If you get into your hotel after a long flight or drive there and hate having to wait in long lines at the hotel registration check in desk, good news! Hotels are now starting to offer the option to allow guests to check in using their mobile hones.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts last Monday became the first chain to launch the feature that will help speed up the check in process for busy travelers. It was inevitable considering these days, travelers check in, select and print out their boarding passes for flights.
Right now the feature is only available at 10 Aloft, Element and W hotels but will expand to 140 additional properties by next year. Starwood‘s announcement has prompted other chains to scramble to unveil their own innovations.
Hilton Worldwide will also soon let guests at 250 US properties by 2015 open their rooms using mobile room keys.
And similar quick room access innovations are already available.
Last year, Marriott International launched its check in app for 330 of its North American hotels, and the option will be live at all 4,000 of its worldwide properties by the end of this year. Guests get a message when a room becomes available, then when they arrive at the hotel, they simply flash their IDs and pick up pre-programmed traditional keys, bypassing crowds and lines.
Marriott senior VP for digital George Corbin says guests made $1.25 billion in bookings last year using the company’s mobile app.
Some hotels anticipate launching options to let guests order food and drinks poolside using an app.
“Guests want this because it makes their lives simpler,” Starwood loyalty program and digital initiatives exec Mark Vondrasek says. “The ability to go right to your room, gives them back time.”
Not everyone needs super speedy service with little interpersonal human communication. Hotels say these inventions will not replace hotel workers.
“If you’re showing up at a new resort, you may want to know what the pool hours are,” Hyatt VP for Information technology Brett Cowell tells APabout the remaining option to get that traditional check in experience. Hyatt is testing a program for high frequency elite guests to give them access to permanent keys in 6 hotels worldwide.
Kinks still need to be worked out, of course. And integration of the news system will require each hotel’s bluetooth system to be able to communicate with various mobile phones and devices. To avoid the potential problem of someone accidentally opening the door for a stranger at the door while inside the room, Starwood requires the phone to actually touch the door pad.
Tech company Open Ways introduced the technology to hotels back in 2009 and it’s taking this long for it to just take off in the US.
Thoughts? Excited? Would you use the feature? What lingering concerns do you have that would cause you to be hesitant?
h/t Associated Press
