Room type is available on one's reservation. Thanks for the tip re: won't allow you to fully check-in if you need to show your passport.

Cheers.

That has been my experience for US and European properties. My experience for Asian properties is that the room type remains per the reservation until check-in, when you see any UG.

Just checked on my res at Marriott Sky City (27 hours from check-in) and it shows an upgrade to Executive Deluxe Room pre-check-in.

Thanks for the info CJKatl.

I searched for this thread because I was thinking of downloading the app to check in. If one can't check in without a passport (e.g. ALL hotels in China), then is there any advantage to checking in via mobile app? Better upgrades (as Gold), for example?

Thanks

Dr. PITUK

If we're speaking of properties in China (at least full service ones), I would think not as the FS Asian properties are generally pretty proactive in pre-blocking rooms for elite members.

Yes, it is the JW in Hangzhou and I am Gold after many years of Silver (previously Plat or Gold for a few years) thanks to the SPG match. I stayed at the CY next door last year but don't remember much about it!

This is why I just did a search.. I have a reservation in Denver tomorrow and I am torn as to if I mobile check in or not..

Is there a definitive view on how mobile check in affects upgrade chances?

EDIT: Sorry: Just saw I am the 1245th person to ask this :)

I've tried this a number of times and it has been nothing but a headache. Not only have I never been upgraded but I've gotten the opposite of my preferences in my profile. Also, Internet login issues and key cards not working. Do NOT use this feature, it SUCKS!!!

I did Mobile check-in yesterday for maybe the second or third time, and I got upgraded to the Presidential Suite at the Monterey Marriott.

It's my first suite upgrade as Platinum Premier too.

So at least in my experience, it's worked out well. I'll have to do this more to get a more representative sample of its effectiveness though.

I tried for the first time yesterday for a stay at the Berlin Marriott. It saved me no time what so ever in the check in process, and I can't see a single benefit that it gave me. With Hilton I can see the floor layouts and select from rooms available to me. And it does save me some time in the check in. With Marriott I can get a pop up on my phone saying your room is ready. Very beneficial (sarcasm).
This would be the first and last time I bother with it.

Has anyone used Mobile Check In and been upgraded after they hit check in? Or are the people who have seen upgrades just referring to what it says on the app before you check in (which would also presumably be in the resv details)?

I used mobile check in last week for the San Juan Marriott Stellaris. When I got to the property, I was upgraded from a city view to a partial ocean view corner room (2 balconies, I'm fairly certain larger room).

The only reason I've been using the mobile check in recently is for the raffle thing they have going. I see no advantages to using it otherwise.

To be honest, I don't see much differences... the experience is a bit underwhelming. Tried that twice: Courtyard Seminyak Bali and Courtyard Cologne... still had to wait at the front desk, sign papers, give a credit card (and it was not my first stay at the Courtyard Cologne).

It's a very inconsistent from property-to-property and even clerk-to-clerk at the same property. I've run the spectrum between "Good evening, last name's Kettle I did Mobile Check-in [1]" 'Here's your key, Mr. Kettle, have a great stay.' to the same process as a regular check-in: CC, ID, etc., and every iteration in between.

[1] I usually stay in LS, not FS, probably a 4-1 ratio, but I don't think I've seen more than 2-3 dedicated mobile check-in lanes, ever. And IIRC, none of those were properly staffed, nor made the experience smoother for me.

While I would obviously prefer the easy process, I'd even give some of that up, just to know what to expect on a regular basis.

I just tried it at the Marriott in WAW. 4pm was set as the check in time but I didn't receive any in-app notification until well after 10pm that the room and card key was ready! Obviously, I'd checked in several hours earlier and since at that time the app didn't show the room as ready to occupy I still had to go to the FD and check in the old school way.

One thing that did work okay was that the upgrade went through (Standard to Executive) *after* the mobile check in. The app says 'Eligible for upgrade' above the button marked 'Check in'.

I'll try it again there tomorrow but my expectations for a smoother CI process are not sky high.