Forum: travel.stackexchange.com
Tags: <bookings><terminology>
Title: What exactly does "nights" means when you book? Is it number of night you are going to sleep, or simply days you are going to stay?
Question: For example, suppose that I'm going to travel London and will arrive at 10am, 1st December. And will stay a week, means will leave 10am, 8th December. Technically it's 7 nights, but also 8 days. Should I book 7 counts(nights) or 8 counts?

Answers:
sents: text: Counting Nights Accommodation bookings count the nights you spend simply because that's what you need accommodation for: to sleep.
text: This is based on the somewhat valid assumption that your main night time activity is sleeping.
text: I understand where the confusion might arise from between day and night counts.
text: Because nights are interposed between days you think you are staying for 1 day more.
text: However consider that usually check-in time is in the afternoon and check-out is in the morning so effectively you are occupying the accommodation for the exact numbers of hours (computed as nights * 24h )
text: you booked it for.
text: To this purpose consider a realistic 3 night booking with check-in at 3pm and checkout at 11am.
text: Total booking time is 2
text: * 24 + 20
text: = 68h which is ~ 3 days .
text: Your 7-Night Reservation
text: You say you plan on arriving on the 1st December and leaving on the 8th of December.
text: That equates to a booking of 7 nights.
text: Since you mention an arrival time of 10am, the actual check-in time depends on the hotel/hostel.
text: Most of these usually check guests in in the afternoon, to leave time between check-outs to clean the rooms.
text: Check-out times tend to be before noon, for the same exact reason.
text: To be sure, ask the hotel for specific check-in and check-out times.
text: However, if you arrive before your room is ready you can most definitely ask for them to keep your luggage whilst you go to the nearest pub for a good old English breakfast.
text: This should be a free service.
text: As mentioned in the comments below, if you desperately need the room for 10am because you want to shower/sleep then you might have to book for an extra night (the one between the 30th November and 1st December).
text: If you do so make sure you tell the hotel you will be arriving on the 1st rather than on the 30th, to ensure they don't consider it a no-show and cancel your booking (most probably after charging you for the whole amount nonetheless).
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/22140/JoErNanO
score: 21
sents: text: Another way to think about it:
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/1969/David Z
score: 8
sents: text: Endpoints are a common source of confusion.
text: “Day” can mean “24-hour block” or “calendar days”.
text: A stay that lasts exactly 7 times 24 hours will span 8 calendar days, except if you make it start exactly at midnight on a given day.
text: That's why it's much more convenient to think about “nights”.
text: Usually a night goes from 3 or 4 PM on one day to 10 or 11 AM on the next.
text: That's what you are booking if you are talking about accommodation and not a full 24 hours of stay.
text: If you want more than that (i.e. arriving early or leaving late), you might have to pay more or risk having to wait before getting to your room.
text: To avoid any misunderstanding, you can simply communicate that you will arrive in the afternoon on a given day and leave in the morning on another one
text: (i.e. you are not booking the night of Monday the 24th
text: , you are booking the night from Monday the 24th to Tuesday the 25th).
text: Note that packaged tours or visa forms will sometimes also mention days and usually that would include both the day your travel is starting and the day it ends,
text: so one more than the number of nights.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/6669/Relaxed
score: 2
sents: text: Usually hotels charge per night, which tends to be measured by you checking in after a certain time on the day before your first night, and checking out before a certain time on the day after your last night.
text: There are sometimes discounts for staying only part of a day (a "day rate").
text: And there are sometimes extra charges for early check-in or late check-out (or sometimes these are waived -
text: let them know as soon as you know your plans, or when your plans change).
text: In your example, 10am would tend to be an early check-in.
text: In my experience with London hotels, the room likely might not be ready until the afternoon, but they have had places to store bags in the meantime.
text: 10am is usually early enough for a regular check-out, but it's always best to check.
text: So I would tell them when you will be arriving and leaving, ask when their times are to check in after and check out by, and assuming 10am is an early check-in, ask can you arrive then and leave bags, and when should you expect to be able to occupy the room.
text: Policies may vary by place and by hotel, so it's best to check to avoid surprises.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/19407/Dronz
score: 1
sents: text: On your last day at the hotel, you usually have to leave by 10/11 am (you need to confirm the exact time with the hotel manager as there is no standard rule).
text: If you exceed that limit, it will count as another night at the hotel.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/22765/harvey
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
While there are sometimes discounts for staying only part of a day or extra charges for early check-in or late check-out, hotels usually charge per night, simply because that's what you need accommodation for: to sleep.
Hotelas calculate stays in "nights". Extra charges may apply for late check ou or early check in. Sometimes a hotel will have a special "day rate".