Guest Check-In Checklist

Review pre-block special requests in the PMS: ADA-accessible rooms, rollaways, cribs, connecting rooms, high-floor or low-floor preferences, allergy-free rooms. Pre-blocking before arrival prevents the 3 PM scramble when an accessible room hasn't been held back.

Cross-reference the arrivals list against the housekeeping board. Any room still showing Vacant Dirty or OOO needs to surface now, not at check-in. Escalate VIP rooms to the inspector first.

Eye contact and verbal acknowledgment within ten seconds of approach, even if you are mid-call or mid-task with another guest. Use the guest's name once it is confirmed from ID.

Search by last name first, then confirmation number if needed. OTA reservations (Expedia, Booking.com) sometimes appear under a slightly different spelling than ID — verify against confirmation email if there is any mismatch.

Driver's license, state ID, or passport. Confirm the name matches the reservation; if a third party booked, confirm authorization is on file. Do not photocopy or store the ID image — note that ID was verified in the PMS comment field per privacy policy.

Read back arrival and departure dates, room type, rate, and any package inclusions. Catching a date discrepancy here prevents a disputed early-departure charge later.

Run an authorization hold for room and tax plus an incidental amount per night (typical $50-$100). Process via the PMS-integrated terminal so the card data is tokenized — never write down the card number, even on a sticky note. PCI scope expansion is the most common audit finding at small properties.

Verify mobile number for in-stay messaging (Kipsu, Whistle) and confirm or update the email on file. Capture marketing opt-in explicitly — silent opt-in violates CAN-SPAM and state privacy laws (CCPA, GDPR for international guests).

Signature acknowledges rate, departure date, incidentals authorization, and house rules. The signed reg card is your evidence in any chargeback dispute — file or scan per the property's record-retention policy.

Check the PMS room status. If the room shows Vacant Clean and Inspected, proceed. If not, decide between waiting, reassigning to a comparable ready room, or offering an upgrade.

If no comparable room is ready, offer the bell stand to hold luggage and provide a lobby or F&B credit while the guest waits. Text the guest via Kipsu when the room is released so they don't have to return to the desk.

VIP amenity (welcome card from the GM, fruit plate, sparkling water, or property-signature item) goes in the room before the guest arrives, not after. Photograph the placement and attach to the PMS reservation as proof of delivery.

Cover checkout time, smoking policy and fee, quiet hours, pet policy if applicable, parking and valet rates, and resort fee inclusions. State-mandated anti-trafficking notice is posted in the lobby and back-of-house — point to it during training, not during check-in.

Hand the printed key packet with Wi-Fi network name, password, breakfast hours and location, pool and fitness hours, and the front desk extension. The packet doubles as the room directory for guests who don't open the in-room tablet.

Indicate the nearest stairwell on the floor map inside the key packet, and note that an evacuation map is posted on the back of the room door per NFPA / IFC. For accessible rooms, confirm the visual / vibrating smoke alarm and bed shaker are operational.

Ask about dinner plans tonight and offer to make reservations through OpenTable or directly. Note any allergies or accessibility needs the restaurant should know. Mention the on-property F&B outlet hours and any reservation requirement for the spa.

Encode keys to expire at noon on the departure date plus a small grace window. Slide keys across the desk inside the key packet so the room number is not announced aloud — anti-theft and guest-privacy standard since the 2009 industry guidance.

For luggage of more than two bags, VIPs, accessible-room guests, or anyone who looks unfamiliar with the property layout, offer bell escort. The escort is also the guest's first orientation to elevators, ice, and amenity locations.

Anything that wasn't resolved at the desk — a missing pillow request, a pending upgrade decision, an inbound package, a callback for a spa booking — gets a PMS trace with a target time so the next shift owns it. Verbal handoffs disappear at shift change.