As you probably know, most places in the U.S. switch to daylight savings time this Sunday morning. Hilton Garden Inn uses the occasion each year for its Give Back the Hour promotion in which guests get an extended checkout to 2 p.m. on Sunday. It's a nice gimmick that isn't very taxing since Sunday is the night of lowest occupancy at most hotels.
Seeing the press release about the promotion reminded me of a colleague who a few years ago was in Florida on vacation with her family over the daylight savings time weekend. She forgot about it, the room clock radios weren't automatically programmed for the change and no one at the front desk reminded her about it. Bottom line: The family overslept and almost missed their plane home.
Of course, it's guests' responsibility to keep track of the time (even when it switches twice a year), but it would be a helpful gesture if this weekend hotels do what they can to remind guests of the change. Front desk signs, automated reminder calls to rooms or tent cards next to clock radios are all easy-to-implement possibilities.
And to take nothing away from Hilton Garden Inn, but this act of hospitality will be more appreciated than a two-hour checkout extension.