Does Universal allow late check-out?

[chrissyk]

Does Universal ever allow for late check-out at their on-site hotels? If so, which hotels have this policy (or do all of them)?

 

[damo]

If you sign up for a loews first card, you can get a late check out.

http://www.loews-first.com/Loewsfirst.asp

 

[chrissyk]

Thanks! What is the regular check-out time? My husband has a conference at Universal, and I'll go with him if we can get a late check-out on the last day.

 

[damo]

I think regular check out time is noon or 11. Someone will need to help me out here!

 

[AlexandNessa]

damo is right: check out time is 11. However, it will depend on 1. your rate and 2. how busy the hotel is if you get a late check out. We have requested late check out many times, and the problem is, you must request it the morning you are going to check out (I have never been able to request it in advance). I know they gave me a hard time once because although I was Loews Gold at the time, I booked with an AP rate, and they only gave me an hour. Perhaps other people have had better luck.

 

[chrissyk]

damo is right: check out time is 11. However, it will depend on 1. your rate and 2. how busy the hotel is if you get a late check out. We have requested late check out many times, and the problem is, you must request it the morning you are going to check out (I have never been able to request it in advance). I know they gave me a hard time once because although I was Loews Gold at the time, I booked with an AP rate, and they only gave me an hour. Perhaps other people have had better luck.

Yikes! I don't want to go and then find out that we can't get a late check-out after all. We'd be going in 2 weeks, so early-mid. Nov. We'd book w/an AP rate or whatever rate is cheapest. I don't think that this would be a busy time of year, but I could be wrong. Thank you for any and all info!

 

[robvia]

Most hotels give you an hour grace period, up until noon. You call the front desk the morning you are checking out and ask. Gold and Platinum Loews card members are supposed to get a 2pm checkout, but only if available.

What you can basically do, is pack most of your things in the morning, visit a park for a couple hours, then check out. Most of the time, we have no desire to stay the afternoon with a long drive home.

If you have a late flight, then you could let the hotel hold your bags and go visit the pool.

 

[damo]

Remember what Robvia says, they will hold your bags for you if you want to go to the parks or just hang out while you wait for your husband. You could take a trip up to the outlet malls or Mall at Millenia too which are both very close.

 

[Beckles]

I've started using the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program to book at the Portofino Bay Hotel, but it is only available to American Express Platinum and Centurion Card holders, but it gives a 4:00 PM guaranteed check out as well as other benefits (a free lunch, free breakfast every morning, room upgrade, and we were welcomed personally by the manager on duty when we checked in last time we used it), when we checked in they specifically asked if we wanted to use our late check-out. The downside is that you have to pay AMEX's rate, which is more expensive than the APH rate, for our two-night trip in December the rate is $220, which is $92 more total for two nights than the APH rate we could have otherwise gotten, but since we'll actually use the late check out it's worth it for us.

 

[chrissyk]

I've started using the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program to book at the Portofino Bay Hotel, but it is only available to American Express Platinum and Centurion Card holders, but it gives a 4:00 PM guaranteed check out as well as other benefits (a free lunch, free breakfast every morning, room upgrade, and we were welcomed personally by the manager on duty when we checked in last time we used it), when we checked in they specifically asked if we wanted to use our late check-out. The downside is that you have to pay AMEX's rate, which is more expensive than the APH rate, for our two-night trip in December the rate is $220, which is $92 more total for two nights than the APH rate we could have otherwise gotten, but since we'll actually use the late check out it's worth it for us.

I'd pay more than the AP rate to get the guaranteed 4PM check-out, and as it turns out, we do have a platinum Amex! We're so doing this!! Thank you so much!

Is the complimentary lunch in specific restaurants or anywhere? It doesn't really matter, since free is free, but I'm just curious

 

[Sleepy]

Gold and Platinum Loews card members are supposed to get a 2pm checkout, but only if available.

Correct me if I am wrong, but like with all the other "benefits" of being a Gld and Platinum member, you have to have a qualified stay to get the benefit of late check out. We lucked out last stay. Had no qualifying stay, but did get a 1pm late check-out......not the 2pm that a "gold" status should have gotten us.

 

[macraven]

i must have been lucky.
in all my 17 stays on site, i have never been turned down for a late check out.

when i was blue loews first card holder, i received the noon check out time.
second time on blue, was given a 1 pm check out ......lucky that time.

moving up on the color chart with loews, i have used the 2 pm check out each time with no problem. i even requested it when i checked in and did not have to call for late check out on the last day.

after reading everyone's responses, all i can say, i have been lucky.


i only like the 2pm check out for the fact i can do lunch and get my suitcases organized in a slow way.
i have them held for me until the early evening.
my flights are always after 8 pm in the evening.

i plan it that way.

 

[Beckles]

I'd pay more than the AP rate to get the guaranteed 4PM check-out, and as it turns out, we do have a platinum Amex! We're so doing this!! Thank you so much!

Is the complimentary lunch in specific restaurants or anywhere? It doesn't really matter, since free is free, but I'm just curious

It's at the Trattoria del Porto, they give you a certificate good for a certaion dollar amount, it was pretty generous as I recall, something like $40 or $50. The breakfast is good at either the Trattoria del Porto or Gelateria/Caffe Espresso.

 

[robvia]

That's great the late checkout and late flight home worked. I don't fly home late anymore. One time, I took the family to Hershey park with a late flight home. We took our time going to the airport, ate dinner in a restaurant at 6pm, then headed to the airport. Our flight to Atlanta was late, but it went anyway at 9pm. Guess what? All the planes in Atlanta were gone at 11pm, the hotels were full, and we ended up sleeping in the ATL at the gate. All the lights stayed on bright, it was freezing cold, messages played on the loud speakers, and workers vacuumed around us. Not only that, for our 8am flight home, they didn't do anything special for us. I even asked for an upgrade to first class and they said no.

So if your flight leaves at 8pm and has a connection, I'd be weary. 2pm is the latest I'll fly home now. Most of the time I go for the early flights because I know they won't be delayed.

I can never really enjoy the last day of the trip, because I know I'm going home. Sure, we can spend a few hours at a park, but it's mostly packing up and getting ready to fly home.

 

[macraven]

robvia, that is a horror story of missing the connecting flight !
that is horrible what you all had to go thru.


i only fly direct.
i refuse to do connecting flights.

out of chgo, that is never an issue to get a direct flight to orlando.
it works out good for us.