Almost every TV in a hotel room nowadays is connected to the property’s IT system. That’s how you’re able to check your bill, access hotel info, or even stream your own content using just the remote. Another common feature? A “personalized” welcome message when you walk in.
You’ve probably seen it:
“Welcome, Joseph.”
“Thank you for being a Platinum Elite member.”
It’s a simple but effective way to simulate personalized service. It pulls your name and loyalty info from the reservation system and puts it on-screen. No big deal—just another detail frequent travelers usually glance at once and forget.
Unless something goes wrong.
When my wife recently checked into an IHG hotel in Cape Canaveral, the screen tried to do its job—but didn’t quite stick the landing. It welcomed her and thanked her for being… a “member.” No mention of her Platinum Elite status. And instead of the correct label, the space where her elite status was supposed to appear, showed her IHG One Rewards number—definitely not something you want flashing across the room (or the internet, which is the reason for the edited image).
You might say, “It’s a minor glitch, what’s the big deal?” And normally, sure—it wouldn’t be worth a second thought.
But Sharon stayed at this same hotel over a year ago. And guess what happened then?
The exact same glitch.
Compare that with a recent stay at a Kimpton (also part of IHG), where everything worked as expected: the screen correctly displayed Platinum Elite status.
Yes, IT issues happen. But when a bug this basic has gone unresolved for over a year, it raises a fair question: is anyone even paying attention?
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