Luggage Help! Where can I store my bags after check-out?
 

Hi fellow travelers,

I recently faced a bit of a dilemma on my last trip. My hotel check-out time was at 11 AM, but my flight wasn't until 8 PM. This left me with several hours left over, which I wanted to take advantage of, but didn't know what to do with my luggage.

I tried a few potential solutions:

1. Hotel Storage: I asked the hotel if they could store my luggage after check-out. They agreed, but it wasn't very convenient. I would have ad to make an extra trip back to the hotel to pick up my bags before heading to the airport, which added both time and expense to my day. They also wanted to charge a fee for this service.
2. Luggage Storage Services: I looked into third-party luggage storage locations. While they're available in many major cities, I found them to be quite costly, especially if you have multiple bags. Plus, it still required extra trips to drop off and pick up my luggage, which wasted a lot of time and added to my travel stress.
3. Carrying Luggage Around: I ended up carrying my luggage around with me for the day. This was exhausting and made it difficult to enjoy my last few hours in the city. It was a constant hassle trying to navigate through crowded areas with heavy bags.
4. Cutting the Trip Short: Another option I considered was cutting my city exploration short and heading straight to the airport. This meant spending hours at the airport, which wasn’t an appealing way to spend the last day of my trip.

Has anyone else had this problem? How do you handle your luggage when you have a long gap between checking out of your accommodation and your flight?

I'd love to hear any tips or solutions that have worked for you. It seems like such a hassle and definitely put a damper on my last day of vacation. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I'm sorry you ran into that problem!

My solution has been to plan that last day with an eye to the need to store and retrieve my luggage. I generally use option 1 -- hotel storage -- and I always confirm in advance that I will be able to use that option. I also always consider the location of that hotel when planning that last day, choosing lodging in part based on how the need to reclaim my luggage will serve my needs. I say "generally" because luggage storage is widely available at train stations in countries like Switzerland and Japan and in some circumstances have proven a better option for me.

Welcome to Fodors. This happens all the time -- most of my trips check out time is hours before my flight or train. But I have never (ever) had to schlepp my bags around during the day. I either leave them at the hotel (IF it is convenient - and it usually is because I've planned it that way). If for some reason the hotel is in an inconvenient location for retrieving my bag - then I plan what I'm going to do while planning the rest of my itinerary. Either are Left Luggage in the station or at the airport. Or once in a blue moon . . . at the coat check in a museum or gallery I'm visiting. But I always travel carry-on only -- this would not work if you have big luggage.

But what to do with luggage is just part of the initial trip planning . . .

I’ve had the same issue and found that using luggage storage services near transit hubs can be a lifesaver, even if it’s a bit pricey. Another trick is to look for nearby cafes or attractions that offer luggage storage for a small fee, makes the last day much more enjoyable!

Hmm, we only had to do this in Athens few years back, and the hotel was happy to offer this at no cost. Can't believe the hotels would charge for this, since you stayed there!

Ditto -- I've never had a hotel charge (I do usually tip the bell staff -- except in places like Japan where tips are not done) Though in some lower ranked chain hotels, I understand they may charge a small fee to hold luggage

I am not sure what other options there would be. I also have had hotels storage my luggage after checking out and was never charged unless I count the one time the hotel had lockers that took money to use. I once also left my luggage at a bus depot as I was taking a multi-day tour out from there and didn't want to cart it around, but I also was returning to that same spot to get it.

I've actually had the opposite problem when renting a place and being too early and not knowing what to do with my luggage. The only solution I found for that which I thought was the best thing I ever was getting a day room. It helped me get over jetlag and I didn't have to worry about my luggage. It was about the same or cheaper than finding a place to store the luggage.

This is a common issue, but for us it's usually at the beginning of the trip, as we tend to choose flights that arrive in the morning. Easily solved by dropping luggage at the hotel, then heading out to explore until check in, or making arrangements ahead of time if an apartment. We often request an early check-in which is granted if a room is available, but have a back up plan if accommodation can't honor our request.

Luggage lockers at train stations are also an option, but certainly not everywhere.

We also tend to select morning flights for departure, so it's not usually an issue for us. Or we will train to our city of departure from our final destination, if a reasonable distance and frequent train/bus service to the airport.

I've never been charged by hotels or apartments for storing luggage for a few hours, regardless of whether arriving or departing. Once, a hotel we didn't even stay at kept our luggage free of charge so that we could explore town for a few hours between trains.

The only hotels that ever charged for luggage storage in my experience were very inexpensive hostel-type accommodations, and the charge was minimal. That's my default option, and I plan that last day to be near sights I might want to see in the morning.

Another option that has not been mentioned is to rent a car for the day with an airport return and store luggage in the trunk. Of course this isn't always available or inexpensive.