[MaxTravel]

Hello all,

After years of travelling for work and putting up with the frustration of arriving into cities on the red eye flight and having to wait until 3pm to check into my room, I’ve decided to do something about it.

I have quit my job and set up a new concept hotel booking platform that allows guests to choose exactly when they wish to check in and check out of their rooms. The guest simply pays a pro rata amount for the length of time they need to use the room for.

Would love to hear your thoughts on whether this is a booking service that you would use when arriving into cities at awkward hours.

Thank you,

Max

[TominScotland]

Max, a good idea but I think you will find that many hotels already offer this service, Jurys Inns in the UK/ Ireland for starters.

If occupancy is high, the problem for hotels may be committing to early check-in as the rooms will not be ready??

[MaxTravel]

Thank you Tom, really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

We are targeting just 4 and 5 star hotels who typically operate at occupancy levels of 75%-80%. Meaning that they the ability to offer early check in to a select number of guests. We just provide the mechanism to monetise that flexibility.

[FDOS_UK]

Hello MaxTravel

Does that mean if I check in late, like 11pm, I get a pro-rata, cheaper, rate?

[icenspice]

Definitely, MaxTravel.

Particularly at airport hotels…arrival at 0800, room available at 1400 ?

Or a return flight at 0200 ?

If I remember correctly, The Regal at HKG has a ‘room for 24 hours’ system in place.

[MaxTravel]

HI FDOS_UK, that’s exactly where we want to get to eventually. You just book your room for the exact amount of time you need it.

However, initially to prove the concept to hotels, we only allow guests to extend their stay through this flexibility rather than shorten it.

[MaxTravel]

Thank you icenspice! If you send me an email to [email protected] I will keep you up to date with our launch.

[GivingupBA]

Max, I would definitely use your service. And I think there’s a place/ call for it.

I hope that prices for different times will be clearly visible on your website.

Good luck to you!

[MartynSinclair]

just curious, how would your system cope with the twice yearly time changed from Summer / DST…?

[MartynSinclair]

just curious, how would your system cope with the twice yearly time changed from Summer / DST…?

[traveldoc1]

U hotels in Thailand offer a full 24 hour stay – i.e. your check-in the is also your checkout time, so if you check in at 5pm you don’t have to checkout until 5pm. They also make breakfast available from 6am to 11pm!!

[seasonedtraveller]

If you are using the Marriott App to check in, your requested check in time is noted and a message is received via the App telling you when your room key is ready.

On several occasions, I’ve requested 11am-12pm check in and, it’s not been an issue so far (in North America).
I find this to be a very useful application unlike say, Hilton, who’s app will only allow standard hotel check in times.

[stevescoots]

I agree, potentially very useful.

I remember a couple of years ago arriving at the Sheraton Tokyo at 10am in the morning after a long flight from LHR to be told I cannot check in until 4pm. If I had wanted to check in after should have booked the room for the night before. I was exhausted and asked if I could pay to upgrade, downgrade anything to be able to get a bed before 4pm. They followed the rules to the letter and at 3.55 I could not check in, at 4.01 was able to get a room

[MarcusGB]

This is in place, more around Asia already, but we also have the low cost and pleasant Citizen M airport hotels, and Yotel, at various locations. LHR T4, you can specify the time you arrive and depart, or an overnight stay. I can leave there and be downstairs at the Skytem check in desks in 1 minute! There is Airside and public side, but these hotels are often for stopovers for onwards travel at the Airport, some have expanded into cities, and it is far more available in Asia.

Yotel also allow this, as do Mercure, for a short few hours rest, or shower service (eg Airside in Amsterdam Schiphol, and Citizen M is just outside).
KUL has always had the fantastic Pan Pacific, which became Sama Sama, and they too are flexible IF you let them know during booking, or email. The Club floor offers early or late check ins, public side, but connected by a buggy service. To me this is one of the best Airport hotels in The World. I dont like the queues or attitudes and impersonal or smells in the rooms at HKG airport often voted “Best” Regus!

Novotel part of Accor, has at BKK just outside the Terminal, and beautiful atrium style hotel, and you can stay 24 hrs whatever time you check in. This is excellent, with great leisure facilities, gym, pool, sauna steam, and inside the 2nd atrium of the rooms in a square, they all look out onto the tropical pool where many relax.They won World’s best Airport hotel Internationally in 2015.

I stay with one Hotel Group, Accor generally for city travels, so always get the options of check ins from 9am, and check outs until 6pm. this to me is the key, but as with life in general, it is about building up relationships, a good contact at one hotel, especially if you are there often.
I have felt very guilty with people arguing at 9am but being told the hotel is full, when i can walk past and be checked in. Then again, i do advise and email, with an ETA, flight numbers, and have the Platinum Accor benefits, and usually for regular trips, a contact person there.

It really depends on “IF” the hotel can operate entirely on this basis, or a % part of it can, as some add on rates can be almost a day to be early or late.

City or resort hotels are a different matter, and i can see greater difficulties for 24 hr arrivals. I think these would be much harder to market, but with most, you are better booking two nights, rather than pay the add on rates.

[Flightlevel]

Good idea and hotels, especially near airports, should eventually have 12 hour and 24 hour rates since its all on a computer you should be able to request an arrival time and they can offer the nearest time, always subject to availability.

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