Timing is everything, especially when checking in or out of your vacation accommodations. Check in and check out times – based on the normal human sleep cycle – were created to keep the hotel or condo, as well as guests, protected.
The way hotels and condos make their money is to charge for time spent there. Whether you book a flea-ridden dive or a five-star luxury condo on the beach, the story is always the same. Other travelers were most likely previously scheduled before and after your stay, and time is also required to clean accommodations in between guests. If you want to check in too early, they lose the possibility of booking someone else for the previous day (and remember that condos book by the week, so this scenario becomes extremely cumbersome). If you want to check out late, the same applies. The time you stay eats into the time someone else can stay. Or let’s put the shoe on the other foot. If you are checking in to vacation accommodations you previously booked, you definitely want your room available and ready when it was promised.
This concept is especially important when renting a luxury condo because, unlike ordinary hotel rooms, specific condominiums are chosen in advance by guests for their size, amenities and aesthetic appeal. What this means to you and them, even if the place is not booked to capacity, is that there is absolutely no wiggle room to move anyone to alternate accommodations.
Early check-in and late check-out IS sometimes possible and negotiable depending upon the establishment, but definitely not guaranteed – especially during high season. If it is possible to check in early or check out late, expect to pay additional fees.