Did you know that you don’t have to check out of a hotel (most of the time) but that you still should anyway?
When I’m ready to leave most hotels in the United States, I don’t go down to the front desk, stand in line, and wait to check out. I just leave. But that doesn’t mean I don’t let them know I’m leaving.
I don’t waste time, but I still don’t quite endorse the idea that you should not have to check out at all.
Life pro tip: you don’t have to check out of hotels.
You can just leave. It is awesome
— How to Make Friends (@nickgraynews) December 30, 2022
There are two reasons to let the hotel know that you’re leaving your room and not returning:
- It’s polite to the next guest so the room can be turned over for check-in. You want people to do this for you, as well, so that you do not have to wait on a room to be cleaned.
- To check your folio for errors, and make sure you’re not being overcharged. (It may also be the easiest and surest way to get a receipt if you need to account for the stay for work.)
When hotels know you’ve left the room they can clean it in the most efficient order. That helps them make effective use of housekeeping staff, holds their housekeeping costs down, and makes it easier for them to… provide housekeeping, something you also want them to do.
Nonetheless I find it is best to check out online when possible. You don’t have to check out, but it benefits the hotel when you do, so the hotel should make it as easy as possible for you to do so. I don’t even want to call down to the desk, often waiting interminably for someone to pick up, and then get transferred to someone else who doesn’t pick up.
On a recent stay customer service was really effectively provided via text, with responses in moments. Online wasn’t an option but I texted that I was leaving and would they email a folio? The bill showed up in my inbox minutes later.
Checking out should be a fast procedure, not a sit down give minute affair with reams of paper and re-running the same credit card. And in some parts of the world, notably Asia, hotel checkouts are both much more expected and more laborious. Life doesn’t have to be that way.
Ha! Just checked out a couple of hours ago from a certain Marriott in Europe, and an unusual thing occurred – totally different rate showed up on the hotel’s system’s end that the one I had booked.
This is the #1 reason I do check out and don’t just leave.
Took 5 minutes, but they adjusted the rate to the correct one and I was on my way.
Had I just assumed all was fine and left, they would’ve charged me the incorrect (higher) amount and I would have had to chase them for a refund I guess.
I check out at the desk. And I take a few pictures of the room, just in case. The same with rental cars. I don’t completely trust businesses anymore. Too many horror stories.
I drop off the key cards then check out on the app.
Agree with the premise here of the post. My biggest issue is just because you are checked out doesn’t mean your folio is necessarily finalized. Hotels can and will just go and add more to your CC if you rack up more charges. On the one hand, this makes sense, if you use the minibar or have a bonafide purchase that somehow hasn’t landed on the bill, they should charge you for that. Where it gets annoying is if something is supposed to be taken off (i.e. an included breakfast that you still have to sign for on the last day) if the receipt comes in after you have checked out I find that it just gets charged and you then have to go deal with getting it removed.
I review the statement on the TV (or the prelim statement some brands send the day of checkout) to ensure no errors and check out in the app (if available) but also mention to the front desk I have checked out via app from room xxx. Doesn’t take but a minute and I agree it is best they know I have left to better schedule housekeeping. Just seems like the courteous thing to do
I tend to check out, either at the desk or on the app, so housekeeping gets a headstart on turning the room over
More often than not there is an error on the bill. The last hotel I checked out of had several extra charges that didn’t even make sense. I got those straightened out and left. Checked my credit card a week later and the correct charges were there along with the credit card hold being processed. Had to have an additional long conversation to get that removed when they kept insisting that that was a hold and not a charge even though it was no longer a hold, it was processed and charged in addition to legitimate charges. Ugh.
If I don’t need a receipt or suspect that I’ll be overcharged. Take a few timestamp photos of the room, drop the key at the front desk on the way by, and say “Here is the key for 407” or whatever room#. Even if they are waiting on someone else you can usually just drop it and go. It’s polite and quick. Most of my accounts are set up for email receipts anyway.
To me, this is a “pay-it-forward” kind of thing. We usually arrive at our hotel early and are extraordinarily grateful if our room is available ahead o the standard check-in time. So, when we check out, usually early for trips to airports, we check out so our room can be made ready for the next guest.
Also, remember to take the do not disturb sign off your door before you leave, even if you checked out. If you don’t, it creates chaos for housekeeping.
My hack here is also to leave the dead bolt latched to block the door from fully closing from the outside to keep it open a smidge. This signals to housekeeping that the room is potentially empty as they’re roaming the halls, thus knowing before the front desk notifying them.
Your #1 reason is why I always call the front desk to notify them I am leaving so they will have my bill printed out and ready.
3 out of my 4 stays have incorrect charges on the final, final bill. I mean the new one emailed after you’re already home with extra erroneous stuff or the extra bogus small charge magically appearing in credit card activity with NO corresponding amended email forwarded.
Mostly if Globalist parking/bfast was supposed to be free (but still charged) at a Hyatt or the Elite bfast credits not completely/incorrectly applied on Marriott/Hilton stays. If I check out right after finishing breakfast, it’s even a bigger issue since the charge or credit still hasn’t caught up to my final bill. And that means yet another torture session over the phone later if not resolved preemptively at the front desk. i am honestly mystified this doesn’t occur with you as well, Gary, considering how pervasive it is with me & apparently others (from the above comments).
This is my absolute biggest travel pet peeve, consuming an inordinate amount of time to correct. Review those final, final bills with a fine toothed comb – I have found the weirdest, most unexpected, charges on there, such a huge ripoff if not attentive. A “sand nourishment” fee?!
Hilton can never get the $15 per person food credit right I asked for two keys i am in a king bed I have a human standing next to me as I check in. Did you not think there was two of us. And love the hotels that charge for parking but anyone can drive in and drive out with a car. When the gate is up 100% of the time it is not secure parking and not worth $50 a night
[Different from the other guy posting under the same name as me!]
As much as people love to hate on Hilton around here, as someone who’s been probably 75% at Hilton properties due to the geographies I travel to, this is an area where their IT really shines. One-tap checkout and I have the folio in seconds; if there is any issue with the itemized charges (which has been rarely as of late, even with the silly Diamond F&B credit) I then know to swing by the front desk on the way out.
“My hack here is also to leave the dead bolt latched to block the door from fully closing from the outside to keep it open a smidge.”
@Mike, I always used to do this until I became paranoid that other guests could sneak in and steal minibar items or even linens, and I’d have no way to prove it wasn’t me.
For short staycation, I sometimes stay overnight at Holiday Inn about 3 mules from my employer. This hotel small but very comfortable and convenient to local mass transit. However, since the Pandemic, I have noticed drop in Service. Last time I was there telephone in room short circuit. Sometimes the showers have not been sanitizer or Coffee maker doesn’t work. These are minor things, yet because hotel short on staff I can’t let them know so fix little things. Also now there’s no Breakfast Service or even fresh Coffee or donut. Overall I really like the Hotel but minor problems can so develop into bigger issues of not addressed.
Check out to return the keys as they can be sanitized and reused. If they leave the hotel, they become plastic in a landfull.
Great post Gary, great tip checking out online when possible (I always forget that possibilty).
I tend to be very old school in this regard, as I always choose to check-out in person (sometimes wasting valuable time in the line, even as an elite in most of the properties I stay), both for consideration of the housekeeping staff, and for getting the correct final paper folio (after many years of sour experiences with not posted stays).
Mike, I agree with Douglas in that, unfortunately, your hack leaves the door open (no pun intended, it just came naturally) for bad actors to act badly on your dime.