Checking in online at hotels

[RooFlyer]

Most hotels these days seem to pester you by email to check in online before arrival.

Do people do this? What’s the advantage to the customer?

I never do it as I always want to check at the front counter that the room is going to be a quiet one, away from elevators and other noise and I have the opportunity to change rooms if it’s not. I’m afraid that if I check-in online before hand, it will be more difficult to change rooms after I arrive.

Even if it’s not, what’s the advantage in checking in early online?

Does checking in online, say a day or two before hand, cancel the free cancellation opportunity (within allowed window) if it’s given when you book?

 

[SYD]

Most hotels these days seem to pester you by email to check in online before arrival.

Do people do this? What’s the advantage to the customer?

I never do it as I always want to check at the front counter that the room is going to be a quiet one, away from elevators and other noise and I have the opportunity to change rooms if it’s not. I’m afraid that if I check-in online before hand, it will be more difficult to change rooms after I arrive.

Even if it’s not, what’s the advantage in checking in early online?

Does checking in online, say a day or two before hand, cancel the free cancellation opportunity (within allowed window) if it’s given when you book?

Hilton and others can give you a room key via your phone. So in theory you can waltz directly to your room. I can imagine some would find that attractive and hassle free. Personally, I’ve never (from memory) checked in online.

Funnily enough, the place I’m currently staying in NYC has *no* front desk! You have to check in online and they send front door and room access codes at check in time on the day.

 

[RooFlyer]

Funnily enough, the place I’m currently staying in NYC has *no* front desk! You have to check in online and they send front door and room access codes at check in time on the day.

Thats an extreme example, but partly my point. What happens if you've checked in on-line and there is a problem with the room?

 

[SYD]

Thats an extreme example, but partly my point. What happens if you've checked in on-line and there is a problem with the room?

There is a number/email but yep, that’s the risk - not wildly different to AirBnB.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have a strategy of when I will do online checkin.

If I’m arriving super late it’s very convenient to be able to just bypass reception and head straight to the room.

The Hilton App is great as it gives you a map of the hotel and you can tell whether or not room is next to elevators / subject to street noise etc.

I’d say most of the time my upgrade is already showing at OLCI.
I just pick the best of what’s offered to me and request a digital key. 99% of the time that’s the room number I end up with.
On occasions where the hotel is sold out and no upgrades available then I definitely use OLCI to secure a high floor best room type I can get.
If it’s not sold out and higher categories available and no upgrade showing then I won’t do OLCI at all.

 

[RooFlyer]

I just pick the best of what’s offered to me and request a digital key. 99% of the time that’s the room number I end up with.
On occasions where the hotel is sold out and no upgrades available then I definitely use OLCI to secure a high floor best room type I can get.

That's something I didn't know (because I've never tried it) - they don't say "here is your room, check-in", but give you a selection under the category you have chosen (or been upgraded to)? That's a great reason the CI on-line as early as possible.

Does that facility varies with status (I guess you are Diamond with Hilton)? Do other chains give such flexibility, do you know?

Of course it won't show you that there is a third-party disco next to the room - but then, often the check-in staff are clueless about that anyway!!

 

[Princess Fiona]

That's something I didn't know (because I've never tried it) - they don't say "here is your room, check-in", but give you a selection under the category you have chosen (or been upgraded to)? That's a great reason the CI on-line as early as possible.

Does that facility varies with status (I guess you are Diamond with Hilton)? Do other chains give such flexibility, do you know?

Of course it won't show you that there is a third-party disco next to the room - but then, often the check-in staff are clueless about that anyway!!

Yes I’m Diamond with Hilton.
I don’t really use many other chains.

Sometimes doing OLCI they don’t show you a room number or choice of rooms. If that’s the case I just abort the process and keep refreshing again prior to the day as availability usually comes back.

To give you an example of my most recent OLCI, hotel completely sold out and has been for weeks.
Arrival would be after 9pm.

First attempt “We don’t have a room number to show you right now”

Second attempt later that day shown only two rooms both the type I booked but one was on floor 3 and the other top floor 15.
I completed OLCI and requested digital key and got the room on floor 15.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks again. I'm Diamond with Hilton and have a couple of stays coming up, so I'll see how it goes.

Gah! Just tried it with Accor for my next stay, in a few days (I'm Gold). Wants me to type in all my details (in spite of it being in profile) ... at screen 3, billing details, I gave up. Typical Accor. Might try again when I'm not about to go out.

 

[justinbrett]

Hilton OLCI is excellent and combined with digital keys was worth its weight in gold during Covid. The best example is Hilton San Francisco which doesn't advertise views of the Golden Gate bridge - using google maps and a bit of trigonometry worked out which rooms would have the best view of it - an alas ended up with a room that had a perfect view.

OLCO is even better.

