A few weeks ago Hilton announced a new mobile check-in option for guests that promises to enhance and advance the check-in process.

But Hilton isn’t the only major chain to offer mobile check-in. In fact, Marriott has offered mobile check-in since 2013.

The only problem is, it isn’t entirely clear to Marriott guests what benefit checking-in mobilely provides.

I can’t quite figure it out. The only benefit I can think of is a dedicated check in line at the hotel which you still need to stand in anyway. And every hotel I’ve been to that has mobile check in has no one working the line and/or is helping “normal” customers in that line as well. So it saves no time and offers no benefits. ~TravelerRob

I have only used mobile check-in twice … Upon arrival, it was as TravelerRob said, no one was manning the line for mobile check-in. I actually thought I would go to some kiosk and my key would be dispensed to me and off I’d go! I had to wait in line and they still wanted to see my Id, ask a bunch of questions, etc. ~bkerea58

I’m known as the most tech-savvy person at my workplace and I’ve never bothered with mobile check-in… ~sudosandwich

As if this weren’t bad enough, Al Secco described an eerily similar mobile check-in experience in an article he wrote for CIO.com in July 2013 – just after the mobile check-in app had been introduced as a beta product:

I’m not usually happy when I see 20 or so people waiting to check-in, but this time I smiled; I was hoping there would be a line so I could walk past everyone else and use mobile check-in. I marched right to a Marriott representative who was directing people towards available front-desk staff, and I asked about the mobile check-in line. … I was told that the New York Marriott Marquis has a mobile check-in desk, but it is not in use because of “potential fraud in our market” and other security reasons. The woman pointed to the mobile check-in kiosk, to show me that they had one, but it was roped off and not in use. Then I was sent to the end of the line, where I waited for 15 minutes.

At least Al didn’t fall victim to the trap Marriott put out for TravelerRob:

…the first (and only) time I used mobile check-in was at a Tampa Marriott. I went to the big screen at the counter that said “Mobile Check In” and like an idiot tapped the screen three times before I realized it’s not a kiosk at all…it’s simply a big monitor that has pretty pictures with the words “Mobile Check In” underneath it.

Thanks for sharing TravelerRob – the mental image made my day 🙂

Read the thread in its entirety: What’s the point of mobile check in?