Is 24-Hour Check-Out a Revenue Leak?

Episode Description

What happens when a hotel lets guests stay for a full 24 hours without charging a separate late check-out fee?

In this episode of The Hotel Business, Ludan shares her stay at Wink in Ho Chi Minh City and looks at the commercial logic behind its 24-hour stay promise.

For guests, the benefit is obvious: more control, less friction, and no need to negotiate late check-out. For hotel owners, the question is harder. Is the hotel giving away time, or has that time already been priced into the room rate?

This episode looks at why guests value certainty, why Wink can make 24-hour stay a brand rule, which hotels may be suitable for this model, and what operators must control before copying it.

The real issue is simple: flexibility only works when pricing, inventory, and operations can support it.

Timeline

00:00 Opening: the hotel that sells a full 24 hours

02:36 Core answer: 24-hour stay is an inventory problem

04:54 Why guests value fairness and certainty

08:52 Why Wink can make 24-hour stay a brand rule

10:24 Pricing logic: the time value can sit inside the room rate

13:52 Which hotels fit this model, including airport hotels

15:04 Five controls before copying the model

17:39 Final takeaway: flexibility must be priced and controlled

Written Version

If you prefer to read, search for Ludan Zhang on LinkedIn. I share selected written versions and practical notes there.