How hotels with early check-in and late checkout are breaking ‘tired’ 3pm-12pm standard in wake of Covid-19 pandemic – and hotel chains that have gone the other way

During the pandemic, hotel chains such as The Peninsula and The Hoxton began allowing check-in and checkout beyond the standard 3pm-12pm timeframe

However, logistical challenges limit availability of the service in hotels from Asia to North America, and have caused some chains to push back check-in times

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Hotel guests pay as they check out of a hotel. Some chains are allowing guests to check in and out whenever it suits them in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, while others have pushed back check-in from 3pm to 4pm. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 7:15am, 18 Dec 2023

We’ve all been there. The plane lands early in the morning but the hotel check-in is midafternoon. Or departure is on a night flight – several hours after checkout.

While many hotels will try to accommodate early arrivals and late departures, the benchmark has long been 3pm check-in and 12pm checkout. But changes are afoot – at both ends of the spectrum.

Some hotels have shrunk stays to 4pm check-in and 11am (or earlier) checkout, while others are extending or scrapping set times altogether – without the need for top tier loyalty status or a preferential credit card.

Hong Kong-headquartered luxury hotel group The Peninsula is among those that have pivoted to a more generous policy. Peninsula Time is available at all its hotels (now totalling 12 across Asia, Europe and the United States), allowing guests to check in from 6am and check out up until 10pm without extra charges.

The Peninsula New York, in Midtown Manhattan. Photo: Shutterstock

“As many companies did during the pandemic, we looked at where friction points may lie with our guests, and check-in and checkout times was one of them,” says Carson Glover, vice-president, brand marketing and communications.