You booked the hotel three months ago. The trip is 48 hours away. Most people spend this window packing — and skip the things that actually affect how the stay goes. Here is the short checklist that experienced travellers run through before they leave.
1. Email the hotel to request your room (48 hours is the right window)
Hotel room assignments happen in the 48-hour window before arrival, when housekeeping is preparing rooms for the incoming group of guests. This is your moment to influence the assignment.
Email the hotel directly — not the booking platform you used — using the contact address on the hotel's own website. Keep the request brief and specific: high floor, end-of-corridor, away from lifts, or away from the street-facing side. You do not need to explain why. "High floor away from the lifts if available — looking forward to the stay" is enough.
The specific things to request (and avoid) depend heavily on the particular hotel. Our guide to getting the best hotel room covers exactly what to ask for and why.
2. Check the 14-day forecast for your exact dates
Weather forecasts at 48-72 hours are genuinely accurate. At 14 days, they are directionally reliable — useful for deciding whether to pack a rain jacket for every day or just for one afternoon, or whether outdoor activities you have planned are likely to go ahead as hoped.
Do not rely on seasonal reputation alone. Edinburgh in July can be wet and cold. Dubai in November is actually pleasant for outdoor activities. The actual forecast removes the guesswork about what to pack and how to schedule your days.
3. Check whether anything is happening in the city on your specific dates
A major conference, a national public holiday, a city marathon or a music festival can affect everything around you: restaurant availability, transport, hotel corridor noise, road access. Check the local events calendar for your exact dates — not what is "on this season" in general, but what is on that specific week.
Public holidays are particularly important for international visitors. Banks close. Many restaurants close or have reduced hours. Public transport often runs on a different timetable. In several countries, major religious holidays are not obvious to visitors until they land and find everything shut.
4. Sort your airport-to-hotel transfer in advance
Arriving tired in an unfamiliar city is the worst time to figure out ground transport. Do it now, when you are calm and have time to compare options properly:
- Is there a direct train or metro to the city centre? (Almost always cheaper and faster than a taxi in major European and Asian cities.)
- If you are taking a taxi, what is a reasonable fare? Knowing this prevents airport taxi overcharging — which happens everywhere.
- If ride apps (Uber, Grab, Careem, Bolt) are reliable at your destination, have the app installed and a payment method set up before you land — not while standing in an arrivals hall.
5. Note the check-in time and ask about early check-in if you need it
Standard check-in is 3pm in most of Europe and North America, and 2pm across much of Asia. If your flight lands at 10am, knowing the check-in time means you can plan around it — leave bags with the hotel concierge and go exploring, or pay for guaranteed early check-in if the hotel offers it.
Call or email the hotel 24 hours before to ask if early check-in is available. If a room is clean and ready early, many hotels will give it to you — particularly if you are polite and hold loyalty status with the brand. They will not offer it proactively; you have to ask.
The shortcut: one briefing that covers most of this
TripSage gives you the 14-day weather forecast for your hotel stay dates, local events happening during your trip, transport options from the airport and hotel-specific room tips — all in one free briefing. Search your hotel name on TripSage to check all of this in about thirty seconds. No account required.