Hotel Early Check IN??

[Travel luv]

Wondering if any one has ever been lucky enough to get an early check in when arriving into Barcelona in the morning. I'm concerned that we are going to arrive in the morning with severe jet lag, yet no where to go.

 

We are staying at the Hotel Pulitzer. Any suggestions?

[Hlitner]

ARGH! That is always an issue for us when we fly to Europe. Over dozens of trips we have probably been lucky about 50% of the time. We have found most hotels sympathetic, but its all luck. Regarding Barcelona we usually stay at the Hotel Colon and, again, its luck whether we can get a room. The last time we stayed there we arrived about 9 am and they invited us to have breakfast (no charge) while they quickly prepared a room. Other times we have waited until 4 pm.

 

Hank

[ab0si]

The more of the following are true, the better your chances:

 

1) Frequent customer (or elite status in chain program)

2) off-nite. Sunday is the "offest" so checking in Monday morning improves your odds.

3) Off-season (as in 2) there is greater chance a room will be open.

4) Requesting in advance

5) Asking politely at the front desk upon arrival while extending a hand containing 20 euros.

[AndyRusty]

Coming from Australia to either Europe or the USA there is a big time difference. We normally leave Australia late morning and arrive Europe or USA around 6 in the morning with a whole day to spend. I start work on jet lag several days before we leave. staying up later at night and getting up later. On the night before I leave I go to bed at the time of my first destination. I also work hard on staying awake on the plane till the correct time according to my destination. On the first day I try very hard not to go to bed until normal local bed time. I find starting to concentrate on the new time zone several days before lets me get over jet lag within 24 hours of reaching my destination.

If I get an early check in I unpack and have a shower but don't sleep as this extends the period of time it takes to get over the jet lag.

[Travel luv]

Thanks everyone. I'm hoping and praying that they will allow us to do an early checkin. I'm actually more concerned about my husband. He doesn't respond so well to jet lag and usually needs to settle down a bit after traveling a long distance.

 

I guess we could work on pre adjusting to the jet lag, but this may be a bit of a challenge with us with work prior to our trip.

[texancruzer]

Geez - I wish this was a problem I have had.......but due to numerous flight problems we have always arrived later than anticipated :eek:

 

But in Barcelona we disembarked from our cruise and spent one night post cruise at Le Meridien on Las Ramblas. We arrived @ 10 am and they allowed us to check in at that time. We just used the room to freshen up and went back out.....but was nice to have that.

[CruisinGerman]

If you are so concerned about having the room very early in the morning to ensure a good rest to get adjusted for your upcoming vacation, you could book and pay for the room starting the night before, or e-mail the hotel and offer them half a night's rate to check in very early. That would guarantee your having the room.

 

It's all about availability. If the hotel has the room available, they will give it to you -- they don't want people mulling around doing nothing in their lobby with a whole bunch of luggage.

 

As a European, I find the comment about slipping the front desk receptionist 20 euros somewhat offensive and in line with that all-American habit of throwing tips and money at everyone. We don't really do that here. Tipping the bellboy for carrying your bags is one thing, but I think if the security cameras that are usually above the reception desk at any hotel caught a front desk clerk accepting money from a guest, that employee would be fired. There have been extensive threads on this subject, but here in Europe, or at least here in Spain, you don't have to tip anyone anything. It's not expected nor required, and nobody will grumble at you or give you poor service if you don't tip as they would do in the United States.

 

Another option would be to check-in to a very luxurious five star hotel, since many of these hotels let you check-in whenever you want and merely count 24 hours from when you do check-in.

 

Hope you have a good trip,

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Billiam]

Actually this is not as much of an issue as most think. Most planes from the US arrive between 8 & 10, take a couple of hours then return before noon or shortly afterwards. The people in the hotels need to be at the airport 2+ hours before their flight so the hotels lose the flying customers early in the morning. I and most of my friends have never had an issue other than having to wait until they get a room ready once. My last stay at the Jazz I arrived 10ish and they had several ready and gave me a choice of floors. I would think most if not all will hold luggage while you tour for a couple of hours. We had friends who wanted a place to rest as soon as they got there and reserved the previous night and the people in front of them at checkin were accomodated and had not paid for an extra night. I wouldn't worry about it but would send them an email a few days before arrival and tell them what you estimate your arrival time to be and ask for your room to be available if possible.

