What happens if your hotel room isn't ready at early check-in Sharm el-Sheikh?

In a review dated October 5, a guest reported arriving at 11am and being refused earlier room access. Reception said wristbands would be available from noon and the room from 2pm. She spent the wait on the beach and received her wristband at 1pm, but was still waiting for the room after asking again at 1:30pm.

If the room is not ready on an early arrival, guests may receive wristbands straight away and use the facilities across the whole connected complex, including both areas, restaurants, pools, and the water park. Ask reception for towel cards and change clothes in the lobby restroom while waiting.

Even with early check-in prepaid, the requested room type may be unavailable if the hotel is full: one couple was offered a pricier upgrade (a suite with a jacuzzi) instead of their booked twin-bed room and declined it. They eventually got their own room without extra charge at 10am, but received their wristband immediately, allowing them to use the bar and eat while waiting.

If early check-in is paid for in advance when booking, both the room and breakfast on arrival should be guaranteed. Without it, reception decides whether to issue wristbands and allow complimentary meals based on occupancy; at higher occupancy (roughly 50–70% or more), guests usually wait until standard check-in time.

Guests arriving at about 10:00 received their wristbands immediately, although reception initially said the room would only be ready by 14:00. After checking back roughly every 30 minutes, they received a room at 12:00.

A guest with a Savoy Club loyalty card requested early check-in and was given the specific room they asked for by 9:30am, after breakfast, with no extra charge.

At Sunny Del Palacio, guests arrived around 8am, got wristbands right away and were told to explore; by 10am rooms were available and they checked in after paying an extra $5 for a specific requested room.

Having a Savoy Club card doesn't guarantee early check-in: one guest was initially told to wait until 2pm, but the issue was resolved with a $10 tip.

One guest arrived around 10am, gave a $20 tip per passport at reception and requested a specific building (No. 5) — was checked in around 12:30 into a renovated room. Tip: it's better to email the hotel in advance requesting early check-in, which increases the chances.

One guest planned to arrive at 7am and offer around $50 at reception for early check-in into a two-room unit, while acknowledging that if no rooms are free, paying extra may not help.

Free early check-in is sometimes possible: after arriving around noon, guests were given a room in about 10 minutes at no extra charge, and received a renovated room instead of the standard category booked.

There was also a report of being checked in immediately upon arrival at about 10:00 with no surcharge. This suggests the hotel may accommodate a very early arrival when a room is available.

When booked through a travel agency, the room can sometimes be reserved starting from the night before arrival (e.g., if you land at 7am, booking starts from 2pm the previous day) to avoid check-in disputes. In that case breakfast on arrival day is already included for free since that night was paid as part of the package.

While waiting for the room, guests can leave luggage at reception, change clothes in the restroom, and head to breakfast or the beach. It helps to state preferences for floor, bed type, and shower/bathtub upfront, as staff may try to accommodate them when the room is finally assigned.

Getting a room before the official check-in time is more likely if the hotel isn't fully booked — in that case the wait can be just a couple of hours instead of a full day.

Even if you arrive around 9:00, you may get the room before the official check-in time as soon as housekeeping finishes; in one reported case, the room was assigned at about 11:00.

Arriving before 14:00 often means the room isn't ready. Guests may be directed to lunch and asked to wait without receiving their wristband until official check-in time.

Early check-in before 14:00 is not guaranteed and typically requires an extra fee. Don't count on getting your room without paying more if you arrive in the morning.

Switching hotels mid-stay can be costly: reception staff warned that remaining nights (up to 7 days) may be cancelled without refund, and the new hotel must be paid in full. Always verify cancellation terms with your tour operator or hotel rep before making changes.