jonathansullivan

I had a reservation for check-in 9/1. I had completed the virtual concierge, and as a result was pre-blocked into an exec. king suite. Last night the mobile app asked it I wanted to check-in for the following days stay, I did - and indicated 10:30 arrival time. At 7:52am my phone went off that my room was ready.

I stayed at a different property Friday and Saturday night, so decided to run over about 9:30 and check in. Upon arrival I was given a crappy king on a low floor. I talked with the manager who was checking me in...online check-in removes all requests, pre-blocks, etc. So first available room was assigned. He graciously undid the mobile check-in and found me a perfect suite.

Seems like the face to face it important if I want the best available room.

joshua362

I doubt this will save time in this instance unless the 4 people ahead of you are doing the online check-in as well. The single clerk is probably going to have to see your ID, look up your res and possibly still make your keys. Its late, everyone is tired and you get to cut the line without protest? I don't think so.

I do hope Marriott knows what they are doing and can make this genuinely work but it smells like "we have to have it because everyone else has something" marketing hype without offering any real benefits. What will this save from the FD perspective, a credit card swipe?

Until the figure out a way to remove the human element, which has to be a huge security risk, I can't see this saving too much time. Perhaps if the invent an automated key making kiosk that can read the exact credit card you checked in under?

Again, hope it offers something tangible but skeptical. I'll even wager if you online check in and don't pick your keys by midnight or so and they have a need, you'll be walking...

RogerD408

Here's an idea... If you do OLCI and your room is available, have the phone display a Gold/Plat screen with an ID number. Then when you get in to the property, you get in line with everyone else, if needed, but hold your phone up to let the FDC know you have already been checked in. That way they could just look up every so often and call you to the front for your key packet.

SkiAdcock

Wow - thanks for the update! And nice of the manager to be so helpful.

Cheers.

jonathansullivan

Just thought I would follow-up. The property I stayed at was the Marriott World Center in Orlando. This morning I was able to talk with the front desk supervisor who is actually doing the room assignments for mobile check-in.

He again confirmed that the directive given to him was to find the first available room regardless of pre-block or other request to be sure the guest gets the room at least an hour before the requested time, if possible.

Just to reinforce - everyone at the property was very helpful and pleasant. They seemed surprised I didn't like the mobile check-in, but once they back traced my virtual concierge request, and acknowledgement they understood. Together we agreed that if I was looking for anything special - it would be wise not to check in using the app.

Lesson learned!

Red259

VickiSoCal

They are actively mystery shopping the mobile checkin option at all properties and I suspect they will be refining the process.

LoganFlyer

I did mobile check-in (MCI) at the Torrance/South Bay Marriott (CA) last week just to see how it would work. I got the notice that my room was ready about 2 hours before the time I said I'd arrive. When I arrived, I was expecting a quick experience...but it turns out I was the first guest at this hotel to do MCI! So they gave me a gift basket with snacks in it, took my picture, and put the picture in their internal communication (with my permission, of course.) So whenever I would go anywhere at the hotel, such as the concierge lounge or just walking by the front desk or whatever, the employees would ask, "You're Mr. LoganFlyer, aren't you?" Being L.A., it was a fun to feel like a bit of a celebrity .

jonathansullivan

RED 259:Yes they confirmed upgrade via Virtual Conceirge. Wouldn't attempt mobile check-in yet...use the face to face for great upgrade potential.

michelin

I used Mobile Check-in at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis this past Sunday. I thought it worked very well. I received a message the day before asking what time I wanted to check in. I picked 11:00 AM. I received a message at 10:30 AM while on the BART train into the city that my room was ready. Went to the desk, and they told me my high floor corner room (amazing views) was ready for me and they handed me the key.

This property continues to impress, especially for being as big as it is. Concierge lounge open 7 days a week and when I called for a late checkout, the response was would 2:00 be okay?

Excellent stay.

I also received a survey the same day I left asking for feedback on Mobile Check-in.

Red259

Yes, the hotel staff that I have done the mobile check in with always seem to be excited about it and I got a small gift the first time I did it.

Red259

I just did a mobile check in at the Marriott in visalia, ca. Came in and they just handed me the key and had already upgraded me to a nicer room. Only downside is I still had to ask about the upgrade because they just give you the key and I wasn't sure if it was an upgrade or not based on room number alone. Checkin was less than 30 seconds.

