An early check-in is a paid upgrade that allows guests to access the property before the standard check-in time. For travelers arriving on an early flight or looking to start their vacation sooner, it provides immediate convenience while generating additional revenue from otherwise unused inventory.
A late check-out is a paid upgrade that allows guests to stay in the property beyond the standard departure time. It gives guests greater flexibility on their departure day, especially when traveling later in the day, while helping hosts generate incremental revenue from existing bookings with minimal operational effort.
Pricing Benchmarks (Use as a Starting Point)
Pricing varies by market and ADR, but these ranges are the baseline, informed by real performance data:
Early check-in: typically $30–$50 (often lower than late checkout)
Late checkout: typically $60–$90
1. Early Check‑In. How to Set It Up
Goal :
Maximize conversion while keeping approvals operationally safe.
Best‑Practice Results
25-40% conversion when configured correctly
Strong positive impact on guest reviews
Step‑by‑Step Setup
Step 1: Create the Upsell
Path: Listing Group → Guest Journey → Upsells → Create Early Check‑In
Locate the “Early Check-in”template. Click Use template and adjust it to your needs.
Step 2: Configure the Early Check-in upsell
2.A Select the language on the top
Note: when translating the Upsell copy to a different language, make sure to translate the options.
2.B Set the Approval type to: Manually Approve Purchase
2.C Adjust the upsell pricing. Use “Popcorn Pricing” for higher conversion
Offer multiple time options with increasing prices.
Recommended structure :
3:00 PM — lowest price (easy to approve)
2:00 PM — slightly higher
1:00 PM — premium
12:00 PM / 11:00 AM — highest price
Example :
3:00 PM — $20
2:00 PM — $30
1:00 PM — $50
This nudges most guests toward options you can easily fulfill.
Step 3: Keep Conditions Minimal (Visibility)
❌ Do not restrict visibility based on availability, “2 days before,” or similar rules.
Why :
Guests may open the Boarding Pass many times before arrival.
Showing the upsell only once (late) dramatically reduces conversion.
Early check-in is requested by the guest; it is not charged until you approve.
✔ Let guests request anytime, then approve/deny closer to arrival. You can see those requests in your Pending Actions inbox view.
Pro Tip: Understand “Request” vs “Purchase” (Avoid Over-Engineering)
If your team worries about “two guests buying early check-in at the same time,” here’s the key :
In Enso, guests request early check-in/late checkout.
Their card is collected, but the charge happens only after you approve.
So you can safely:
Receive multiple requests
Approve only what you can operationally deliver
Decline the rest with a templated message
Step 4: Fix the #1 Conversion Killer (Critical)
Path: Listing Group → Guest Verification
❌ Do NOT release check‑in instructions 24–36 hours early.
✔ Set “Hide check‑in instructions until” = 10 minutes before check‑in.
Important: This does not mean with holding arrival information.
Instead, use an Arrival Guide to share non-access details early:
Directions to the property
Parking instructions
Where to go upon arrival
Area or building orientation
Keep actual access details (codes, keys, check-in button) locked until check-in time.
Why this works:
Guests arrive early
Tap “Check-in”
See: “Too early — would you like to purchase an Early Check-In?”
This single change consistently lifts Early Check-In conversion to 25-40%.
Step 5: Set Up Message Automation to Communicate Your Check-in Upsells
Path: Set up message automation → Pre‑Check‑In
Use Message Templates
Use existing pre‑check‑in templates:
Request received
Approved
Declined
2. Late Checkout - Mirror Early Check‑In
Key Differences
Slightly lower conversion (15–25%)
Price 25-50% higher than Early Check‑In
Setup Checklist
✔ Multiple time options (30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr, etc.)
✔ Popcorn pricing
✔ Minimal conditions (only owner exclusions if needed)
✔ Manual approval (auto‑approval coming soon)
Set Up Messaging Automation:
Add a Reminder
Send a reminder message 1 day before checkout:
“Enjoy a slow morning — late checkout is available if you’d like more time.”
This alone can double conversion.
Use Message Templates
Use existing Late Check-out Suggestion templates:
Request received
Approved
Declined
2. Automating Cleaner Alerts
Path: Workflows → Pre‑Check‑In → Create from scratch
Create the message from scratch :
Trigger:
Upsell purchased
Action:
Send SMS or email to cleaner
Include:
Guest name
Property
Date
Upsell type
Inbox Setup to Track Upsells
Pending Actions View
Create saved views to:
Approve early check‑ins
Approve late checkouts
Track upsell requests
PMS Sync Notes
Some behaviors depend on your PMS and booking channel:
Early check-in / late checkout: Enso can store the request, and (where supported) push the expected arrival/departure time into the PMS.