Where to Store Your Bags Before Check-In: Travel Hotel Luggage Tips

There are many counterintuitive annoyances in the world of travel, and the “hotel breakup” is certainly one of them; several hours between the time you need to check out of one hotel and the time you can check into the next hotel.

Or, as in Athens, the time between arriving in the city and settling in.

If you, like me, hate wasting precious vacation hours waiting to check in and want to explore your destination without carrying heavy bags, here are a few tricks every traveler should know.

1. Ask if the room is ready in advance.

There’s nothing like collapsing on your bed for a quick rest, a hot shower, or a change of clothes before heading out to explore. Especially if you spent the night traveling.

So my first port of call is to go straight to the hotel and just politely ask if the room is ready. In Athens, my travel partner noted that we could not go to the hotel as there were six hours left before check-in, but as I said; don’t ask, don’t receive.

Arriving six hours early is a challenge even for me, but I’ve found that almost every hotel I ask about can check me in on the spot or at least give me the option of returning early.

Kindness is the key; Remember that you are asking the administrator for a favor, not a right. “Any chance…” or “Could you check…” are great ways to start.

If they say no, accept it with a smile (it’s probably not their call) and move on to step two.

2. Ask for free storage

If early check-in is not possible, most hotels have a dedicated bag locker or office space where they can store them. Again, if the hotel doesn’t advertise luggage storage, don’t wait, but politely ask if they can store them in a secure location.

3. Luggage storage

In all my years of traveling, hotels have either kept my luggage in storage or allowed me to check in early, but if those two options don’t work out, luggage storage is another option.

There are many luggage storage options, but not all are created equal. One option is unstaffed locker rooms, which allow you to reserve a locker online or using digital keypads. For some, not having someone to look after their belongings makes them feel safer. My fear of a locker malfunctioning and my bags getting stuck means I prefer staffed locations, which are usually located in transport hubs such as airports or train stations.

Another popular option is cheaper but less secure third-party storage. Entirely online, these companies connect travelers with businesses who have space to spare and a desire to make extra money. The disadvantage is that your luggage can be stored anywhere: from a cafe counter to an unlocked hair salon office. Pro? It’s cheap as chips.

Despite my doubts, one colleague praised the Luggage Drop app during the recent Hotel Gap conference in Christchurch.

4. Give preference to hotels with a 24-hour reception.

The latter option is more niche, but nonetheless effective; give preference to hotels with early check-in.

Some hotel chains, such as Hyatt, IHG and Marriot Bonvoy, provide members of their loyalty programs with early check-in or allow guests to add early check-in to their reservation for a small fee.

Closer to home, the Grand Chancellor Hotel in Auckland and Wellington has launched a package deal called a 24-hour stay, which allows guests to stay at the hotel for a full 24 hours from arrival.

24-hour stays are now available at both the Grand Chancellor Auckland and the James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor Wellington.

If a guest checks in at 16:00, he can stay until 16:00 the next day. Likewise, if they check in at 10:00 pm, they will have until 10:00 pm the next day.