How To Extend Your Hotel Stay?

Have you ever had so much fun on a trip that you did not want to leave your hotel? Being on vacation can be very fun and sometimes you just want it to last longer.

This article will teach you how to stay at your hotel for extra days. We will explain step-by-step what to do so you can keep enjoying your vacation. Keep reading to learn how!

How to Extend Your Hotel Stay When Should You Extend Your Stay? Sometimes when you travel, you want your trip to be longer.

You might be having a really good time and don’t want your vacation to end yet. Or maybe something came up at home and you need to stay away for a few more days.

How To Extend Your Hotel Stay

There are a few common reasons people choose to extend their hotel stays:

• You’re on vacation and want more time to explore or relax
• You have an event near your hotel like a concert or conference
• Bad weather is delaying your flight or making travel difficult
• You have important business meetings that got extended
• A personal issue came up at home that requires you to be away longer

If any of these apply to you, extending your hotel stay could be the right option. The process is usually quick and easy if rooms are still available for your new desired dates.

When Should You Not Extend?

While extending your hotel stay can be convenient, there are a few times when it may be better to make other arrangements:

• If the hotel is fully booked for your new dates
• If the hotel charges way higher rates on different days
• If you can find better deals at other nearby hotels
• If you are sick of your current hotel and want to try a new location
• If you need different room arrangements like adding guests

In these cases, you may prefer booking a room at another hotel that better fits your needs and budget.

How Far in Advance Should You Decide?

Ideally, you want to decide to extend your stay at least 24-48 hours before your scheduled checkout. This gives the hotel enough notice to accommodate your request. Here is why:

• Hotels need time to check room availability and prepare
• It allows workers time to clean their new room
• You can avoid fees for late checkout or changes
• Other guests may book rooms if you wait too long

Of course, sometimes last-minute situations come up that require urgent extensions. But when possible, decide the day before your checkout to smoothly extend.

What to Do When You Want to Extend Extending your hotel stay is usually fast and simple. Here are the typical steps to follow.

1. Check If Rooms Are Available

• Visit or call the front desk to ask about room availability on your desired dates
• Make sure they have open rooms before going further

2. Notify Hotel Staff

• Inform the front desk staff that you want to extend your stay
• Specify the new checkout date you would like
• Add any other room preferences if needed

3. Provide Payment

• Give a credit card on file or pay a deposit for the extra nights
• Make sure billing details are updated if needed

4. Receive New Keys

• Get new room keys that work for the entirety of your extended stay
• This allows continuous access without disruptions

Read our article on what happens if you lose your key card here.

5. Shift or Relocate Rooms

• You may be able to stay in the same room or shift to a new one
• This depends on what other rooms the hotel has open

6. Review Charges and Policies

• Confirm nightly rates and fees for the extension dates
• Check cancellation policies in case plans change

As long as rooms are available, the process is very easy. The hardest part is deciding that you want to extend in the first place!

What to Do If No Rooms Are Available Sometimes hotels get fully booked which prevents extensions. If they cannot accommodate you, here are options:

• Ask about waiting lists for cancellations
• Have staff look for open rooms at sister properties
• Check rates and availability at nearby hotels instead
• Consider shifting to a vacation rental property
• Change travel plans and dates if needed

While not ideal, with some flexibility, you can usually find alternatives. Reach out early for the best selection.

Potential Extra Fees to Expect When extending hotel stays, a few additional fees may apply to your original reservation. Common charges include:

• Higher daily room rates if prices fluctuated
• Extra-person charges if more guests join you
• Early check-in or late checkout charges
• Parking fees for additional days
• Taxes and service fees on new nights
• Cancellation or change penalties

Be sure to get a full quote including all days to avoid surprises. Rates often vary day-to-day.

Tips for a Smooth Extension Process

• Give at least 24 hours notice to increase success
• Book directly through the hotel over third-parties
• Extend in-person instead of waiting on calls
• Be flexible on room types and locations
• Add deposit payments via credit card
• Clarify cancellation policies and cut-off dates
• Get new room keys and check-in paperwork
• Set reminders for the new later check-out time

Following these tips will make for the simplest extension experience!

Benefits of Extending Your Stay While extending hotel stays does take some effort, it offers nice perks too:

• Saves you time finding and booking new hotels
• Lets you keep enjoying facilities and amenities
• Avoids the hassle of packing and moving all luggage
• Gives you more time to see attractions and sights
• Can be cheaper than booking last minute at new properties
• Allows you to extend important business or events

If you want more vacation time or need to stay longer for work, extending is often the best way to go.

Downsides of Extending Your Stay

Along with the benefits, there are also disadvantages to weigh:

• Preferred rooms may no longer be available
• Rates are often higher, especially during peak seasons
• Your favorite staff members may be off duty
• Menus and entertainment may get repetitive
• You lose the chance to experience other hotels

While small downsides, assess if they matter for your situation when deciding to extend.

Questions to Ask Before Extending

Before committing to stay longer, ask yourself:

• Will I take advantage of extra days here?
• Is this hotel still meeting all my needs?
• Are better discounts or deals available elsewhere?
• Do I have the budget for an extended stay?
• Can I reschedule travel plans easily if needed?

If you can answer “yes” to most questions, extending is likely the way to go.

When Extending Makes Sense

While every trip is different, these tend to be good cases for extending hotel stays:

• You’re mid-project for work and need more time
• Whether or strikes make other travel plans risky
• Special events near the hotel were rescheduled
• You’re awaiting COVID test results to travel home
• Family emergencies require you to extend business

Having a clear reason why you need more nights simplifies the decision.

Summary

Extending hotel stays keeps travel smooth when you want more time at a destination.

Decide at least 24 hours before checkout and notify the front desk to check on room availability.

Provide payment and get new room keys to officially extend your booking dates.

Although pricier rates or limited rooms may apply, extending saves you hassle over relocating elsewhere when possible. Use tips in this article to seamlessly prolong your hotel stay!