Forget losing your hotel key card in the small hours of the morning
and facing a night sleeping in the corridor - thanks to a new
Bluetooth connected app, guests at Starwood Hotels will soon be able to
access their room using their smartphone.
Starwood Hotels, owner
of more than 1,200 properties across the world, has announced the
rollout of the feature for 10 of its hotels, with keyless access
expected to roll out across all Aloft, Element and W Hotels in 2015.
The keyless entry works on Bluetooth LE enabled iPhones and Android
smartphones thanks to the company's free SPG App. Guests simply sign up through the app, and when they checkin for
their booking they will have the option to use SPG Keyless to access
their room. Getting into the room is as simple as holding the phone up
to the Bluetooth panel on the door and waiting for the green light.
The
app also allows guests to view the details of their stay and receive
push notifications on the status of their room, such as information on
upgrades. But the biggest bonus is the time saved - visitors will be
able to bypass the front desk when they get to their hotel, taking
control of everything through the app.
Starwood Hotels promises
advanced security, partnering with smart lock company Assa Abloy to
ensure that specific room keys only work on specific phones and allowing
digital keys to be wiped if a phone is lost.
Starwood's
move is part of a worldwide shift towards smart hotel technology, with
Hilton Hotels rolling out smartphone technology that allows users to
enter their room without a key and even choose their room off the floor
plan before they arrive.
Source: CNET
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