do hotels usually actually restrict their check in hours listed on booking.com?

vafankillar

haven't actually travelled since before covid so excuse the inexperienced sounding question

looking at different flight times for holiday, one much cheaper flight has us arriving in after 11pm at night, so would probably be pretty late getting to the hotel, is this usually an issue? book.com says 11 but that seems to just be a generic answer used for different hotels, even ones that also specific 24 hour booking service.

thebiglad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058338861/do-hotels-usually-actually-restrict-their-check-in-hours-listed-on-booking-com

It'll depend on each hotel, phone the hotel before you book and ask them - you may even get a better rate direct avoiding Booking.com fees for them.

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121847292#Comment_121847292

100% this.

Even if a hotel has a 24 hour reception (lots don't) they have to run a night audit and can't do any check ins during that. Call them.

Also a bit like airlines, you get much more protection and goodwill if you book direct.

vafankillar

Should have said its a foreign country with language barrier hence using booking and not simply ringing, thanks tho.

z80CPU

Booking dot Com has literally a death grip on online hotel booking industry sadly in Ireland. They call the shots.

Reason I'm going to stay in my parents holiday home rather than book a guest house for solo travellers.

Booking dot com has made the industry like this post pandemic.

antfin

I would email the hotel directly and let them know about your late arrival and ask that they accommodate the late checkin. You also run the risk of them assuming you're a no show otherwise so an email should cover you. Language barrier can be overcome easily for them with an email as they can just translate the email in seconds.

munchkin_utd

definitely check what the story is.

Often a reception my only be manned during the day but they will leave a key in a key safe or have some other arrangement for late arrivals, so long as they know in advance.

If the information on booking com is generic, why not try booking direct online? firstly for the reasons above, but also if they have restrictive opening hours or conditions they will likely mention this in the booking process.

jface187

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121847495#Comment_121847495

Won't a holiday home always be first choice over a hotel? Especially a free one?

bureau2009

Language barrier? You won't be the first English speaking guest to stay there!

I had the same issue, arriving Kuala Lumpur late night as that’s simply when Malaysian Airlines gets in from Doha. Through Booking dot com I sent a message under “special requests”, it’s really easy to do, saying about late flight. The lady who runs the accommodation sent me a very nice reply that she would stay up no problem and looked forward to welcoming me.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121847475#Comment_121847475

Ive stayed in hotels all over the world, language barrier at the hotel has very rarely been a problem. At least at the check in desk.

I use booking.com for an idea of prices only, but always book with the hotel. That way, if anything goes wrong they are ultimately responsible. Going down the booking.com route, could potentially leave you in limbo with the Hotel saying its a booking.com issue and the website saying its the hotels problem.

Certainly interaction with the hotel should be possible via email if over the phone is not possible, and if, the hotel is not able to communicate with you via phone or email, you need to ask yourself is that really the hotel you want to stay in?

witchgirl26

Go onto the hotels own website page & check the information there. Also email them with the question & stating what time you'll potentially be arriving in at. It could be that they don't have 24hr check in facilities, however if they know there's a guest coming in, they might facilitate something.

mondeoman72

I booked a place in agadir only yesterday. Booking.com says checkin from 4 to 8pm. I only land at 9pm. I stuck it in special requests and got a prompt email back saying no problem. It is advertised as 24 hr reception though. So ask the hotel.

The advice to go to hotel’s own website does not always work out as everyone here implies. I have tried to book on hotel/chain own websites and have been quoted prices over trawler sites. I stated in the Radisson Hotel in Athlone last September. I was advised by MS Society to phone them for best rates for a conference I was to attend. For a start the receptionist said she had no rooms available but if I go online I might find one. I went to Radisson site and a trawler. A somewhat cheaper rate was available on booking.com, cheaper by about €40 for the two nights.

Same when booking a hotel in Malaysia, a slightly cheaper rate on booking dot com. And I get loyalty discounts, some considerable. Last one was 10% off stay.

Another time I booked a different hotel in Athlone, on the site as was recommended on the media. I booked and then discovered it would have been cheaper through booking.com or was it Agoda. I needed to change the booking, hotel’s own site wouldn’t allow me to. I phoned hotel, and they said they had no permission to use the third party site the hotel uses as its own booking system to alter bookings, but that I should be able to do. I tried and tried again, their site was sh1t, eventually I got the manager to be able to change it.

Some foreign hotel websites don’t even offer an English version of their site so it can be tricky booking online if you don’t quite know the terms and conditions without using Google translate.

I will always try and look at hotel’s own site, but it is rare that I find one work better for me. And for the record I’ve travelled 7 continents, so not lack of experience behind me. To be found on Tripadvisor as DubkinFlyer.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121847776#Comment_121847776

They are well used to catering to late arrivals in most places. Last hotel I arrived 02.30am, given a great welcome.

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058338861/do-hotels-usually-actually-restrict-their-check-in-hours-listed-on-booking-com

If you were arriving that late, definitely verify with the hotel that you can check in then and ask them to make notes for a late arrival.

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121847475#Comment_121847475

I have made 6 reservations for hotels in Japan for May and June; English is not widely spoken but is essential in the hotel industry. I emailed each of the hotels to verify different aspects at different stages. All were happy to deal with me by email.

Re booking on hotel’s own website versus on likes of booking dot com, just booked a very nice city centre hotel in Argyle St., Glasgow for 2 nights May on B.com, precise same price as on own website. It was easy to compare & filter hotels to make my selection, and so very easy to make the request for an accessible room.

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121850471#Comment_121850471

Yes Booking is a useful tool to search, and I've used it a lot. But if someone books directly with the hotel and requests that accessible room you can say bye bye to it. Hotels own guests take priority over third parties, all booking.com can do is request it. Requests are not guaranteed.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121850546#Comment_121850546

i have an accessible room, no problem. I’ll tell you something for nothing, Radisson Athlone has no special interest in dealing with direct booking guests. They told me outright. If you are booking with o small country hotel that’s not part of a big chain, they might treat you as “special” but the big chains couldn’t care less how you book.

rossie1977

Extremely early or late check-in in always contact the property in question to confirm