All hotels or similar establishments usually require guests to check-in, which involves providing or confirming guests’ personal information. Check-in procedures may vary from one establishment to another, especially for apartments or guest houses but in general:
- Guests are expected to provide the booking confirmation as well as identification documents, such as a passport or personal ID or, in some cases, driver’s licence, which the hotel may copy and retain for its records, and also to sign the registration form. Usually, only one guest per room is necessary in order to register.
- Some establishments also require from guests during the standard check-in procedure a credit card as a guarantee or even ask for a deposit to cover potential costs such as room service or mini-bar for the duration of the stay.
We strongly advise you to check the check-in procedures, depending on the type of establishment you have booked but especially if you’re booking an apartment, guest house, etc.
Hotels: Check-in times vary but this can range from 12PM until about 4PM depending on the establishments’ rules and regulations. Early and late check-ins can be arranged through the hotel as long as the guests provide all the necessary details to the hotel in advance and make the proper arrangements. Some hotels can charge an additional fee but some won’t accept early or late-check-ins because the reception may be closed during the night.
Aparthotels and Guest houses: Please note that these are independent establishments with individual policies and might have very different check-in procedures then hotels. In most cases, these establishments don’t have a reception desk and request from guests to pick up the room keys from a different location. Sometimes customers are asked to call the property and establish the check-in procedures depending on the arrival time of the guest. Also, apartments and guest houses may ask for a deposit as a guarantee, which will be reimbursed to the customer in case of no room damage or retained in case of damage.