BYHOURS Review [2024]: The solution for modern travelers?

While the rest of the travel industry is adapting and looking to personalize experiences, booking a hotel can still feel rigid. Don't arrive before 2 pm, no front desk after midnight, and check-out by 10 am sharp.

BYHOURS is among the first of a small selection of hotel booking apps that aims to offer you more flexibility. Book hotels by the hour and check in and out exactly when you need. This is ideal if you're traveling at strange hours or need a place to stay for a few hours in the middle of the day.

But how flexible is BYHOURS, and can you save money by booking for shorter periods? Explore my review to determine whether you should consider BYHOURS for your next trip!

What Is BYHOURS?

BYHOURS was released in 2012 and allows you to search for hotel rooms. You can book rooms by the hour and customize your travel plans to your specific needs.

The app partners with hotels to offer rooms that are sitting empty on a more flexible basis. Most participating hotels will select several rooms specifically for short stays, as cleaning is still required between bookings.

How Does BYHOURS Work?

The name BYHOURS can be misleading, as you can't actually book a room for an hour. The minimum time is 3 hours, and you need to book your room in multiples of 3 hours. You can book a hotel just for an afternoon, or you can book for a full day, but with check-in and check-out times that suit your travel arrangements.

BYHOURS also supports same-day bookings. If you have a sudden emergency and need a room, you can book and walk through your hotel's door within just a few minutes.

When you book, you get access to the full hotel facilities. This means you can also book into a hotel if you want to use the pool or gym for the afternoon.

BYHOURS is currently working with around 4,000 hotels in 600 destinations. Their offering is most robust in Europe and Latin America but is spreading rapidly. Make your booking through the BYHOURS site, just like with other third-party booking sites like Hotels.com.

The Key Features

The big selling point for BYHOURS is flexibility in terms of when you check in and out and how long you stay.

If your overnight flight arrives at 6 am, you can book your room for an early morning check-in. You don't have to keep your eyes open until the standard 2 pm check-in time. If you have a late afternoon flight and want to skip checking out right after breakfast, book yourself a few extra hours.

If you're living the digital nomad lifestyle and need a place to tune into a Zoom meeting or send some emails, book a convenient hotel room in the middle of the day. Or, maybe you fancy a day beside the pool with friends, but your budget accommodation doesn't have excellent facilities? Book half a day at one of the fancier hotels in the city to use their facilities.

What You Don't Get With BYHOURS

The aim of BYHOURS is not really to allow you to save money by booking hotels for the minimum amount of time possible. 

Yes, booking a hotel for only the 6 hours you need rather than a full 24 hours will be more affordable. But remember that rooms still need to be fully cleaned after your stay, even if you only stay for three hours, and this means you might be paying more than a quarter of the price for your quarter day.

You can get last-minute deals with hotels offering discounts on vacant rooms, but that can be down to luck and the season's business rather than BYHOURS itself.

What People Are Saying

Customers who have used BYHOURS to tailor their travel plans have generally been happy with the experience. By Hours earns 3.9 stars on TrustPilot from 160+ reviews. BYHOURS partners with an extensive collection of hotels, so you have many options when booking. The app is easy to use, though it works better on iPhones than Android devices.

Some negative reviews are from customers who booked through the BYHOURS app only to arrive at the hotel and find no booking record. So, confirming with the hotel after booking might be a good idea. 

BYHOURS stands out as one of the very first services to offer this model. Still, others have launched since then that may offer a better experience. DayUse is a similar app, but it scores 4.7 stars on Trustpilot. You can read this full review of DayUse and another similar service called Hotels by Day.

Is BYHOURS Worth It?

Absolutely! If you're looking for flexibility with hours when booking hotel accommodation, booking with BYHOURS is the way to go. It partners with a great range of hotels and has a simple and easy-to-use app. Finding a place to rest between flights has never been more accessible. 

But BYHOURS is one of many games in town. While it's a pioneer for this type of booking, some other services offer better service and value. So while it's a great product, it does not stand out amongst its competitors.

My Rating: 3.9/5

Pros

• Convenient check-in times
• Day slots for work and relaxation
• Full access to hotel amenities
• Same-day bookings

Cons

• Don't expect discounts
• Options depend on participating hotels
• Not 100% reliable

Personalize Your Holiday Plans!

These days, travelers are looking to personalize their travel experience. Hotels have been one of the last holdouts, maintaining most guests' standard check-in and check-out times. BYHOURS and similar apps are offering more flexibility when booking accommodations.

Whether you want a more convenient check-in time or to book into a hotel to use the facilities for an afternoon, check your options on BYHOURS. Using the app, you can start to craft your ideal travel experience for you, your family, and your friends.