This flexible check-in/check-out innovation means that if a guest checks in at 8:00 pm, he has until 8:00 pm the following day to check out, giving him a choice of arrival and departure times. 

Mr. Markland Blaiklock, Managing Director of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, said, �Check-in and check-out times dictated by hotels are a given in most travellers� minds. Typically, they check in at a hotel at 3:00 pm and check out the following day at 12 noon. At Raffles Hotels & Resorts, we feel that this is too much of a constraint on our residents and we want to give them a choice. With the 24-hour check-in/check-out service, we are able to accommodate them better.� 

The move towards such flexible service follows the success of the 24-hour check-in/check-out policy at Raffles L�Ermitage Beverly Hills. The hotel, which was awarded the prestigious AAA Five Diamond and the Mobil Travel Guide Five-Star ratings for four consecutive years, had technology and systems in place, in-house IT and 24-hour housekeeping on staff to ensure the programme runs smoothly. 

Mr. Jack Naderkhani, General Manager of Raffles L�Ermitage, said, �Flexible arrival and departure is just one of the many concepts introduced at Raffles L�Ermitage.  This out of the box approach to guest arrival and departure looks at the residents� convenience and increases operational flexibility.� 

Regular residents of Raffles L�Ermitage agree that flexible arrival and departure give them more control of their time during their stay. Ms Margit Rubins of the Los Angeles Times said, �For someone who travels whether for business and pleasure on a regular basis, your policy made the check-in/check-out process a pleasure.� 

In a letter to the General Manager of Raffles L�Ermitage, Mr. David McGrane of Ozone Advertising, Australia commented, �When the travel agency informed me that your hotel extended flexible check-in, I was floored. My business meetings started the moment I arrived in LA and I was so impressed that I did not have to waste a day waiting for the standard check-in time.  You can rest assured that by providing this amazing service, you have a loyal guest for life!�

Raffles Holdings Limited is a hospitality company listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. It is headquartered in Singapore and has an approximate 12,000-room portfolio comprising hotels and resorts in 32 destinations across Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. 

Raffles International Limited is the hotel management arm of Raffles Holdings Limited. Raffles International markets its hotels and resorts under two brands -- Raffles Hotels & Resorts and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts.