Mobile Check-in Discussion Thread
Jul 30, 2018, 9:21 pm
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YUL
Programs: SPG lifetime Platinum, Air Canada Super Elite, Priority Club Platinum Elite,
Posts: 44
Your expectation that an employee should accept beratement and be forced to humiliate his or herself to speak against their employer is a bit much. Not that I haven't done it, but I've never been proud of myself afterward. You already interrupted other guests and then decided on your own to wait the 25 minutes. There's no value in badgering a front desk clerk into submission? Especially being a Platinum, I would instead use the resources made available to complain both to the hotel manager and to Starwood, rather than beating up on the smallest of employees for something completely out of their control. My two cents.
I didn’t “badger” anyone into “humiliation”.i think you’re being very dramatic in your characterization.
Jul 30, 2018, 9:23 pm
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YUL
Programs: SPG lifetime Platinum, Air Canada Super Elite, Priority Club Platinum Elite,
Posts: 44
For Marriott, we arrived in the Sydney CBD at 9am and knowing the room would not be available, did the usual and dropped the bags off at the front desk. The FDA asked if we had the mobile app, which we did, and said to check in and that we would be notified when our room was ready. We went out to explore a bit and sure enough around 1130am we were notified via the app that the room was ready. Returned and in 30 seconds were up to our room. We probably could have checked in while in the airport and gotten the room earlier, but still, no complaints!
Now there’s some value!
Jul 30, 2018, 9:30 pm
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YUL
Programs: SPG lifetime Platinum, Air Canada Super Elite, Priority Club Platinum Elite,
Posts: 44
Yep, op's behaviour is embrassing. Hope he didn't get a room upgrade.
Regarding mobile check in, let's say it has potential. Will probably be something very good within 1-2 years with Marriott. As it is now, it's only good for the hotel to know when I'll show up and check out so they can plan accordingly.
Regarding mobile check in, let's say it has potential. Will probably be something very good within 1-2 years with Marriott. As it is now, it's only good for the hotel to know when I'll show up and check out so they can plan accordingly.
You’ll be delighted to know I had a large corner suite and a bottle of wine with a fruit plate. Don’t strain your eyes while rolling them ��
Jul 30, 2018, 10:12 pm
#34
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
Back to the point though, you need to stop to consider whether you are playing by rules that don't exist.
Jul 30, 2018, 11:55 pm
#36
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, BAEC Silver, TK Miles & Smiles Elite
Posts: 2,209
Nothing about the mobile check in process precludes the time-honoured stride to the front desk for a screaming DYKWIA row.
On the other hand, I quite like seeing my room upgraded before I arrive or at least - as was the case at the JW HK - being prepared to ask successfully if they actually had any suites available.
Jul 31, 2018, 12:57 am
#37
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 336
Wow. I've never tried the app, but I thought the whole point was to skip the desk with some sort of digital NFC key.
If there was some deeply entrenched corporate-wide policy that between your mobile check-in and physical check-in (regardless of desk) that they would snag the best room available for you, I would be interested.
The whole SPG/Marriott upgrade world seems a little off to me. Airlines and car rental co's can manage to confirm or at least waitlist upgrades, not just consider them when at the gate. After all, you're not getting a refund the morning of your stay if you decide to cancel.
If there was some deeply entrenched corporate-wide policy that between your mobile check-in and physical check-in (regardless of desk) that they would snag the best room available for you, I would be interested.
The whole SPG/Marriott upgrade world seems a little off to me. Airlines and car rental co's can manage to confirm or at least waitlist upgrades, not just consider them when at the gate. After all, you're not getting a refund the morning of your stay if you decide to cancel.
Jul 31, 2018, 1:11 am
#38
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sweden
Programs: Marriott Platinum - LT Gold
Posts: 688
Mobile check in doesn't automatically upgrade you to the best available room though. Used Mobile check in for a Sheraton property. Checked in at 1Am and was upgraded from base room to a club room. However when I looked on the App i could see there was a suite available. So I asked the FDA about it if I could get upgraded and so he did. I knew the suite was available when I used mobile check.
Mobile check in would have been great if I'd have gotten the suite in the first place without asking FD.
Mobile check in would have been great if I'd have gotten the suite in the first place without asking FD.
