A guest arrives at your hotel at 1:00 AM on January 25th. If you create a reservation with check-in = January 25th and check-out = January 26th, your PMS will show that the room is available on the night of January 24th even though it will be occupied at 1:00 AM. This can lead to double bookings and confusion.
The key is to understand the concept of a "room night" in hotel operations. A room night runs from your hotel's standard check-in time on one day to the standard check-out time on the next day. For example, if your check-in time is 2:00 PM and check-out is 12:00 PM, the night of January 24th lasts from 2:00 PM on January 24th until 12:00 PM on January 25th.
The Correct Way to Enter an After-Midnight Arrival
For any guest arriving after midnight but before your standard check-out time on that same day:
- Set the Check In Date to the previous calendar date.
- Set the Check Out Date to the current calendar date (or the appropriate future date if they stay multiple nights).
Example: Arrival at 1:00 AM on January 25th. For a one-night stay, set Check-in = January 24th, Check-out = January 25th.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the guest arrives at 11:30 PM? Do I still use the previous day?
No. If arrival is before midnight (e.g., 11:30 PM on January 24th), the Check In Date should be January 24th (the same day). The above rule applies only for arrivals after midnight but before your check-out time.
Does this affect the guest's bill or room rate?
No. The financials are based on the actual nights stayed. The system will correctly calculate charges for the duration of the stay regardless of the check-in date entered.