The UK hotel chain asking guests to check-in as late as 5pm unless they pay extra fees
The consumer rights champion studied check-in times across 10 major hotel chains operating in the UK, including Hilton, Mercure and easyHotel and found the worst offender to be the luxury chain Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.
The company, which owns the five-star Bath Spa Hotel, instructs guests at some properties to check-in as late as 5pm and check-out at 10am, which allows just 17 hours to enjoy their room and the hotel's facilities.
Macdonald Hotels told Which? that their 5pm check-in is reserved for its self-catering apartments, where larger spaces and longer stays require more thorough cleaning.
Which? notes that 'nowhere on its website is this made sufficiently clear'.
It continues: 'What is clear, is that if guests want to check in at 3pm or sleep until midday, Macdonald, known for its four and five-star resorts, charges an extra £29.'
Guests at Britannia Hotels, which was rated the worst hotel chain in the UK for the 11th year in a row in 2023 in Which?'s annual survey, and easyHotel get 19 hours, with a 3pm check-in time and a 10am departure.
Premier Inn, Travelodge and Holiday Inn were all found to be the best options, with a 3pm arrival and a more generous midday check-out, allowing 21 hours of room-time.
Which? also notes that several hotels are introducing heavy fees for early or late check-in.
Guests seeking an early check-in at the Sofitel Heathrow Airport hotel can expect to pay an additional £90, while extending room time beyond the official check-out time costs an eye-watering £120.
It added that guests can contact Sofitel directly 'to negotiate', however.
The Independent has contacted Sofitel for comment.
Which?'s investigations also found that some hotels are selling rooms twice within a 24 hour period.
It found one property in London St Pancras offering day-only bookings between 10.30am and 3.30pm for £70, with a standard check-in and check-out time of 4pm and 10am respectively, leaving 30 minutes to clean the room.
The listing is advertised on Dayuse, which is a Booking.com style website for guests who want to book a room for a few hours in order to make the most of the hotel's amenities rather than stay overnight.
Which? advises guests to simply ask for early check-in on arrival, rather than paying in advance for this, although the option may not always be available.
It also encourages travellers to make use of hotel loyalty schemes, such as Marriott Bonvoy's free-to-join Ambassador Elite scheme which offers check-in and check-out times of 9am and 9pm.
'Hotel guests by no means expect a full 24 hours in their room but it's no wonder an increasing number of us feel short changed when some hotel chains are not just shortening our stay, but then trying to upsell early check-in or later check-out back to us,' said Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel.
'If you are paying for a special night away, there are some ways you can access your room early, like accessing loyalty schemes. Some hotels might also let you use facilities like the pool or spa before you check in, so make sure to try and utilise this as much as you can.'
A spokesperson for Macdonald Hotels told The Independent: 'This Which? article presents a false impression by failing to differentiate between our hotels and self-catering resorts.
'Our check-in times have remained consistent over multiple decades. In line with industry norms, guests can check-in at 3pm and check-out at 11am across the vast majority of our hotels at no additional cost. Guests will find the individual check-in times for each of our 30 properties clearly displayed on the appropriate hotel's homepage.
'A later check-in time of 5pm applies only to our 10 self-catering resorts, which involve a different guest experience and longer stays. These units require more extensive cleaning and preparation to ensure the highest standards for our guests.'
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