late arrival

Meaning

A 'late arrival' refers to arriving at a destination, hotel, or event after the scheduled or expected time. In travel, it often refers to checking into a hotel late at night. It is a neutral, useful term for communicating with hotels or airlines.

Examples

• Please inform the front desk if you expect a late arrival so they don't cancel your room.

  Please inform the front desk if you expect a late arrival so they don't cancel your room.

• Due to a flight delay, we had a late arrival at our guest house.

  Due to a flight delay, we had a late arrival at our guest house.

• The hotel has a self-check-in system for late arrivals.

  The hotel has a self-check-in system for late arrivals.

• Our late arrival meant we missed the welcome dinner.

  Our late arrival meant we missed the welcome dinner.

• They charged us a small fee for our late arrival past midnight.

  They charged us a small fee for our late arrival past midnight.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We arrived late, so we had a late arrive.

  ✓ We arrived late, so we had a late arrival.

  'Arrive' is a verb. Use the noun form 'arrival' when modifying it with the adjective 'late'.

• ✗ The hotel doesn't accept lately arrivals.

  ✓ The hotel doesn't accept late arrivals.

  'Lately' means 'recently'. Use the adjective 'late' to describe arriving after the expected time.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If you have a ___, please use the key box outside the main entrance.

  💡 Arriving after the standard check-in hours.

  Show answer

  late arrival

• The airline apologized for our ___ in London.

  💡 A noun phrase for landing or arriving past the scheduled time.

  Show answer

  late arrival