You can earn 250 bonus Starpoints with eligible reservations at participating hotel and resort properties when you use the SPG Mobile Check-In feature of the mobile software application program of Starwood Preferred Guest, which is available in four languages: English, Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese — but you must be a member of Starwood Preferred Guest to earn the bonus Starpoints.

Use SPG Mobile Check-In and Earn 250 Bonus Starpoints

Although they are both a part of the mobile software application program of Starwood Preferred Guest, SPG Mobile Check-In is different from the SPG Keyless feature in that the former allows you to start the process of checking into a hotel or resort property as early as 8:00 in the morning on the day prior to arrival in the local time zone — and on your own time — which includes submitting an arrival time; selecting applicable preferences like Make a Green Choice — where applicable; and choosing to receive your folio via e-mail message when checking out of the hotel or resort property.

You will receive a notification on the date of your arrival when your room is ready and your key packet is available for pickup. You will still need to pick up physical keys from the front desk. On the morning of your departure, you can check out of the hotel or resort property using SPG Mobile Check-In.

What is Not Eligible?

Not eligible for this promotion — and therefore for the 250 bonus Starpoints — are the following circumstances:

• Reservations booked with third parties — such as Expedia or Priceline — are not eligible for the use of SPG Mobile Check-In.
• Design Hotels does not participate in SPG Mobile Check-In.
• W, Element, Aloft, and any other existing hotel and resort properties with SPG Keyless already have a mobile arrival process and will not participate in SPG Mobile Check-In when either checking in or checking out of a hotel or resort property.

Inside Take

The link to the list of participating hotel and resort properties does not appear to be functional at this time — despite the assurance that it will be frequently updated.

No limit on how many times you can earn 250 bonus Starpoints through this promotion is specified — nor does there seem to be a specific deadline as to when this promotion will end. When the bonus Starpoints will be added to your account is also not clear.

In the meantime, take that leap of faith and use the SPG Mobile Check-In feature if you are so inclined…

Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.