Sometimes, early check-in bypasses being a “nice perk” and becomes an absolute necessity for your sanity.
For me, it’s a must if I’m journeying from thousands of miles away and need to shower, regroup and reground, or even get a nap in before exploring. Early check-in is also helpful in scenarios when I need to transform from “sweatpants chic” to looking presentable for a professional meeting, destination wedding, or an event.
If I’m jetlagged beyond belief or feeling frantic about showing up to an important event looking great, the last thing I want to do is haggle or plead at check-in to see my room a few hours early.
The solution: pick a hotel that makes early check-in a cinch, which is exactly what the following chains all do.
In this article
Hilton Hotels
Hilton’s fully invested in the digital age, complete with their very own app and a remote check-in process you can complete from your smart phone.
As long as you have the Hilton Honors app (it’s free), many of the chain’s hotels allow you to check in from anywhere, select your room, and get a digital key for the room.
You’ll be asked if you want to check in early, which often does incur a small fee, but guarantees access. This cost varies by property and demand, but typically ranges from $25 to $50.
Once you arrive, instead of standing in the check-in counter you can head straight to your room and take a (much needed) load off, hours before the scheduled check-in time.
Yotel Hotels
Yotel is a true pioneer when it comes to digitizing the hotel experience. The check-in process is completely self-service via 24/7 lobby kiosks (or their mobile app) where you can check into your hotel without ever speaking to a single soul.
At first, this process felt futuristic and cold. But once I discovered the beauty of not having to make small talk after a 6-hour flight I was 100 percent game.
What's especially cool about this hotel chain is that you can opt into an early check-in (for a small fee) as early as 6 a.m. that day, which is so nice after an exhausting red-eye. The cost depends on how early you’re checking in, but is usually between $50 and $150.
Marriott Hotels
The Marriott portfolio is expansive, and includes some tech-forward brands like Aloft, Moxy, and citizenM that have all digitized the check-in experience.
To make early check-in extra easy, download the free Marriott Bonvoy App where you can access your reservation. If you don’t want to pay extra for an early check-in, but want the chance of getting into your room early, you can add your expected arrival time and the app will send an automatic push notification the second your room is ready. In my experience, it’s usually well before the posted check-in time that typically lands around 3 or 4 p.m.
Alternatively, if you want to guarantee an early check-in, many Marriott hotels allow you to opt into that on the app for a fee, which varies based on the location. The New York Marriott Marquis, for example, offers a guaranteed check-in time of 11 a.m. for $99.
Hyatt Hotels
Like the others on this list, Hyatt has an app for its portfolio of hotels that offers remote check-in from your phone along with a digital key so you can head straight to your room when you arrive.
As early as a week before your trip, you can also request an early check-in directly in the app. Just indicate what your arrival time is, and you’ll get a push notification on the day-of letting you know when your room is ready.
Note that free early check-in requests are typically only granted if the hotel has availability, so it’s not guaranteed. For the sure thing, you’ll need to opt-in via the app or by calling the hotel and paying a fee, which varies by property.
The Shortcut
You don’t need elite status to check into a hotel early. You just need the right chain, digital app, and timing.
Fees and check-in times vary by hotels, but some will give you a room as early as 6 a.m.
Look for fully digitized hotels, like Yotel, and some Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt properties, which bypass the traditional check-in process to offer quick access to your room.