Jul 31, 2018, 12:18 pm
#39
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,198
As to the SPG mobile app - it's useless, we all know it, and there is no sense in bothering a rank and file employee at a likely franchise property who could really care less. It's like complaining to a McDonalds cashier about the McRib being a limited time offer.
Jul 31, 2018, 1:43 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
It's like others say - the sole purpose of the app is to signal intentions about check-in time to the FD. That's it.
Any upgrade showing in the reservation details is indicative rather than actual. I found this out when I booked into an Eastern European Sheraton with my app showing a Suite upgrade. When I got to the FD there was a Russian couple who had turned up out of the blue (no advance booking) and wanted to pay for a suite (money no object). The FD clerk duly sold them the Suite I had been 'upgraded' to as when I checked in he explained that I no longer had the Suite but a Deluxe room. Yes, he even told me that the Suite my app had previously shown had just been sold to the Russian couple, so that is why I ended up with the Deluxe (so bonus points for honesty, at least). I checked into the Deluxe while my SPG app continued to show a Suite in the reservation details for the duration of the stay.
Any upgrade showing in the reservation details is indicative rather than actual. I found this out when I booked into an Eastern European Sheraton with my app showing a Suite upgrade. When I got to the FD there was a Russian couple who had turned up out of the blue (no advance booking) and wanted to pay for a suite (money no object). The FD clerk duly sold them the Suite I had been 'upgraded' to as when I checked in he explained that I no longer had the Suite but a Deluxe room. Yes, he even told me that the Suite my app had previously shown had just been sold to the Russian couple, so that is why I ended up with the Deluxe (so bonus points for honesty, at least). I checked into the Deluxe while my SPG app continued to show a Suite in the reservation details for the duration of the stay.
Jul 31, 2018, 4:35 pm
#41
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, BAEC Silver, TK Miles & Smiles Elite
Posts: 2,209
Mobile check in doesn't automatically upgrade you to the best available room though. Used Mobile check in for a Sheraton property. Checked in at 1Am and was upgraded from base room to a club room. However when I looked on the App i could see there was a suite available. So I asked the FDA about it if I could get upgraded and so he did. I knew the suite was available when I used mobile check.
Mobile check in would have been great if I'd have gotten the suite in the first place without asking FD.
Mobile check in would have been great if I'd have gotten the suite in the first place without asking FD.
Whatever the app says and whatever you're offered at check in, you can always ask if a suite is available and it's up to the hotel's policies and intransigence if they give it to you without too much of a standing argument. Nothing to do with the app.
As we know, the app appears to do very little in reality except send a notification to the hotel that you will turn up at a particular time. I use it all the time and must save up to two minutes checking in to some properties because they've got the key ready already.
Even the room upgrade notification is something you can check on the app without mobile checking in by looking at the room type in your reservation information in the run up to arrival. Most times the upgraded room will show there already if the hotel has an SPG champion who checks for Platinum reservations each day and allocates you in advance rather than leaving it to the discretion of the FD.
Jul 31, 2018, 11:43 pm
#42
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,745
How much less could they care?
Aug 1, 2018, 5:45 am
#43
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Lewisville, TX USA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Bonvoy LT Ti; National EE; WDW Passholder
Posts: 838
I’ve noticed when checking in via app that I don’t have to dip a credit card or sign the PIN pad. Additionally, because they don’t have my signature, it (my signature) doesn’t show up on the folio.
This certainly can’t be the “point” of mobile check-in, but it’s a side benefit that I like.
Cheers,
LBBZman
This certainly can’t be the “point” of mobile check-in, but it’s a side benefit that I like.
Cheers,
LBBZman
Aug 1, 2018, 11:22 am
#44
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
I’ve noticed when checking in via app that I don’t have to dip a credit card or sign the PIN pad. Additionally, because they don’t have my signature, it (my signature) doesn’t show up on the folio.
This certainly can’t be the “point” of mobile check-in, but it’s a side benefit that I like.
Cheers,
LBBZman
This certainly can’t be the “point” of mobile check-in, but it’s a side benefit that I like.
Cheers,
LBBZman
Aug 1, 2018, 11:28 am
#45
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sweden
Programs: Marriott Platinum - LT Gold
Posts: 688