Starwood brand offers virtual room keys
Starwood Hotels have announced the trial of a new hi-tech alternative to the hotel key.
Two properties in the boutique Aloft brand – in New York and Cupertino, California will allow guests to bypass the front desk and enter rooms with a tap of a smartphone.
Guests using the service will receive a message through the hotel app which will then function as a virtual room key powered by the phone’s Bluetooth connection.
The company says it will be available for both iOS and android phones and tablets.
Several other hotel groups have initiatives to help automate the process such as mobile check-in, but this is the first which does away with the hotel key or electronic key card entirely.
Starwood think this will be a major step forward in reducing waiting times at hotel front desks.
"We believe this will become the new standard for how people will want to enter a hotel," said Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen.
The company hopes to extend the facility across all of its luxury W hotels and Aloft hotels by the end of next year.
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