Hotel messing up Check-in times
 

Currently at the Willard. Asked for an early check-in at 12PM. Was told it wouldnt be an issue. Its 3:01PM right now and I am just waiting in different parts of the hotel for the room to be ready. They wont even give me a temporary room to check into while my other room gets ready... I dont think this is acceptable, but I dont know if its worthy of asking for some compensation. Mind you, they still have no idea when its going to be ready...

The answer however depends on your status. If you are RA yes, if not, no.

I do not agree.

If RA it is a guaranteed benefit.

If not, but asked upfront, and confirmed by the hotel, the hotel still needs to keep word.

What time is the hotel's normal regular check in time? I suspect it's 3 pm, so you have the right to access your room now even in the absence of getting the early check in agreement.

It is goodwill. And the hotel will certainly not have said "we guarantee" but something like "we try our best". Discussions like that one about compensation will destroy goodwill (if he is not RA)

Early checkin and/or temp room is not an Ambassador (non-RA) benefit ; I often have to wait past checkin time for a good room as elite at HHH or MR chain, but am usually offered a zero-upgrade early checkin option instead of waiting on a nice upgrade, not always hotels fault, but selfish guest who belatedly demands late checkout post breakfast rather than at theit checkin time.

The choice is yours, you can't have both normally, as the nice rooms are allocated to elites the previous night and said elite (AMB) takes advantage (as you probably will) of guaranteed 4pm checkout

It is one of the reasons, that if IC hotel has an acceptable lounge I offer to checkout and go to lounge 2pm if IC needs room for incoming RA/Amb guest, and hope other RA/Amb guests are similarly helpful

Your post says 12:02pm for me. They must have gotten the time zones mixed up.

Not RA, but still Ambassador. Confirmed with them that they would provide a temp room while my room got ready.