<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SEA_Tigger:
If you used 1-800-CHECKIN to "check in" and then called the hotel the next morning to "check out", yet were never physically present at the hotel, do you still get stay credit?
When you use 1-800-CHECKIN, do they just generate your room key and stick it on a shelf? Or do they create a room key for you when you show up?
</font>
As best I can tell, using 1-800-CHECKIN is similar to when a hotel pre-blocks and pre-assigns your room. Your key packet is waiting for you when you get there, but you still (usually) have to show a credit card, initial the rate, etc. In fact, I haven't bothered to use 1-800-CHECKIN at SFO HR recently because they always have a room pre-blocked and assigned for me anyway. (but then again, I always fill in my exact room preferences in the comment field, so maybe that's why it usually works well there.)
There is often a lot of debate around here if you should need to show CC at the checkin desk after using 1-800-CHECKIN, but I haven't seen that debate flare up recently. Either way, the hotel does know if you've physically showed up.
So, I'm not really sure, but I don't think you are fully checked in until you physically arrive at the hotel and get your key packet. Now, you'll still probably be charged, but not sure if you will receive a stay and night credit or not.
-David