Late check-out isn’t rocket science, or is it?

Technology has helped hotels micromanage all facets of their business from adjusting room rates based on occupancy on a daily basis, to being able to charge mini-bar items immediately upon a guest simply touching those items.

So why is the issue of late check-out such a hassle?

This past weekend I was staying with two friends at the Planet Hollywood hotel in Las Vegas, a 2,500 room property. We’d already had some issues with our reserved room not being available Friday night when we noticed that check-out time was 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Since Saturday night was one of my friends’ birthday celebration, I asked if we could arrange at least a slightly later check out. (Our room was booked on a special Signature Travel Network rate too, which was not highly discount, but which included a free breakfast, and in theory, early check-in/late check-out if available.) The check-in agent told me they wouldn’t know until Saturday night.

Now, weekends in Las Vegas are hotels’ busiest times, although less so in the summer with triple digit temperatures. Sunday nights, except during conventions, are pretty quiet. So I wasn’t particularly concerned, although for whatever reason, the hotel’s phone system was completely overloaded all weekend with approximately 10 minute waits to speak to a human.

So I gave up after being on hold earlier Saturday night, and called at almost 3 a.m. Sunday morning to formally request the extension. After only about five minutes a woman from the front desk came on the the line and said “Sorry, we won’t know about any late check-outs until 7 a.m Call back at 7 a.m.” I said, could we at least get until noon.” “No,” she said, “7 a.m.”

I refrained from pointing out that if I planned to be up at 7 a.m. we wouldn’t need a late checkout, or something less polite. But set an alarm for 10 a.m., waited on hold, and after again about 10 minutes was told “We can give you until 12 noon,” which the agent then agreed to extend until 12:30 p.m. At least my friends could sleep a little later.

Now, I am certainly sympathetic to occupancy issues, and the last thing a hotel needs is angry guests camped out in the lobby waiting for rooms. (Although, in fact, last year for my own birthday celebration at the Ritz Carlton, San Francisco, we had to wait until 6 p.m. for a room that should have been ready by 3 p.m., because the hotel apologetically said they had promised late check-out to the previous occupants.)

As a travel agent, it was easy to check room availability via my laptop. Planet Hollywood had plenty of rooms available at an inexpensive rate Sunday night (a sign they were not close to full). A front-desk agent later confirmed to me they had plenty of rooms.

In this case, why not confirm the request sooner? It also wasn’t as if my room had been booked at a super discounted online or auction rate. I could also see a hotel simply limiting the number of confirmed late check-outs, using any of a number of criteria, but that wasn’t the case either. The night agent said NO late check-outs had been or would be confirmed early.

I’ve had similar issues with other hotels, but none I can remember in such a big property with so many rooms and such an early check-out time. Plus, this wasn’t a situation where, as another property once told me “most of our housekeeping staff goes home at noon.” Planet Hollywood in fact makes a point of stating that they have 24 hour housekeeping.

Adding to this story, we already had to change rooms early on Saturday. In that case, after a number of promises starting at around 11 a.m., our new room wasn’t cleaned and available until almost 4 p.m.

Clearly, this is still an inexact science. But when hotels have their occupancy levels online, it seems like they could make it a great deal easier for guests to confirm a late check-out. Especially when it’s not a huge extension request. (On the other hand, I’ve had to explain to clients more than once that getting a guaranteed 6 p.m., 7 p.m. or later check-out just isn’t realistic without paying for another night, because then that does affect the hotel’s ability to resell the room.)

It also might be just my imagination, but it seems like an increasing number of hotels are moving the traditional noon checkout earlier. (Disney properties have been using 11 a.m. for years, although you can ask for a later time until 1 p.m., preferably at checkin.)

Again, I realize that hotels are facing tough economic times along with the rest of the travel industry, but it seems like there has to be an easier way. As always, suggestions, comments and other stories encouraged.