Your plans changed. The conference got canceled, your meeting wrapped up early, or maybe your hotel room is riddled with bed bugs, and you just wanna get the heck out. Whatever the reason for your need to immediately disperse, you need to leave before your checkout date. But… is this a real issue? You’re leaving the property early and relinquishing the room, but you’re also blindsing the hotel. What actually happens when you bail on a hotel reservation early depends entirely on how you booked, when you notify them, and what their specific policy says.
Hotels Might Charge You An Early Departure Fee
Most major hotel chains can charge an early departure fee if you leave before your scheduled checkout date. This is written in their policy, which is what you agreed to when you booked your hotel. This fee totally depends on the hotel, but it usually ranges between $50 to $100. Of course, some properties can charge up to one full night’s room rate, plus tax. Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG all have policies that allow individual hotels to impose these fees, though they vary by property.
The key detail that determines whether you pay is timing. If you notify the front desk at check in or give them at least 24 hours notice before your early departure, many hotels will waive the fee or only charge you for one extra night instead of the full remaining stay. If you just disappear without saying anything, you’re likely getting charged. We suggest that you go to the front desk and kindly explain your situation (a believable sob story never hurts) and ask that they kindly waive it away. Hotel front desk staff are always happy to help out, so long as you treat them with kindness and remember that they’re human!
Prepaid And Third Party Bookings Are Different
If you booked through Priceline, Expedia, or Hotels.com at a discounted prepaid rate, forget getting your money back. While these third party websites often offer cheaper rates, they’re also monolithic, faceless corporations that don’t have to help you out – at all. Those reservations are almost always non-refundable, and leaving early doesn’t change that. You already paid for the full stay, and the hotel has zero obligation to refund unused nights, especially when it was booked through a third-party.
