Staying past your checkout time? The thought may have never even crossed your mind before, but a late night before or a late flight the day of may have you dreading checking out of your hotel room in what feels like the still early morning hours. Thankfully, you don’t always have to. While most hotels have a clear checkout time, many places offer their guests the option for a late checkout. This means you can put your alarm on snooze and snuggle into the covers or laze about your hotel room before bidding a final farewell to your vacation abode.
But just like your services and amenities, late checkout differs from one hotel to another, and knowing what you’re getting beforehand may help you decide where you stay next. So, here’s everything you need to know about late checkout, what time it is, what hotels offer it, and the best tips for ensuring you get it on your next stay.
Table of Contents
- What Exactly Is Late Checkout?
- Late Check-Out Times for 6 Top Hotel Chains
- Top Tips & Tricks for Scoring a Late Checkout Time
- What to Do if You Can’t Get a Late Checkout for Your Hotel Room?
What Exactly Is Late Checkout?
Most hotels have a standard checkout time they apply across the board. Think back to your last hotel stay; you probably had to leave your hotel room by 11 AM. Standard checkout times allow hotels to clean and prepare each room for the next guest, typically with an afternoon check-in. However, more and more hotels are offering what’s known as late checkout.
Late checkout is when a hotel allows guests to check out after the standard period. Typically, staying past that can result in an additional fee on top of your nightly rate. But, with a late checkout requested in advance, guests are afforded the time to sleep in, shower, and pack up at their own pace without worrying about any additional fees or inconveniences.
Why Would You Want to Request a Late Checkout Time?
Not everyone needs late checkout. We all know a few early risers who are packed and ready to head out before the sun’s even up—yes, even on vacation. But there are several reasons why you may feel inclined to request a late checkout.
- You’re sick/jetlagged while traveling and could benefit from a few more hours of sleep
- Your flight isn’t scheduled to depart until late afternoon/evening
- Your flight was rescheduled or canceled
- You won’t be at the hotel at the time of checkout
- You missed your flight and arrive late to your destination but still want to get your money’s worth
- The thought of getting out of bed before 11 AM is unthinkable
Some situations may creep up on you unawares. In contrast, if you know yourself well, you may see that whole not-getting-out-of-bed-before-11-AM thing coming from a mile away.
But whatever the case, some situations call for a late checkout, and it’s something to consider as a possible solution for everything from being jetlagged to perpetually incapable of being a morning person.
Do Hotels Charge Extra for Late Checkout?
It depends on the hotel. Some establishments provide guaranteed late checkout for a fee. This could be an amount charged per hour for staying past the regular checkout time or a fixed rate. Confirm the hotel’s policy before you get ready to check out. Asking the front desk clerk when you arrive or during your stay will give them enough advance notice to accommodate your needs better.
Other hotels offer late checkout as a perk of elite status in their loyalty program. Of course, this is subject to availability, so even with elite status, if housekeeping needs your room to prepare for another guest, you’ll have to leave at the regular checkout time.
Late Checkout Times for 6 Top Hotel Chains
Sometimes, late business meetings, flexible schedules, or interrupted travel plans can throw you off balance. When that happens, hotels that allow early check-ins and late checkouts are a stroke of luck—or meticulous planning. For those times when you need a few more hours to get it together, here are the late checkout policies for six major hotel chains.
1. What Time Is Late Checkout at Hilton Hotels?
Hilton stands out among hotel brands, offering free late checkout to all Hilton members—yes, even the base-tier members. However, the availability and timing of late checkout remain up to the individual hotels. The major downside is that even if you’ve built up elite status, you’re not guaranteed a late checkout.
Of course, there’s always a silver lining. In this case, if you are an elite status member, you’ll receive priority for late checkout over a base-tier member.
Pro-tip: Call ahead to your hotel to see how that particular property handles late checkout requests.
2. What Time Is Late Checkout at Marriott Hotels?
Marriot is also a standout in the late checkout game because it offers one of the most generous policies. Members with Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador elite status are guaranteed a late checkout time of 4 PM.
Gold elite status members receive a 2 PM late checkout depending on availability, while Silver elite status members get a spot on the priority list for a late checkout. However, silver members aren’t guaranteed availability or a specific checkout time.
Pro-tip: Signing up for a Marriot Bonvoy credit card includes elite status membership.
3. What Time Is Late Checkout at IHG Hotels?
IHG Hotels have a 2 PM late checkout for Gold and above elite status members. However, late checkout is subject to availability at your hotel.
The IHG also owns the InterContinental Hotel brands, but these work slightly differently. InterContinental Ambassadors enjoy a guaranteed late checkout at 4 PM.
4. What Time Is Late Checkout at Hyatt Hotels?
Everyone can take advantage of late checkout at Hyatt Hotels, but it comes with a price if you don’t have elite status. Non-elite status guests can request a late checkout for an additional $10 fee. In contrast, elite status members receive complimentary late checkout, subject to availability. But just how late guests can stay depends on their elite status.