Old Hickory

I'm glad to see that many of you are working out the bugs of the new app... thanks!

gwgw

Stumbled upon this article today, thought it was interesting.

http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.co...ck-in-App88149

Marriott Hotels, the flagship brand of Marriott International, continues to make travel more brilliant by offering mobile check-in on its wildly popular Marriott Mobile app at 329 properties in the continental U.S. and Canada. This represents the broadest mobile service of its kind in the North American hospitality industry.

Today’s always-connected Marriott Rewards members, who have downloaded the Marriott Mobile app, can check-in using their smartphones as early as 4 p.m. the day before their arrival and receive an automatic notification when their room is ready. When they arrive, Marriott Rewards guests simply go to the expedited mobile check-in desk where their key card will be ready and waiting for them.

Marriott Hotels began testing mobile check-in at 31 properties just three months ago. Adoption has been rapid as one-quarter of Marriott Rewards guests with reservations at those hotels used the Marriott Mobile app to check-in.

The app makes it easier than ever to simply tap to join Marriott Rewards, as well as gain immediate access to mobile check-in at Marriott Hotels, room-ready alerts, and other services available only to Marriott Rewards members exclusively on the app. Mobile check-in is part of the free Marriott Mobile app available in the Apple iTunes Store and Google Play.

Mobile is Marriott’s fastest growing consumer channel. Mobile accounts for 10 million visits per month, and the Marriott Mobile app has been downloaded 2.3 million times. Last year, mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) accounted for over $700 million in revenue. Marriott mobile revenue has grown more than 80 percent during the past year.

In its drive to co-create the future of travel with its customers, Marriott Hotels solicited feedback from users of the app about what is most important to them. Based on this feedback, Marriott plans to add mobile checkout in November, including the option to have folios emailed.

In a nod to its increasingly mobile and global guests, Marriott Hotels will begin testing mobile check-in in 15 other countries, including the United Kingdom, China, United Arab Emirates, Mexico and India beginning in late November.
The brand’s innovation loop never ends as Marriott Hotels has launched four mobile “incubator” hotels to test future mobile enhancements. Guests at those hotels can make service requests using their smartphones. Among the most popular guest requests so far: additional towels, wake-up calls and housekeeping.

Marriott recently launched a new website – www.travelbrilliantly.com – revealing innovations under development, as well as a co-creation platform to solicit future-forward ideas from influencers, experts and traveling consumer enthusiasts. Visitors to the website are invited to share their groundbreaking ideas to improve the modern travel experience across design, culinary, wellness and technology.

Mobile check-in is just one of many innovations Marriott has launched in its transformational journey. By the end of next year, the brand expects to have its industry-leading Greatroom lobby concept fully deployed, offering a seamless experience merging modern, stylish design and comfort, with greater access to food and beverage, and technology whether for groups or individuals at work or play.

In The Underground – the company’s subterranean innovation lab – Marriott Hotels is working on the next generation guest room based on extensive research and collaboration with next generation travelers. Because the way people work is changing, Marriott Hotels is also re-imagining meetings.

Workspace on Demand makes booking a lobby workspace or meeting room as easy as booking a guest room using a digital device. The first of its kind app – Red Coat Direct – enables meeting organizers to adjust and edit their meeting requests and preferences with a touch of a button and without ever leaving the meeting room. Workspring at Marriott at the Redmond Marriott Town Center is the industry’s first purpose-built suite of integrated spaces and common areas designed for small meetings, taking a holistic approach it brings together seamlessly integrated service, technology and contemporary design.

*The mobile check-in is available throughout Canada except in the Provence of Quebec.

darthbimmer

I haven't tried mobile check-in yet because I don't see much value in it. Checking in at MR hotels the old fashioned way is usually fast and pleasant. I show my ID and (sometimes) my credit card, and I get my keys in under 30 seconds usually.

The only regular drawback to the check-in process is that sometimes the front desk employees are busy with a line of customers in front of me. I wouldn't expect OLCI to help much in those cases as I'd still have to show ID to an employee. Are they really going to ask the customer whom they're currently helping to wait while they move me up to the front of the line and complete my transaction? You can be sure that if I were that customer being put "on hold" I would I would take issue-- with both the other guest and the employee.