leviferret

I received an email on the 18th, the content is below. I do not stay at any of the properties currently listed as participating in the program, but I would be interested in anyone's experiences.




"On your next Hilton Family hotel stay, save the time you normally spend checking in and simply pick up your room keys!

Our new eCheck-In service allows you to select your room the day before your arrival or up to two hours before you plan to check in. When you arrive, you'll be relaxing in your hotel room faster than ever!

Hilton HHonors Diamond VIP members can be among the first to
experience eCheck-In and enjoy the following:

- QUICK REVIEW
Go online to quickly review your reservation, provide us with your
arrival - departure times and see the room we've selected for you,
along with its features and whether we've been able to confirm an
upgrade, if applicable.

- COMPARE AND CONFIRM
You can accept the room we've selected or compare it to other rooms
and their features. Choose the room that best suits your needs for
this trip and confirm your travel partner choice and payment method.

- EXPEDITED CHECK-IN
When you arrive at the hotel, just visit the front desk, show your
photo ID, and receive the keys to your room -- the one you selected.
It's that easy!

eCheck-In is just another way the Hilton Family of Hotels strives
to make your stays as convenient and rewarding as possible.

During this introductory period, eCheck-In is available at select
hotels only."

azepine00

I don't think this has been posted but correct me if I am wrong.
I logged in today and noticed this scrolling announcement (right next to the one offering extra points for waiving diamond benefits):


On your next Hilton Family hotel stay, save the time you normally spend checking in and simply pick up your room keys!

Our new eCheck-In service allows you to select your room the day before your arrival or up to two hours before you plan to check in. When you arrive, you'll be relaxing in your hotel room faster than ever!

During this introductory period, eCheck-In is only available to Hilton HHonors® Diamond VIP members at select hotels listed below. Book now and eCheck-In at one of the following hotels today! When you're ready to eCheck-In, log into your HHonors account and click on "My Travel Planner".

Hilton® hotels
Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport
Hilton Memphis
The Palmer House® Hilton (January 27, 2005)

Doubletree® hotels
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City @ National Airport (February 7, 2005)
Doubletree Guest Suites Santa Monica (January 28, 2005)

Embassy Suites Hotels®
Embassy Suites Hotel Memphis
Embassy Suites Hotel Nashville - South/Cool Springs

Hampton® hotels
Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Peabody Place
Hampton Inn Tuscaloosa-University

Hilton Garden Inn® hotels
Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo (January 27, 2005)
Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis/Maple Grove (February 3, 2005)

Homewood Suites by Hilton® hotels
Homewood Suites by Hilton Memphis-Germantown
Homewood Suites by Hilton Memphis-Poplar

govtraveler

Just received the following email from Hilton. Seems like a good idea to me. There are only a few Hilton participating for now. More info at

http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/process...px?lp=echeckin

Get A Step Ahead With eCheck-In

On your next Hilton Family hotel stay, save the time you normally spend checking in and simply pick up your room keys!

Our new eCheck-In service allows you to select your room the day before your arrival or up to two hours before you plan to check in. When you arrive, you'll be relaxing in your hotel room faster than ever!

Hilton HHonors Diamond VIP members can be among the first to
experience eCheck-In and enjoy the following:

- QUICK REVIEW
Go online to quickly review your reservation, provide us with your
arrival - departure times and see the room we've selected for you,
along with its features and whether we've been able to confirm an
upgrade, if applicable.

- COMPARE AND CONFIRM
You can accept the room we've selected or compare it to other rooms
and their features. Choose the room that best suits your needs for
this trip and confirm your travel partner choice and payment method.

- EXPEDITED CHECK-IN
When you arrive at the hotel, just visit the front desk, show your
photo ID, and receive the keys to your room -- the one you selected.
It's that easy!

eCheck-In is just another way the Hilton Family of Hotels strives
to make your stays as convenient and rewarding as possible.

During this introductory period, eCheck-In is available at select
hotels only.

FIND A HOTEL AND eCHECK-IN TODAY!

cordelli

I don't know how much I like this one. I'm not sure the system will be as generous as some desk clerks are, I've been in places that were totally sold out and they held a giant room, way bigger then I would ever need because of my status.

If the upgrades are still there, then maybe, but I always think a smile and a nice tone with the front desk gets the number on your keycard crossed out and a much better number written on it.