Discoverist and Explorist status members can request late checkout to 2 PM, while Globalist status members can get a checkout time as late as 4 PM.
As a bonus, Hyatt has also made requesting late checkout more effortless through its hotel app and website. Guests can either submit their request by adding it to an existing reservation or immediately if they’re booking within seven days of their check-in date.
Pro-tip: The World of Hyatt credit card immediately gifts card holders with Discoverist status.
5. What Time Is Late Checkout at Wyndham Hotels?
Only Gold, Platinum, and Diamond elite status members can take advantage of late checkout at Wyndham Hotels. With no standard time for a late checkout, the details are subject to availability and policies at individual locations.
But, if you still want the elite status to take advantage of late checkout when you can, the Wyndham Rewards Visa Card gives you immediate gold status.
6. What Time Is Late Checkout at Disney Hotels?
The Magic of Disney doesn’t necessarily extend to its checkout times. While late checkouts at 1 and 2 PM are possible, it’s subject to availability at your location. However, Disney Hotels are notorious for having tight turnarounds for the next guest staying in your room, so late checkout is rarer here than at other hotels.
Pro-tip: Talk to the front desk about your late checkout request. If that doesn’t work, and you’re still trying to enjoy the magic of the Magic Kingdom, you can leave your bags with Disney’s Bell Services.
Top Tips & Tricks for Scoring a Late Checkout Time
A few hours of leeway in your checkout time can make all the difference in your travel experience. So, with that in mind, here are the best ways to score a late checkout time on your next hotel stay.
1. Be Polite
The number one rule for getting anything in life is being polite. Often, late checkouts are offered at the individual hotel’s discretion, so requesting rather than demanding a late checkout is far more likely to go along better with the hotel staff.
Remember, hotels offer late checkout to make their guest’s stay more convenient, but that can also make things less convenient for the hotel staff, who have to check in new guests and ensure they’re able to complete the cleaning schedule on time. Sometimes, it’s out of the hands of any one individual, and if that’s the case, it’s better to accept the result with grace and understanding. And if something changes and they can offer late checkout, a staff member will be far more inclined to follow up with a kind guest than a rude one.
2. Travel in the Off-Season
Just like there’s a best time to book your flight, there’s a prime time to get guaranteed late checkout. Frequently, late checkout is offered based on availability. So, you’re far more likely to get late checkout by traveling in the off-season. When room occupancies are low, it’s far easier for hotels to accommodate late checkout requests because they have plenty of empty rooms to accommodate any new bookings that come along during your stay.
3. Ask for a Late Checkout Before You Book
Before you even book your hotel room, consider calling the hotel directly and politely asking for the hotel manager. You can explain that you want to make a reservation, but you need to have a late checkout included. If it’s to secure your business, the hotel staff will be as accommodating as possible, provided their occupancy for your stay isn’t looking too tight. And while you might not get a guaranteed late checkout, it’ll at least be noted in the system.
4. Head to the Front Desk
If you’ve already booked your room and arrived at your hotel, it’s not too late to ask for late checkout. You can do this when you check in with the front desk clerk, but if you’re staying for several days, the hotel likely won’t know their occupancy for the day you’re leaving.
In this case, your best bet is waiting to ask the afternoon or evening before your checkout day. By this point, the hotel staff will have a pretty good idea of their occupancy for the next day and will be better able to determine if they can accommodate your request.
5. Join a Hotel Loyalty Program
Many hotels prioritize their elite status members when requesting late checkout and other perks like an upgraded room. Your elite status level can also determine how late your checkout times are. For example, guests at Hyatt with Discoverist and Explorist elite statuses get late checkouts at 2 PM, while Globalist members can check out as late as 4 PM.
6. Get the Right Credit Card
If all else fails, the right credit card could be all you need to score late checkouts from now to infinity. For example, Marriott offers guaranteed 4 PM late checkouts to their highest elite statuses:
- Marriott Platinum members
- Marriott Titanium members
- Marriott Ambassador members
In addition to other benefits, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card immediately grants access to Platinum membership status and guaranteed late checkout at any Marriott Hotel.
7. Use the Right Booking Service
Making your hotel booking through the right service can help you score everything from cheap hotel rooms to that late checkout you’re hoping for.
American Express cardholders can book their hotel through the Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program, which guarantees a 4 PM late checkout when you book through their service. Similarly, the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection offers a 3 PM late checkout, depending on availability.
What to Do If You Can’t Get Late Checkout
The last thing anyone wants is to get kicked out of their hotel room too early. But, if you can’t get late checkout, you may be left with lots of time on your hands and not many options. In that case, you can head to the front desk to ask permission to continue using the hotel facilities or ask the hotel to hold your bags while you go gallivanting around the city. An afternoon tour could be the perfect way to while away the hours before your flight.
And if you didn’t plan to spend money on your final day of vacation? No problem. Because if you signed up for Next Vacay and took advantage of one of the many cheap flight deals delivered right to your inbox, then you probably saved hundreds on your flight. Which means you can use your savings to make the hours fly by before you take to the skies once more.
