest rooms will spend less time unoccupied and awaiting check-ins in the afternoon. For hotel management, early check-ins can mean faster turnaround times for rooms. The hotel then has more time to generate revenue from guests.

Ensuring rooms are occupied as frequently as possible is a key part of effective revenue management. When hotels only allow check-ins at a specific time of the day, they run the risk of rooms remaining vacant when they would otherwise be filled. In such a situation, the hotel then misses out on potential earnings from the room.

4. More Opportunities to Generate Ancillary Revenue

Finally, early check-in hotels have more opportunities to generate ancillary revenue. After all, guests who can access their room early will spend more total time in the hotel. Therefore, guests have more time to use hotel services, spend money at the hotel bar, visit the hotel restaurant or buy from the hotel gift shop.

Ancillary revenue can make up a significant percentage of total revenue. Getting guests settled into your hotel a few hours earlier and doing so consistently over the course of a year can make a big difference to your bottom line. The knock-on effect on your hotel budget could have a transformative effect on your services and facilities.

Understanding the Full Check-In Process in Hotels

It is important for hotels and similar accommodation businesses to understand the full check-in process and this is especially crucial for an early check-in hotel. Generally, this process can be broken down as follows:

  • Welcome and ID Check: The first step involves warmly welcoming a guest to your hotel and asking the guest for approved ID. This allows your team to confirm who the guest is.
  • Confirm the Reservation: Next, you must confirm the booking and verify details, such as any special requests.
  • Process or Secure Payment: Your front desk should verify payment details and pre-authorize payment, if necessary.
  • Assign the Room: Make sure the guest is assigned the right type of room for their booking and ensure they can access it via a keycard, physical key, or another secure entry method.
  • Provide Additional Information: Your hotel guests may want to know about hotel facilities, how to contact different hotel departments, the major local attractions, and how to use room features. With early check-in hotels, it may be especially important to provide information about when breakfast is available, or what time facilities open.
  • The Finishing Touches: Check if guests have any other questions, requests, or concerns. Arrange any additional services like wake-up calls, offer assistance with luggage and make clear your team is always happy to help.

Early Check-in Hotels - Understanding the Full Check-In Process in Hotels

Useful Hotel Technology For an Early Check-In Hotel

If you are running an early check-in hotel, certain technology solutions can be especially beneficial. In the sections that follow, you can learn about the most valuable hotel technology for these purposes.

Check-In Apps

A mobile check-in app allows guests to check in using their smartphone. A hotel offering mobile check-ins can empower guests to skip the queue and make the arrival process much more simple and efficient. An early check-in hotel may offer this service as part of their main hotel app, or they may choose to offer a separate mobile check-in app. It is typical to be able to confirm arrivals and view the status of a room on the app. Some apps go further, serving as a digital keycard for the room and providing room personalization tools.

Video: Digital Check-In

Check-In Kiosks

Check-in kiosks are an alternative to mobile check-in apps and are electronic devices that can be used for self-check-ins. The kiosks are typically located in the hotel lobby for easy access. Early check-in hotels may opt to use hotel financing to fund the addition of check-in kiosks because they offer long-term cost savings. By providing self-check-in tools in the lobby, you can reduce the amount of staff needed at the front desk, and you can check guests in at any time, avoiding unnecessary room vacancies.

Video: Self-Check-In

Digital Concierge

Digital concierge tools serve as virtual assistants, similar to technology like Alexa or Siri. A virtual assistant can be used by guests to answer simple questions, help with self-check-ins, and provide basic information. For early check-in hotels, digital concierge software can reduce staff workloads and ensure new arrivals enjoy a smooth experience, regardless of when they decide to check-in. Concierge apps can also be used by guests to access 24/7 customer service or to highlight issues for front office or hotel maintenance staff.

Front Office Hotel Technology

The front office in a hotel is responsible for handling guest arrivals and check-ins, along with room assignments, payment processing, and more. To assist with this, a hotel owner may wish to invest in high-quality front office technology, including AI chatbots, digital concierge technology, robotics, and cloud-based software.

In the “Front Office Technology: The Latest Tech for the Reception” article, you will have access to a comprehensive breakdown of the most cutting-edge technology for early check-in hotels to implement for front desk staff.

All About the Hotel Front Office

Aside from serving as the first point of contact for new arrivals at an early check-in hotel, the front office department has numerous other responsibilities too, including secretarial duties and night audits. The front office in a hotel is also made up of different employees, including a front office manager and a revenue manager.

In the “Front Office Department in Hotel: Everything You Need to Know” article, you can learn about what the front office department does, what its significance is and about the different responsibilities and roles involved.

Early check-in hotels are on the rise, with an early check-in for a hotel meaning arrivals are processed before the conventional mid-afternoon slot. This is especially important when dealing with international guests, who may arrive at different times. Offering early check-ins allows you to maximize revenue and optimize convenience for guests.

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This article is written by:

Martijn Barten

Hi, I am Martijn Barten, founder of Revfine.com. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I specialize in optimizing revenue by combining revenue management with marketing strategies. I have successfully developed, implemented, and managed revenue management and marketing strategies for individual properties and multi-property portfolios.