Guest checking in prior to elite member
 

It depends a lot on hotel and situation I guess.

I have had my mother arrive for a seperate room booked in my name where I arrived later, and she got all my Platinum (pre August 18) perks even if I had not arrived yet. She even got a much nicer upgrade than me. I had called, though, to get a note in the booking that she would be arriving before me for one of the two rooms I had booked

I'd reach out to the hotel directly. Explain the situation and go from there. With the current state of affairs for Marriott Corporate customer (dis)service, I'd not rely upon them to do anything.

Maybe it depends on the hotel, but typically lounge access is coded into the room key card. While I don't recall testing this by having someone else check in first, I would certainly hope you wouldn't have to get new key cards when you arrive at the hotel. Perhaps have your partner ask at check in if lounge access is on the card or if you'll need to get new cards? This will result in either 1) desk clerk ensuring access is keyed in or 2) explaining you will need new cards. If 2, then she can ask if it's possible, as a one time exception, to key the access because you'll be arriving late and don't want to stop for new keys. Worth a try.

Call the property directly during the local business day and ask what arrangements need to be made. Chances are that the answer will be yes, but that if you do not eventually check in, the rack rate for a lounge access room will apply. If the answer is no, nothing to be done.

I'm perplexed.

Can't you alleviate her being perplexed by explaining the rules to her prior to her checking in.

Isn't the greater issue here that of checking in with a partner in the UAE than of elite membership? Understood that most hotels look the other way, but I wouldn't personally do anything that shines a light on the matter.

Often my partner and I arrive at different times. I just call the property and ask them to add his name to the reservation and advise he will be arriving sooner. I have never had a problem with him getting checked-in beforehand with lounge access and upgrades too. Usually, as of late, I am upgraded before my reservation date as a Titanium anyways.

James in Capetown.

Yes, understand letter vs. practice, have been a beneficiary thereof myself. Still, just was pointing out that maybe I'd be judicious in how much attention I would wish to draw through certain requests.


"Liv[ing] in Abu Dhabi" (your first post) is a strange definition of not being a local. Do you just mean she isn't an Emirati? She is still locally-based, which is the point that people are raising here.

I've done this several times and only had an issue once.where the hotel (a Sacramento area Marriott) was very aggressive, said they would upgrade the room when I arrived at the hotel and would re-key the key for lounge access when I arrived. Every other time, there has never been a problem. I normally have my guest added to the room through my ambassador but also have increasingly been using the chat function in the app to communicate with the hotel which is another option.

If your partner is of the opposite sex, be careful as some UAE hotels are strict and don't allow unmarried couples of opposite genders to share a single room.

I've had reservations at hotels and had my father or brother arrive before me. It was never a problem, but I always alerted the hotel ahead of time using the Marriott mobile application that it would happen. The other person always received my elite status benefits.

I'm from UAE visted most SPG and Marriott hotels plus other chains, this information is wrong.
Just let them know and they well let any one in the room without any problems.
Some hotels well not give access to the lounge until you come!

don't count on it. I had a note in a recent reservation that my wife will be checking earlier than me as I was flying into town t-con that day. Turned out after some MX delays I arrived at 11 p.m. to find my wife waiting in the lobby because they refused to give her a room key. Same address, same last name, note added to reservation ... the monkeys at check-in didn't care. Needless to say I won't be going back to this property, but having a note added to the reservation may not yield anything.