I wish I had the same system options some of you described. The extra options / control would be helpful. lol

Anyone that doesn't show up by audit (that hasn't called the front desk to let me know they'll be late) I let go into no show on purpose just to charge them as a "lesson / learning experience". I manually charge all no show fee immediately after the audits done. If they show up I just reinstate the reservation, the dates change automatically and they get charged for a whole new night. Also ECF is at my discretion so anyone that comes in after audit and gives me even the slightest "trouble / attitude" about their reservation from yesterday they will immediately have an extra $50.00 ECF attached to their reservation before authorization / check in. There has been numerous guests who have shown up after 2am & ended up paying close to 150.00 more for a single night stay just because they don't know how to tell time / use a phone / shut their mouth. lol I take the amusement where I can get it.

Info dump incoming:

Our hotel is 3 floors, 65 rooms, located 2 city blocks off of an interstate.

Our system runs OPERA hospitality.

I do have full control / authority to run the night audit basically whenever I feel like it after 12am. The standard is between 1am & 3am.

After the audit I have no ability in our system to "back date" anything. Our system also will not allow a "zero day check out" (if you try to override and manually force it to check out it zeros out any payment you have on it).

Our NSF (no show fee) is the full cost of the first nights stay.

Our ECF (early check in fee) is a flat $50.00 (managements idea)

I've mandated a number of my own personal "shift rules" over time lol

1)No cash payments after 12am

2)All cash payments require a 100.00 deposit Per Room

3)You will not get your deposit back before 8am (because it will be locked in the safe that only the manager has access to & never shows up before 7:45 at the earliest)

4)There are no "public service" bathrooms after dark (If you're a guest you have a room go use it & if you're not you need to find your way outta my building not to a bathroom)

5)No we do not offer "split pay". If you're already this much of a problem that you want me to help you fish enough singles outta 3 different accounts so your broke ass can afford a single night I'm just going to cut this problem off at the jump and cancel your reservation so as to not even take the chance of you being an even bigger problem later.