Book Night Before to ensure early availability?

[Noreen411]

Hi

Has anyone ever booked the night before you are actually arriving so you can guarantee your villa is ready when you arrive?

With check in normally late afternoon and we expect to arrive around 9am, I would rather pay for the night before and know we can check right in and get settled. We don’t like that “homeless” feeling.

I think some places hold your room until a certain time the official check in day, but if we called and advised the plans in advance could this work?

Let me know what you think.

I am thinking of doing this at either Vistana Resort or Vistana Villages

Thank you in advance for your advice

Noreen

 

[2Gma]

Was it booked through VRBO/Airbnb, etc.? With those websites you can usually see their availability calendar and if someone isn't booked the night before your stay you can sometimes message manager and get early check in at no extra cost since the unit should already be clean. We've done that several times.

If the nightly cost isn't that much its not a bad idea so you have a place to rest!

 

[TamaraQT]

Personally I would call and tell them when you are arriving and see what options they can offer. Why pay for the extra day that you arent there using it? If there is a fee for early check-in, then pay that instead of a full night stay. I have never been asked to pay a early fee and I always arrive between 9 and 10. We fly in the night before and stay at a budget hotel. Get up, check-out, go to breakfast and head over to our resort before 10am. Most of the time they will have something available but I usually have requests for certain buildings/floors. So I am willing to wait to have my requests met. I am usually in a unit before noon, or have learned what unit I am being assigned by then. So my family uses this time to get acquainted with the resort. Review activity schedule and maybe even go for a swim until we get a call the unit is ready. I used to go do a grocery shop leisurely while my family hung out at the resort. But thats us and I dont know what you have planned for your arrival day. On resort check-in day we usually hang out at the resort during the day and maybe head over to a park or something after we have settled in. Many times, we have good intentions to go out, but lunch/dinner on a patio/balcony or poolside usually wins and we dont venture out until the next day.

Ok...I got off topic and rambled a bit. I got carried away in MY vacation strategies and traditions. Just call Vistana and see what they offer. I have a feeling they can have you in a unit by 10 or 11am. Not all units are booked, so something will be empty when you arrive at 9am. The question is are you willing to accept whatever unit is available?

 

[Noreen411]

Was it booked through VRBO/Airbnb, etc.? With those websites you can usually see their availability calendar and if someone isn't booked the night before your stay you can sometimes message manager and get early check in at no extra cost since the unit should already be clean. We've done that several times.

If the nightly cost isn't that much its not a bad idea so you have a place to rest!

Hi

No we would book direct as we own there.
We have sometimes gotten the villa early but the last few times we haven’t so was trying to ensure we would have it available when we arrive.

Thank you

 

[Noreen411]

Personally I would call and tell them when you are arriving and see what options they can offer. Why pay for the extra day that you arent there using it? If there is a fee for early check-in, then pay that instead of a full night stay. I have never been asked to pay a early fee and I always arrive between 9 and 10. We fly in the night before and stay at a budget hotel. Get up, check-out, go to breakfast and head over to our resort before 10am. Most of the time they will have something available but I usually have requests for certain buildings/floors. So I am willing to wait to have my requests met. I am usually in a unit before noon, or have learned what unit I am being assigned by then. So my family uses this time to get acquainted with the resort. Review activity schedule and maybe even go for a swim until we get a call the unit is ready. I used to go do a grocery shop leisurely while my family hung out at the resort. But thats us and I dont know what you have planned for your arrival day. On resort check-in day we usually hang out at the resort during the day and maybe head over to a park or something after we have settled in. Many times, we have good intentions to go out, but lunch/dinner on a patio/balcony or poolside usually wins and we dont venture out until the next day.

Ok...I got off topic and rambled a bit. I got carried away in MY vacation strategies and traditions. Just call Vistana and see what they offer. I have a feeling they can have you in a unit by 10 or 11am. Not all units are booked, so something will be empty when you arrive at 9am. The question is are you willing to accept whatever unit is available?

Hi.

We usually have a few simple requests like being located in a section near the 24 hour gym and not on the first floor. Other than that, we aren’t too picky.

