dcstudent

New form of being Bonvoyed? Reservation tonight at Baltimore area hotel - Westin BWI. Got notification by app at 4pm Eastern that my mobile key was ready. But, I had never requested mobile check-in!

Opened app. Reservation number and rate is correct - but room type is wrong and a downgrade from what I booked. Mobile key also not programmed for club lounge (I'm titanium). I won't get there until after 9:30pm Eastern tonight. Hoping i can at least get back into what i booked and get lounge access.

Anyone else ever experienced something similar?

margarita girl

Suggest you reach out to hotel via Chat and tell them this isn't the room you reserved.

controller1

Prior to your arrival how do you know the mobile key was not programmed for lounge access?

dcstudent

When you open the mobile key - click on the icon in the app - it lists exactly what it's been programmed for. As soon as your mobile key is released you can see all the info, even if you're hours away from arrival.

In my case, it was good for pool and fitness center but not the lounge.

controller1

Good to know. I've only attempted to use it once. It didn't work.

s0ssos

Hmm, I checked-in a few times via app and it did nothing for me. Now if only I can find a way to block all those annoying "check in day prior via app" emails

btonkid12345

Same for me - never worked.

Out of my Element

So . . . ?

arlflyer

But why wouldn't you want to check in online, so you can "access your elite benefits" such as not being upgraded and not getting to pick your room?! I love how Marriott OLCI says basically, yeah, that's great, now go to the desk and beg for upgrades.

I've been auto-downgraded to rooms of lesser types than the booked room twice in the last couple weeks at big-city MR hotels on $400+/night rates. Noticed it in the stay details on the app on the day of check-in. Of course, when reminded that these were corporate rates and that I'd be happy to let my company's travel procurement folks know, the property staff acted very confused and were quick to make this "error" right...I'm sure it had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that the properties were sold out at higher public rates...

dcstudent

For some reason didn't see your reply until this morning. I totally should have thought of this. Proof that even experienced travellers miss relatively simple paths to solutions!

dcstudent

Twice in the last couple weeks? That stinks.

Was not fun at check-in last night. Arrived at about 10pm, one person being helped - I was the only one in line. Only one clerk. Person being helped was having some sort of issue checking in so it was taking forever.

Airline crew arrives after I've already been waiting for 10min or so. Clerk goes into back, comes back with another employee. 2nd employee makes eye contact with me, asks me if I'm checkin in. I respond yes, to which he responds "she (original clerk) will be with you shortly. He continues to check in every member of the airline crew while I still wait.

After he finished with crew he comes over to help me. I ask for manager as I feel the wait and passing over me for later arrivals in unacceptable. Turns out he is the MOD. I let him know I find it unacceptable that I waited nearly 25 minutes to check in, and doubly unacceptable that he skipped over me to assist a bunch of folks that arrived after me, leaving me waiting. He gave me a line that by contract they have to check in crews before other guests (don't believe that for a second) but did apologize and offered me 5K points. Also apologized for the "system error" that resulted in my room downgrade - mentioned hotel was nearly sold out and that causes issues sometimes....

Other than that. A great stay.

clublounger

You should believe it. It's true.

s0ssos

Is it also by contract that the manager cannot come out to assist another guest? Because the first agent should have gotten the manager after you were waiting so long so you can be checked in.

arlflyer

Interesting, given that I've encountered this "error" a couple times in the last couple weeks as noted in a previous post. And that's separate from the OLCI issue - I just wake up, haven't checked in, and see the room type as changed - and not in the direction an elite member would hope for after the night audit.

It's almost as if, when the hotel is close to sold out, they could "accidentally" sell better rooms for more money if they just had some more available. Hmm...

There's also another element of the auto check-in issue that seems to be going on, which was referenced in another thread. I notice that my stays become "in progress" before I've ever checked in using any device or in person. While I haven't needed to invoke this, some of my company rates have same-day cancellation, and I can only imagine what a mess would happen if the system somehow already thinks I'm there.

dcstudent

It's extremely hard for me to believe that a corporate contract specifies that no matter the circumstances, personnel travelling for company "x" get helped before any other customers.