MBS hotel system glitch causes check-in delays, over 100 guests affected, some waited more than 8 hours for room keys

A major system glitch at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) on Nov. 3 left more than 100 guests unable to check in for several hours, with some waiting over eight hours to receive their room keys.

The glitch stemmed from a network issue that caused check-in procedures to slow down significantly, leaving guests frustrated.

Many guests disgruntled

According to Shin Min Daily News, about six counters were open at first tower of the hotel, with close to a hundred guests waiting in line at around 5pm on Monday.

The seats in the lobby were also fully occupied, while hotel staff were seen assisting guests and responding to queries.

A tourist from Melbourne said she had arrived at around 3pm to check in, but was informed that the system was down.

"We did not receive any emails or text messages beforehand," she said. "We only found out about the issue when we arrived, and they did not tell us how long the wait would be."

The tourist, who paid S$1,300 for her room, added that she was still unable to check in at 6pm, despite being required to check out by 11am the following day according to the hotel's policy.

"It's too late to change hotels now, I have to stay here tonight," she said, adding that another couple she met had been waiting since noon and they had yet to receive their room keys.

Another tourist from the UK told Shin Min that the stay at MBS hotel had been planned as a surprise by his girlfriend.

He said he had arrived with high expectations, but the experience left him disappointed.

He said: I'm really dissatisfied. The hotel did not notify us at all. I hope they can offer a partial refund or provide some compensation."

It is understood that while the system was down, the hotel was still able to process check-ins for some guests, though the procedure was significantly slower than usual.

MBS' response

In response to Mothership's queries, a MBS spokesperson confirmed that a network issue had occurred on Monday morning, affecting several of their systems, including hotel check-ins and loyalty redemptions.

Over the course of the day, different applications were progressively restored.

"However, due to the volume of check-ins, guests had to wait longer than usual for their rooms," the spokesperson said.

All key systems were fully restored by 8pm that day.

The spokesperson added: "We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank our guests for their patience."

Guests taken to the SkyPark and infinity pool to wait

Shin Min reported that while waiting, guests were escorted to the SkyPark and infinity pool, where they were provided with drinks, snacks, and a rest area.

However, many said they were not in the mood to relax.

"No one was really in the mood to enjoy themselves," one guest said. "Everyone just wanted to get their room keys as soon as possible."

A Singaporean guest, who wished to stay anonymous, said she was offered a S$200 dining credit at one of the hotel's restaurants.

“We didn’t get our room keys until 9:30pm, but everything was normal after that,” she said.

However, she added that her request for a late checkout was only extended till noon.

Casino patrons unable to collect winnings from self-service machines

According to Shin Min, parts of the MBS casino's systems were also affected by the network issues.

While operations continued as per normal, patrons were unable to collect their winnings from self-service machines and had to proceed to the manual counters instead.

In addition, the Sands Rewards points redemption machines in both the casino and the shopping mall experienced temporary disruptions.

Top photos via Shin Min Daily News