It's been over 24 hours since I requested some items for my stay through the Virtual Concierge and I have received no acknowledgement of my request. I am due to check in shortly now. This is the first time I have used this service -
Is this common for them to not send any acknowledgement of one's request?
Can I count on the request being filled without follow-up?
If not, it is hardly worth the trouble - it's no longer a service if I have to spend as much time getting them to deliver as for me to go out and purchase the items on my own.

The property is the Fairview Park Marriott.

Virtual Concierge is to me, a mixed bag.

First of all, the link to Virtual Concierge isn't on all the "reminder of stay" emails I receive.

Second, a few hotels will send a confirming email when you respond to them; others do not.

As far as actually providing what's asked for (and that's the "freebies" like extra pillows) it's a mixed bag as to whether or not I'm going to find them in my room at arrival (or, without prompting delivered late) as as non-confirming properties go. (I've always received the room service edibles when I did request them.)

But, getting back to the freebies - if they're already included in your MR *preferences (reachable after you sign in) why is there a need to reiterate them via "Virtual Concierge?"

*Most of the time the preferences are similarly missed.

Having said that, only if I'm checking in extremely late (which is a rarity), and want to crash without delay, does this truly bug me.

I've only used it twice in the past, Charlotte City Center and Orlando World Center. Both times, I ordered some specific room service type items to be at the room at a certain time. Both times, I got an acknowledgement within a couple of hours. In Charlotte, I questioned at checkin if it was on my record, it wasn't, the person who responded to my e-mail was not in that weekend, and my request never arrived. In Orlando, my requested items, arrived within 20 minutes of my arrival in the room. Haven't tried it since. Staff in Orlando seems VERY responsive to me. I think it is going to depend on the property.
Cindi

I'll agree with others that the VC is a mixed bag. I'd say I get an acknowledgement from the hotel only about 10% of the time. My preference requests are honored about 50% of the time, but the room service requests are more like 90%. I've learned to always ask again at check-in if it really matters to me.

That being said, the Fairview Park Marriott is a very good property and I would expect them to follow through appropriately. Good luck.

I tried to use VC at the Marriott Lisbon when I found a promotion for elites to be upgraded to Exec. Level or at least lounge access to watch Portugal in the World Cup. I found the offer day of arrival in the morning.

I had requested the upgrade at least but did not ask to have my rate lowered as I understood my rate was locked in 24 hours prior upon their cancellation deadline.

Upon late-arrival 2 copies of the request were stapled to a printed copy of my reservation but no upgrade, no lounge access arranged and no information as to why. Manager on Duty would do nothing. They seemed to know nothing of the promotion that was featured on marriott.com.

The issue was first resolved after afternoon return to hotel after leaving message for manager in morning. I needed to complain for them to change my room.

Reliability and consistency are quite important when hotels choose to offer such services - otherwise they do themselves more harm than good.

I'd give them a C- or D+ on this one.

We received the items we paid for when we arrived at the room. We did not receive the freebies. We never had any acknowledgement of our request after it was made.