As Hotel de Vie is very well placed near a selection of Wedding Venues in and around Farnham, we often get asked about arriving before 3pm (particularly as quite often, ceremonies are held at around 2pm). On other occasions, when multiple guests are going to the same wedding, one couple will collect the keys on behalf of the other guests (with advanced notice).
Many of our guests take a temporary break from the wedding, to check in to the hotel, drop off bags, grab a coffee and snack, etc. So this can be done after 3pm and before 10:30pm.
Please note however, that typically there are no staff within the building from just after 11am, until just before 3pm (apart from our housekeeper, who goes as soon as she has cleaned the rooms which could be anytime, and she doesn’t check people in either).
As we only have 8 rooms throughout the hotel (and minimal staffing) we don’t have spare rooms we can get people checked into early.
Our morning staff member leaves at 11am, and our afternoon/evening staff member arrives for 3pm arrivals and then work through until around 10:30pm or 11pm).
If you wish to arrive before 11am, please contact us IN ADVANCE, particularly as the morning staff may have gone home early so you may miss us (if all rooms are checked out early, etc.)
If you arrive early, we’re here, and on the day itself the room you’d booked was not in use the night before, then we’d be happy for you to move your things into there when you arrive. Otherwise, the room itself can only be sure to be ready for 3pm (particularly when we have a lot to clean).
We don’t allow guests access to ‘dirty’ rooms, for various reasons including left property, hygiene, potential unrecorded damage, etc.
What some guests do, is actually book the room the night before too, at our usual rate, and that way they can arrive quite early in the day itself (ie 8am), and sometimes have breakfast and a shower at the Hotel too.
By booking for two nights, they can be sure their room will be ready for their early arrival without the risk of it getting booked.
If you arrive before 11am on your day of check-in (you do need to tell us first), then we can normally give you a key to the front door at least.
If the guests from your room the night before have already checked out early, at the time of your arrival, then we’d be able to give you your room key too, even if the room itself isn’t ready.
Please do not arrive before 10:15am though on weekends, as we’re normally flat out preparing breakfasts until then.
If it is just the front door key we’re able to give you, we can leave your room unlocked later in the evening, with your bags ready in there, and the key on the inside of the door. And this is what we often do for wedding party visitors.
Also, if your room isn’t ready on arrival, then we have a small area within the hotel, where you can leave your bags. You are then welcome to freshen up and change in our clean downstairs toilets, relax in our lounge until you leave, help yourself to teas and coffee, etc. However, there will be no staff to assist you from 11am onwards, and you will not be able to access your room until it’s fully ready.
I hope this answers your queries.
In general, if you can just arrive anytime between 3pm and 10:30pm, we will normally be in the best position to check you in.