An OMAAT reader shared a frustrating experience he recently encountered at a Marriott property. People bring all kinds of airline and hotel situations to my attention, and sometimes the travel brand is in the wrong, sometimes the traveler is in the wrong, and sometimes fault lies somewhere in the middle. This is an interesting one, as it’s quite nuanced…
I had relied on Marriott’s advertised Digital/Mobile Check-In—promoted as a way to skip the front desk—precisely because my ADHD and a traumatic brain injury make it easy for me to misplace physical items. Despite presenting valid government ID and offering multiple secure alternatives (including live verification through the Amex app and an electronic authorization form), the property turned us away.
Marriott corporate later supported the property’s decision even while continuing to advertise mobile and digital check-in as features that eliminate the need to visit the desk. They also denied my Ultimate Reservation Guarantee claim, saying it doesn’t apply in these circumstances—even though the published terms simply require that a confirmed reservation “cannot be honored,” with no exclusion that fits my case.
The human impact was immediate and harsh: my young child and wife slept in our vehicle on a hot Las Vegas night while I repeatedly sought help through every official channel.
My take on this unusual denied check-in experience
First of all, I’m sorry to hear about the ADHD and traumatic brain injury, and how that makes it easy to misplace physical items. I’m sure some people will have some things to say about the misplacing of the card, but let’s ignore that and not go there, because I don’t think it’s core to what’s going on here.
At our property we do require a matching id and Creditcard be run through our chip & pin machine at time of check in for every guest. I do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Marriott corporate backed the property, and even acknowledged the inconsistency between advertised amenities and operational practices, which is kind of wild:
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
