Marriott recently upgraded its smartphone app (iOS and Android) to accommodate mobile check in at many of its hotels. This weekend was my first opportunity to try the app’s mobile check in feature. It was as easy as it appears to be in this video from Marriott.

I checked into my LA hotel while I was sitting at JFK. Upon landing at LAX, I had a notification waiting in the iPhone notification center informing me that my room was ready.

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Upon arrival at the hotel, I proceeded to the front desk where I picked up my key. No muss, no fuss, but I still had to wait for a front desk attendant to assist a hapless couple. There is a large sign that says something to the effect of “pick up your key here for mobile check in” but the person working that position was also working the regular line. I expect that’s something that will evolve as more people try mobile check in. It will certainly need to if Marriott wants people to use this option frequently. In reality, my wait was only a few minutes, and the actual process of getting my key once I was in contact with a front desk attendant seemed to go very quickly as my room key was already prepared, etc.

Mobile check out appeared as an option on the morning of my departure. It was really easy. You have the option of checking out with an email receipt or no receipt. The whole thing took about 5 seconds, and I was done. Much quicker than the option of checking out via in room TV, which always seems to be agonizingly slow to me, no matter the hotel brand.

The bottom line – I’ll be a frequent user of Marriott mobile check in, and I’m looking forward to watching it evolve as both guests and hotels get comfortable with it.

-MJ, August 18, 2014