Sending Packages to Hotels and Airbnbs: How Parcel Lockers Can Help

As a traveler, have you ever needed to receive a package while staying at a hotel, vacation rental, or Airbnb? Whether it’s a critical work document, a forgotten item from home, or a special gift, getting deliveries on the go can be a real challenge for hotel guests or other travelers.

In this post, we’ll explore the current process for sending a package to a hotel, receiving packages at hotels and Airbnbs, alternative package delivery options to consider, and how the emerging trend of carrier-agnostic parcel lockers can make life easier for travelers or hotel guests like you.

The Current Process for Sending Packages to Hotels

If you need to receive a package at a hotel, the first step you should take is to confirm that the hotel guest services will accept deliveries on your behalf. Once you have the green light, be sure to:

1. Address the package correctly, including the hotel’s address in full and your name with “c/o” (care of) before it.
2. Notify the hotel of your package’s expected delivery date, ideally timing the delivery date on or within a day of your arrival.
3. Ship the package with the appropriate packaging material, tape, and box/envelope. Consider purchasing insurance or requesting a signed delivery receipt if the contents are critical.
4. Alert the hotel staff or hotel guest services that you are expecting a package, providing as many details as possible, such as your arrival date, the package arrival date, your name, and your room number (if that information is available to you).
5. Upon arrival, check with the hotel’s front desk or concierge to retrieve your package.

Remember that some hotels may charge a fee for accepting and holding deliveries on your behalf.

The Current Process for Sending Packages to Airbnbs

Receiving packages at an Airbnb can be trickier, depending mainly on the host’s willingness and ability to accept deliveries. If your host agrees to allow you to receive packages:

1. Confirm your host will accept deliveries and notify them of the expected delivery date. Aim to have the package arrive within a day of your check-in.
2. Address the package correctly with the full Airbnb address and your name.
3. Communicate with your host to ensure they have received the package and to arrange for pickup or delivery to the rental property.

Alternative Options for Receiving Packages While Traveling

If receiving packages directly at your hotel or Airbnb isn’t feasible, there are a few alternative options to consider:

• Post Office General Delivery: This service allows you to receive mail at a post office for up to 30 days. Address your mail to “Your Name, General Delivery, City, State, ZIP Code” and pick it up at the designated post office.
• Carrier Store Collection: Many carriers like UPS and FedEx offer package pickup at their retail locations. For example, you can have your package delivered to a UPS Access Point and retrieve it at your convenience. It’s easy to Google a convenient location on the road.
• In-Store Pickup: Some retailers offer the option to ship your purchase to a nearby store location for pickup, which can be a convenient choice if there’s a store close to your hotel or Airbnb.

How Parcel Lockers Are Revolutionizing Deliveries Around the World

As a traveler, you may have noticed other countries’ embrace of lockers, which could serve as a model for making electronic lockers ubiquitous in your home country, allowing for easy, safe, and secure pick up of packages while you’re on the road.

For instance, as you explore Japan, you may come across the Packcity carrier-agnostic parcel locker network created by Quadient in partnership with Japanese officials and Yamato Transport Co. These smart lockers allow you to conveniently collect your packages or drop off returns at accessible locations, whether staffed or unstaffed. Japanese officials initially aimed to install 5,000 parcel lockers over seven years. However, due to the overwhelming success and demand, 6,800 lockers are now in place.

Konbinis also serve as popular package collection points and have invested in automating these interactions through self-service lockers. For example, if you find yourself at a 7/11 in Japan, you might notice Packcity lockers, which the company began installing in 2019; the company currently has 1,000 lockers across its stores.

If your travels take you to the UK, you’ll also find Parcel Pending by Quadient lockers, which support deliveries from major carriers such as Royal Mail, Evri, DPD, DHL, and UPS. These lockers are available close to many convenient locations, such as Penny Petroleum, Rontec and MFG petrol station locations, Stonegate Group pubs, and APCOA-managed parking sites, with 5,000 locker locations expected to be installed over the coming years.

As you enjoy the convenience of this innovative approach, you might wonder if this model could be adopted in your home country to address the challenges of a rapidly growing e-commerce market and the needs of travelers like yourself.

Delivering More: How Open Network Parcel Lockers Can Help

Just like in Japan and the UK, open locker networks are beginning to expand across America; where available, these lockers are located in densely populated areas and accessible to any carrier or consumer who wants to use them for deliveries, collections, or returns. Be sure to scope out public property (such as parking lots or public transit hubs) or look within retail stores – you never know when lockers will land at a location near you or where you’re traveling.

Carrier-agnostic parcel lockers, such as the ones in Parcel Pending by Quadient’s Open Locker Network, offer several key benefits to travelers like you:

1. Convenience: Parcel lockers provide a safe, accessible location to receive packages from any carrier 24/7. No more coordinating with hotel staff or Airbnb hosts!
2. Security: With sturdy construction and secure access controls, parcel lockers keep your packages secure until you’re ready to retrieve them.
3. Flexibility: Parcel Pending by Quadient’s Open Locker Network locations are carrier-agnostic, meaning you can receive packages from any carrier at a single location. This is especially handy if you’re expecting deliveries from multiple senders.
4. Additional Services: Some parcel lockers can even facilitate consumer-to-consumer exchanges, such as securely transferring keys from Airbnb hosts to guests.

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The next time you’re traveling and need to receive a package, consider the convenience and security of parcel lockers. With their growing availability and carrier-agnostic approach, they might become your new favorite travel buddy.

Do you manage a hotel or Airbnb and want to make receiving deliveries easier for your guests? Speak to one of our parcel management experts today about joining Parcel Pending’s Open Locker Network.