What time is the ideal checkout time? How do you coordinate housekeeping shifts with your checkout time?
I've seen checkout times as early as 9:30am and as late as 12 noon.
I think the situation is different at each hostel. At one 200-bed hostel we used to have a 12 noon checkout, with a 20% late fee. If the hostel wasn't busy, it was okay for guests to stay as late as about 3pm as long as the late fee was paid (housekeepers worked until ~4pm). Housekeepers started at 10am, but there was also a "groundskeeper" who started earlier to prepare breakfast and clean the common areas. If the hostel was busy we would try to get everyone out by 12 noon and would go from room to room to remind people before noon about the coming checkout time.
Here are some hostel reviews that mention checkout times:
http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Ahostelworld.com+checkout+time&num=100
11 years
How about using the facilities? Can people in your hostels use the bathrooms/kitchen/internet after check-out? Our hostel has a 12:00 noos check-out time, which makes everybody happy, it seems. We don't have a late check-out fee just because we didnt' think of that but i think it's a good idea :). breakfast - same thing, we have it until late ( 11:00) but people still ask for breakfast even at 12:00 or 1:00 !! :) We tell them we advertise free breakfast, not free food all day . :)
11 years
We let everyone stick around and use the common facilities after checkout, sometimes even until the evening if they have a bus or a train that leaves later. They can shower, use the interent, use the game room, or even cook if they want to. I want to make sure that their departure is just as enjoyable as the rest of their stay.
10 years
I think an 11.00am check out time is ideal for the guest. Many times it was a positive in reviews for one place i used to work. It probably should be the time the hostel should base its house keeping and laundry tasks around for optimum happiness :)
Im not a fan of the policy of charging guests for use of facilities after check out. But i have worked at a place that posted it as part of the hostel rules as a deterrent for possible rowdy nuisance groups (stag parties!) who the owner didn't want hanging around for the day getting drunk while they wait for their plane!
One thing I do mention to checked out guests is to not use the shower facilities on days when we have a full house. Guest-to-bathroom ratio can be an issue even at 75% capacity, not alone 150% with a bunch of people waiting around to catch a bus or train as well as the current nights guests.
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