I am diamond but all members have access to OLCI - you just wouldn't get the upgrades (you can't select yourself an upgrade even as diamond, unless you agree to pay for it - usually the upgrades happen before OLCI opens)

Sometimes doing OLCI they don’t show you a room number or choice of rooms. If that’s the case I just abort the process and keep refreshing again prior to the day as availability usually comes back.

To give you an example of my most recent OLCI, hotel completely sold out and has been for weeks.
Arrival would be after 9pm.

First attempt “We don’t have a room number to show you right now”

Second attempt later that day shown only two rooms both the type I booked but one was on floor 3 and the other top floor 15.
I completed OLCI and requested digital key and got the room on floor 15.

I think Hilton changed the process during covid. Pre-covid, I'm fairly certain when OLCI opened, all rooms scheduled to be available were selectable.

Since/after covid, I feel like it has moved to actual availability - so there is far more selection the day of check in rather than the day before (trick used to be check in ASAP once it opened - 6am local time the day prior). I guess since covid a lot more people are using OLCI were before it was a niche group of people. Often the hotels will allocate your room on day of check in, so OLCI will show you this number but let you pick another one. In tight circumstances like the one you describe there may not be an alternative.

During Covid, in the US at least, often the room you selected was changed because they didn't have enough staff to clean the rooms, so they moved you to a room that did get cleaned. That was a tad annoying.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hilton OLCI is excellent and combined with digital keys was worth its weight in gold during Covid. The best example is Hilton San Francisco which doesn't advertise views of the Golden Gate bridge - using google maps and a bit of trigonometry worked out which rooms would have the best view of it - an alas ended up with a room that had a perfect view.

OLCO is even better.

I am diamond but all members have access to OLCI - you just wouldn't get the upgrades (you can't select yourself an upgrade even as diamond, unless you agree to pay for it - usually the upgrades happen before OLCI opens)



I think Hilton changed the process during covid. Pre-covid, I'm fairly certain when OLCI opened, all rooms scheduled to be available were selectable.

Since/after covid, I feel like it has moved to actual availability - so there is far more selection the day of check in rather than the day before (trick used to be check in ASAP once it opened - 6am local time the day prior). I guess since covid a lot more people are using OLCI were before it was a niche group of people. Often the hotels will allocate your room on day of check in, so OLCI will show you this number but let you pick another one. In tight circumstances like the one you describe there may not be an alternative.

During Covid, in the US at least, often the room you selected was changed because they didn't have enough staff to clean the rooms, so they moved you to a room that did get cleaned. That was a tad annoying.

I rarely if ever get moved now from the room number I select at OLCI.
USA/ Europe/ Asia

Only exception to this is Hilton SYD seems to do it a bit.

 

[justinbrett]

I rarely if ever get moved now from the room number I select at OLCI.
USA/ Europe/ Asia

Only exception to this is Hilton SYD seems to do it a bit.

Yeah I haven't had it a lot recently.

I spent a month on the US East Coast during the Omicron wave (Jan 2022) and it happened about 80% of the time. Mind you, a lot of these hotels were so short staffed they didn't open the bar or restaurant. And just forget about Executive Lounges....

 

[OZDUCK]

I have only checked in on-line once or twice but in Stockholm it was really worthwhile. Due to a late arrival time we spent the first night there at one of the airport hotels connected via a shuttle bus. The bus dropped about 20 people at our hotel and a long line instantly formed. Having checked in on-line I simply picked up the keycard on the counter with my name on it and walked to our room probably saving at least 20 minutes waiting time. I also did an on-line checkout and simply threw the keycard into a basket on the way out.

 

[RooFlyer]

Well, serves me right for using Accor. Their OLCI didn't improve the second time I used it. I'm doing Hilton in a few stays so will see how that goes.

I must say that engaging with the check-in people in France and Germany on arrival on my current trip hasn't hurt so far - get local recommendations; ask them to make restaurant reservations on the spot. And then there is the parking - getting the hotel ticket Vs the commercial one for the parking station.

 

[marks]

I'm Marriott Platinum and use OLCI but I don't know what advantage is it is. Whether in AU or around Asia, I still have to show ID and CC before getting the room key. Once I have this done, I can have a mobile key for some properties. Is it really worth OLCI for Bonvoy properties?

 

[Two Aussies]

I did the OLCI at Accor in Sydney a couple of weeks ago. A waste of time. I still needed to go to reception, pick up the cards, sign the check in details, and give a credit card! When I said I has done the OLCI, they said this is still the process. No different in my opinion, just time wasting unless Accor improve.

 

[babysun]

I use it after I check in at Bonvoy counters (I'm Titanium) but only so I can use the digital key. I've used it at Hilton's in the US and I loved that you could choose your room. Otherwise I don't because I prefer to ask for a room that suits my preferences and I've been upgraded at the desk and to my favourite room at one hotel I stay at often.