A travel agent shared her perspective on whether or not you should check out of a hotel when you’re leaving. In a video on TikTok with over 107,000 views, Shay Martin (@jettotravel) discussed the question: Should you check out or Irish goodbye?
Do people normally check out of hotels?
An article from Today explored the same topic, ultimately concluding that travelers should probably check out before leaving the premises.
Many people think that checking out early is a courtesy, as it can give the hotel the opportunity to start cleaning a room earlier. If the front desk know that the room’s empty, it gives the hotel leeway to get more work done sooner, letting them pay more attention to room cleanings.
Commenters had mixed feelings about whether or not a check out is necessary. One person said it’s “not necessary in 2025,” as hotels have moved to digital room keys.
Other people disagreed, including those who work in the industry. “Front desk agent here!” one comment said, “Please stop by the front desk and let us know. Also, please ask for the bill and review it. [It is] easier to make billing adjustments while you are still at the hotel.”
On a separate video posted by @the.s###.chat, a commenter agreed with the sentiment, saying, “As a former housekeeper, it makes our jobs a lot easier if you’re polite and let someone know.”
Martin’s take: It’s a courtesy, but worth doing
“ My take is [that] it’s a personal preference as long as you’re checking out on time, but let me tell you why.”
Martin explained that checking out of a hotel is just a courtesy to the hotel for the most part, and not something that a customer is obligated to do.
“ If you’re leaving the hotel at 5:00 a.m. because your flight’s at [7:00 a.m.], checkout’s not till 11 a.m., and you don’t tell anybody, then they’re not gonna start cleaning your room till 11 a.m.,” she shared. “ So it’s just like a nice thing to do, [because] some hotels just don’t even do anything with that information.”
She did clarify that if you’ve damaged your room in any way, you should probably chat with the hotel clerk to straighten it out before leaving. It’s easier to discuss potential room charges in-person than over the phone, and more than a courtesy to do so.
She also added while speaking to Today: “Ultimately, I think checking out is a personal preference. It only becomes an issue, in my opinion, if you are disrespecting the check-out time entirely.”
AllHipHop has reached out to Martin for more clarification on her perspective. We’ll let you know if she responds back.
@jettotravel I did an interview about this topic earlier this summer. There’s some controversy on whether or not this is a requirement and my opinion is it depends on your circumstance! #hotel #etiquette #travel #traveltip #travelagent ♬ original sound – Shay | Travel Agent