he U.S. tour group has arrived in
London just after sunrise. The overnight flight was smooth and
enjoyable but too short for the passengers to get a good night's
sleep.
They yearn to get into their hotel rooms, unpack, take a shower,
change their clothes, maybe take a little nap. Then they'll be
ready to begin their program.
Is that what happens? No. The weary travelers get their bags and
are ushered onto a sightseeing bus to see Windsor Palace,
Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. They don't complain
because they are excited about being abroad, but the truth is they
would prefer to do this after having a rest. Many hours later, they
finally get into their rooms.
The sightseeing tour didn't take place because the supplier
wanted to start the itinerary with an exciting event -- it happened
because the hotel rooms weren't going to be ready because check-in
times are in the mid- to late afternoon.
The only way this situation could be avoided would be to pay for
the rooms for the night before the group's arrival. So why don't
more suppliers include the cost of that night in their programs or
offer clients the option to hold the rooms on the previous
night?
The answer is that most of them are convinced they will lose
business to lower-priced competitors. They believe U.S. consumers
buy only on price and can't be convinced to spend a little more for
a better experience, even if the additional cost represents a
fraction of the total expense. The suppliers agree that travelers
would be happier if they could get into their hotel rooms
immediately but suspect most would rather pay less, even if it
means their first day overseas is exhausting.
Outside the U.S., travel promoters tend to be more forthcoming
about the experience awaiting travelers if they haven't held their
hotel rooms on the night before arrival. One company, Spain's
Ibizhotels, is blunt in forewarning prospective clients about what
might happen. On its Web site, the chain has a prominent notice for
clients from the U.K. or Ireland. It says:
"Please keep in mind that the standard check-in time is 4 p.m.
of the booked and confirmed day of arrival, if no prior
arrangements have been made.
"We strongly recommend all guests who are traveling on night
flights book the preceding night. Example: You leave your home
country on Friday evening and the flight arrives in Ibiza on
Saturday in the early-morning hours. You cannot check in before
Saturday afternoon if the unit is confirmed for Saturday.
"However, if you book in advance for Friday, we shall make it
possible for you to check in immediately without waiting so many
hours."