I can try calling to see what the resort suggests.

We’re still finalizing our exact plans since we’re doing a short cruise along with Disney World and aren’t sure which is coming first but either way we expect to be at the resort pretty early. The cruise portion is booked it’s just when we want to do Disney - before or after, that we’re still working out.

Thank you
Noreen

 

[writerguyfl]

Booking the night prior to ensure that you can immediately check in upon arrival is quite common in the hotel industry. Technically, your room is held until check-out time the following day (10am, 11am, or noon) at a chain hotel like the Sheraton resorts you mention. As long as you arrive prior to that time, you should be okay. That said, it's always best to let the hotel know that you're planning on arriving the following morning.

Make a note on the reservation that you will be arriving the following day. Since those notes aren't typically looked at until the arrival date, you'll probably want to contact the hotel in advance.

I'd suggest calling the hotel during normal business hours right after you make the reservation. (I don't see email address listed on the official websites for the properties noted.) Ask to speak to someone in the "in-house" reservations office. Provide your confirmation number and let the person know your intended arrival time. It should be a 3-4 minute conversation.

 

[Noreen411]

Booking the night prior to ensure that you can immediately check in upon arrival is quite common in the hotel industry. Technically, your room is held until check-out time the following day (10am, 11am, or noon) at a chain hotel like the Sheraton resorts you mention. As long as you arrive prior to that time, you should be okay. That said, it's always best to let the hotel know that you're planning on arriving the following morning.

Make a note on the reservation that you will be arriving the following day. Since those notes aren't typically looked at until the arrival date, you'll probably want to contact the hotel in advance.

I'd suggest calling the hotel during normal business hours right after you make the reservation. (I don't see email address listed on the official websites for the properties noted.) Ask to speak to someone in the "in-house" reservations office. Provide your confirmation number and let the person know your intended arrival time. It should be a 3-4 minute conversation.

Hi

Thank you for the information. That is reassuring to hear that it is somewhat common to do.

Thank you again
Noreen

 

[backpew5]

Hi

Has anyone ever booked the night before you are actually arriving so you can guarantee your villa is ready when you arrive?

With check in normally late afternoon and we expect to arrive around 9am, I would rather pay for the night before and know we can check right in and get settled. We don’t like that “homeless” feeling.

I think some places hold your room until a certain time the official check in day, but if we called and advised the plans in advance could this work?

Let me know what you think.

I am thinking of doing this at either Vistana Resort or Vistana Villages

Thank you in advance for your advice

Noreen

We have done the late arrival for the night before and had a good experience. We did try and do a full day on the checkout day but checking our bags and checking out, then doing the parks and such but we were totally worn out by the time we boarded our plan around dinner time. We also had all our bags checked and it is a hassle to get stuff out of them off and on throughout the day

 

[Ksquared]

We usually drive to Disney and depending on where we stay, we have booked the night before to guarantee when we arrive we can get right in the room. I just call the resort and let them know I'm arriving the next morning. Some resorts are strict with the 4:00 check-in (true esp for one resort we love in VA). I almost always book the extra night there so I can get right in.

 

[TamaraQT]

Hi

No we would book direct as we own there.
We have sometimes gotten the villa early but the last few times we haven’t so was trying to ensure we would have it available when we arrive.

Thank you

Then that's an entirely different scenario if you are an owner as opposed to being a guest/non-owner. They should be able to accommodate an owner with a 9am arrival time. I can't see them making you wait past 10am. Now I really think that a call to them a week or so before your arrival should ensure that for you. In fact, a night before phone call can probably confirm something is available. Good luck and have a FABULOUS vacation !!!

 

[arminnie]

A friend did this when she was arriving early to meet several of us at Lake Tahoe. It was a Harrah's hotel. When she went to check in at 7 AM they told her they'd given the room to someone else AND they charged her a no show fee. Total jerks about it. Wouldn't budge.

Fortunately we all worked for Visa International and knew how to successfully protest the charge. Never try to screw over a Visa employee who WROTE the chargeback regulations.