I've never, ever, not once, seen a check in line at a Hilton property that was more then a couple of minutes long, I can't see how this is faster then the counter, especially in the properties where they have everything ready for you.

Nice touch too, slipping in the whole photo ID thing.

Points Scrounger

I would've said the same - before my recent stay at Reno Hilton (10 - 15 minute wait while the person ahead of me and I gazed longingly at the vacant HHonors/Casino VIP desk). After accessing my reservation, the clerk asked: "Do you have Hilton status?"

OB one

Just a few hotels so far, but echeck-in is coming to Hilton family.

http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/process...px?lp=echeckin

Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport
Hilton Memphis
The Palmer House® Hilton
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City @ National Airport
Doubletree Guest Suites Santa Monica
Embassy Suites Hotel Memphis
Embassy Suites Hotel Nashville - South/Cool Springs
Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Peabody Place
Hampton Inn Tuscaloosa-University
Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo
Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis/Maple Grove
Homewood Suites by Hilton Memphis-Germantown
Homewood Suites by Hilton Memphis-Poplar

Sorry if this was posted already.

omegadeal

I think this will be a good program. The 1-800-Check-In program at Hyatt is great because you get your room number in advance. This makes it really easy to give your spouse or work your contact info.

I've also always had great success with the similiar program at Hyatt. You typically get the upgrade because the program follows the corporate standards, not what a desk clerk feels like that night

I'll look forward to the program rolling out in mass, and seeing what everyone's experience is.

Ocn Vw 1K

The key is, whether upgrades will be offered. The HY 1-800 program works well because you can talk to someone. Now if the HH e-check-in will show available room maps and allow selection accordingly, that could be a real plus. I assume, however, that it's pre-selected for you.

BumpMe!

When the Hilton Hawaiian Village starts this I hope they let me check-in to choose R3100 or R3101 when reserving a "Hilton Guest Room"!!!
...Diamond upgrade, please?

infinityplusone

I had the option to select eCheck-in when I was making a reservation for the Hartford Hilton. I chose not to as I thought it would be better to talk to a real person to get an upgrade.

OB one

I checked in for the HHV at the HNL kiosk recently. As a gold I had been upgraded to room 1603 in the Rainbow Tower, but tried to change the room at the kiosk without luck. It didn't give any options at all even though i hit the change room button.

btw, the 01 /00 rooms didn't work for us as we were a party of 4. the 03 room was fine.

borisbear

I checked in at the O'Hare Hilton a few weeks ago and it offered me several room choices. It noted which rooms were "upgrades" (all of them as I was booked at a real cheap rate "1 double bed" rate). It didn't include a true "seat map" but did say the room number, floor, and general location (e.g. near elevator, east, etc.). I wound up picking a "junior suite" on the 4th floor which was perfectly fine for the 7 hours I spent there. I want to say it gave me maybe six room choices.

It also spits out the various coupons for free water, breakfast, etc out of the same slot that the folio spits out of. The key-card coder on the machine I chose didn't work right, as the card got stuck, so the regular HHonors check-in guy had to help me with that. I would have chosen another machine (they have about 10) but I was already far into the process and wasn't sure what it would do to me if I tried to switch kiosks.

I'm not sure if it was any faster than the standard method, and whether or not you'd have a better upgrade chance with a person, but it worked well enough for me (except for the key thing...).

BTW, AA has a couple of checkin kiosks inside the hotel as well--saves a walk across the road to the terminal.

MBM3

I was just in the process of trying the new e-checkin service at the HGI LAX and stopped when I saw this language:

Your credit card will be used for guest charges during your stay. Rates are subject to applicable sales, occupancy or other taxes. I agree that my liability for this bill is not waived, and agree to be held personally liable in the event that the indicated person, company or association fails to pay for any part or the full amount of these charges. I consent to the reservation of credit on my credit card at 19.29 USD per night in addition to the contracted-for room rate plus applicable taxes.

What the heck is the extra 19.29?

Skyman65

Just a guess, but it may be that they will block off your room rate + $19 on your cc as a "pre-authorization", but will charged the actual room rate + taxes + incidentals when you check out. I guess they want to make sure you have enough room on your credit card for that candy bar from the refreshment center.

jmd001

$19.29 seemly like a rather random number. Does it equate to any percentage of you room rate that makes sense?

(Could it be that the amount is an estimate of your Internet connect charges to keep up to date with FT? )