[lkakers]

I agree with Billiam, et al... I would try emailing the hotel (I have gotten extremely good service doing this!) and letting them know your situation.

 

They probably will tell you they can't guarantee that they'll have a room available for you, but that if they do have a room they'll let you check in early.

 

I've done this at numerous hotels (USA and abroad), and the hotel staff typically try to accomodate you (they don't want you sleeping on the lobby sofa, do they?). :D

[WesW]

Funtravelor, the Hotel Pulitzer and Hotel Regina are both managed by Jose

Sanchez, the General Manager. Like you we arrive around 8 a.m and have a Barcelona

Tour scheduled for shortly after 9am. In February, I emailed Mr Sanchez (who is one of the very few General Mgrs who reponds to almost every trip advisor post made for the Hotel Pulitzer and the Hotel Regina) (e.g.,

 

Abdn-Kel 72 contributions Aberdeen, Scotland

Mar 21, 2010 | Trip type: Friends getaway We stayed in the Pulitzer for 4 nights in March 2010 and cannot fault it. We travelled with another couple. We got a really good deal booking through the actual hotel (409 Euros for 4 nights for 2 adults, excluding VAT for the basic room). I searched around and the hotels website definately gave the best deal.

 

Management response from

jmsanchez, General Manager

Dear Madam/Sir, I would like just to thank you for all your kind comments about the Hotel. Please do not hesitate to contact me either if you or one of your friends would like to visit Barcelona again. Best regards Jose Mª Sanchez-Harguindey General Manager

 

 

 

and asked if we could store our luggage/valuables in the hotel/hotel safety deposit box before going on tour. He immediately wrote back that they would do their best to have

our room ready at 9am (no charge). A day later I heard from the manager of the Hotel

Regina who also said they will do their best to have our room ready.

 

As a few of the posters above have recommended, also suggest you email Mr. Sanchez directly and politely ask if there is a chance they could have your room ready early. His

direct email is:

 

jmsanchez@grhoteles.com

[hubofhockey]

We have the same problem in Dublin with a 6 am arrival. We are staying at a good airport hotel. I am tempted to book an extra night at the hotel just to be able to check in at 8 am and get some sleep. But I agree with the previous post about trying to get on Europe time earlier rather than later. We fly out the next morning for Venice and we may as well get on Europe time while still in the US and take a big nap before our flights out of Boston.

[Travel luv]

Funtravelor, the Hotel Pulitzer and Hotel Regina are both managed by Jose

Sanchez, the General Manager. Like you we arrive around 8 a.m and have a Barcelona

Tour scheduled for shortly after 9am. In February, I emailed Mr Sanchez (who is one of the very few General Mgrs who reponds to almost every trip advisor post made for the Hotel Pulitzer and the Hotel Regina) (e.g.,

 

Abdn-Kel 72 contributions Aberdeen, Scotland

Mar 21, 2010 | Trip type: Friends getaway We stayed in the Pulitzer for 4 nights in March 2010 and cannot fault it. We travelled with another couple. We got a really good deal booking through the actual hotel (409 Euros for 4 nights for 2 adults, excluding VAT for the basic room). I searched around and the hotels website definately gave the best deal.

 

Management response from

jmsanchez, General Manager

Dear Madam/Sir, I would like just to thank you for all your kind comments about the Hotel. Please do not hesitate to contact me either if you or one of your friends would like to visit Barcelona again. Best regards Jose Mª Sanchez-Harguindey General Manager

 

 

 

and asked if we could store our luggage/valuables in the hotel/hotel safety deposit box before going on tour. He immediately wrote back that they would do their best to have

our room ready at 9am (no charge). A day later I heard from the manager of the Hotel

Regina who also said they will do their best to have our room ready.

 

As a few of the posters above have recommended, also suggest you email Mr. Sanchez directly and politely ask if there is a chance they could have your room ready early. His

direct email is:

 

jmsanchez@grhoteles.com

 

Thanks so much! I appreciate your advice.