A few mouse clicks and room service
will be waiting upon your arrival. And the local weather report will help
you decide what to pack. Or the convenience of an airport shuttle can be
confirmed. These are just a few of the services that guests will be able
to request online via Marriott International, Inc.‘s At Your Service
pre-arrival planning service and “virtual concierge,” effective Jan. 25. Marriott’s At Your Service program focuses on the total guest
experience from point of reservation to check-out. As part of the
pre-arrival planning service, guests will receive a personalized e-mail*
five days prior to check-in that includes local transportation, weather
and restaurant information, as well as directions and maps. This service
will be offered at nearly 2,500 hotels worldwide, including Marriott
Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels &
Resorts, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn,
TownePlace Suites and Marriott Conference Centers.

At a growing number of hotels and resorts, the service will be expanded as
a “virtual concierge.” Guests will be able to reserve spa treatments, room
service for delivery upon arrival, and other amenities specific to each
hotel. They may also request complimentary amenities that each hotel
offers, such as extra pillows, miniature refrigerators and early
check-in/late check-out. Marriott plans to continue adding useful and
timely information and services as it expands the “virtual concierge.”

“The pre-arrival planning service and ‘virtual concierge’ are based
exclusively on feedback from guests, who asked for information about their
stay that is personalized, reassuring and timely,” said Senior Vice
President of Marketing Rita Cuddihy. “According to our research, more than
80 percent of guests said they’d be more likely to book their next trip
with Marriott if they received this type of service.”

Also recently implemented as part of the At Your Service program are
enhancements to Marriott.com. With more than 20,000 new photos of hotels
and resorts, guests can make even more informed decisions. Other
improvements include an easier process for Marriott Rewards members to
redeem their points online.

The pre-arrival planning service and “virtual concierge” build upon the
success of the At Your Service system already in place at full-service
hotels. Rather than calling various numbers to request different services,
guests simply press the At Your Service button from their in-room
phones to speak with one guest service associate.

These new offerings are a component of the new look and feel of Marriott,
a fresh approach influenced by the world’s foremost innovations in design,
technology, culinary expertise, service and comfort. Guests will begin to
experience this evolution across Marriott brands this year, in new hotel
designs, exotic destinations, enhanced fitness centers, sumptuous spas and
expanded culinary offerings, as well as new luxury bedding.
——-