LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starwood Hotels & Resorts is celebrating its newest innovation milestone with the launch of SPG Keyless in the UK, the hospitality industry’s first mobile, keyless entry system allowing guests to use their smartphone as a key. Starting today, members of Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG®), the award-winning loyalty programme from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), can for the first time ever unlock their hotel room door thanks to the SPG App for Apple Watch.
Marrying high-tech and high-touch, the SPG App for Apple Watch is designed to anticipate and respond to the in-the-moment needs of guests from mobile check in, to opening their guest room door, to providing information like the hotel address, room number, confirmation number, and directions and SPG account information with just a glance of the wrist.
“We’re committed to mobile and digital innovation and are excited to be the first hotel company to let guests check in and open their hotel room door with their Apple Watch,” said Mark Vondrasek, Senior Vice President, Distribution, Loyalty and Partnership Marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “In today’s mobile world, people increasingly expect their technology to help them do whatever they need on the spot. Apple Watch allows us to engage with our guests and give them the information they need instantaneously in a simple yet extremely stylish way. ”
A tap of the finger gives instant access to in-the-moment features including:
- Navigate like a Native: Leveraging state-aware technology, guests receive the hotel address and directions in both the default and the local language upon arrival in their destination city. Throughout a guest’s stay, the app shares transportation options including estimated costs.
- Hassle-Free Check-in: Reservation details and confirmation number are front and centre, ensuring a smooth check-in.
- Unlock Your Stay: After registering for SPG Keyless, the Apple Watch will automatically send guests their room number and will function as their hotel room key at any SPG Keyless Starwood hotel allowing guests to bypass the front desk (where available).
- See into the Future: The app will display the hotel name, photo, and stay dates for up to four upcoming Starwood stays.
- Track Your Status: Members can access their SPG account information, receive alerts about newly posted Starpoints, and get congratulated when they graduate to elevated statuses
- You’re Speaking My Language: Currently available in English, the SPG App for Apple Watch will feature Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish languages.
Open sesame! SPG members increasingly bypass the key card
With
the introduction of SPG Keyless, Starwood redefines the age-old way
guests arrive and check in to their rooms. Starwood partnered with the
world’s largest lock manufacturer, Assa Abloy, to create an all-new,
Bluetooth-enabled lock and keyless software, which are designed to
securely recognise and connect with a guest’s mobile device and now
Apple Watch.
“We know guests expect service and convenience in the palm of their hand and now it’s available at the flick of the wrist,” added Vondrasek. “Member response to SPG Keyless has been terrific and grows every day as we continue to roll out this functionality around the globe.”
More than 130,000 SPG members in 130 countries have registered for SPG Keyless. Currently available in more than 100 Aloft, Element and W hotels including W London - Leicester Square in the UK, SPG Keyless is rapidly rolling out and will soon be available on 30,000 doors in 150 Aloft, Element and W hotels around the globe.
“By 2020, 80% of the adult population will own a smartphone. With the SPG App they will have a digital key to our W, Aloft and Element Hotels in their pocket,” explained Daniel Kerzner, Vice President Digital, Loyalty & Partnership Marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in EAME. “The rapid proliferation of wearable technology will make innovations such as SPG Keyless even more seamless.”
For more information on SPG Keyless, please visit spg.com/keyless or join the conversation at @SPG or @StarwoodBuzz #spglife
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Notes to Editors:
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood
Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and
leisure companies in the world with more than 1,200 properties in some
100 countries and over 180,000 employees at its owned and managed
properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and
franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following
internationally renowned brands: St.
Regis®, The
Luxury Collection®, W®,
Westin®,
Le
Méridien®, Sheraton®,
Four
Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®,
element®
and the recently introduced Tribute
Portfolio™. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty
programs, Starwood
Preferred Guest (SPG®), allowing members to earn and
redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no
blackout dates. Starwood recently announced plans to spin off its
Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. business, a premier provider of
world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and
privileged access to Starwood brands, into a standalone public company
by the end of 2015. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
About Starwood Preferred Guest
Starwood
Preferred Guest (SPG®) is an innovative, award-winning frequent traveler
program that unites each of Starwood’s 10 distinctive hotel brands and
includes more luxury hotels in more destinations around the world. SPG
reinvented the hospitality loyalty landscape when it launched in 1999
with its breakthrough policy of no blackout dates, and over the years
has continued its tradition of innovation with enhancements such as Cash
+ Points, SPG MomentsSM, and most recently Your24™ and SPG
Lifetime™. In addition to Free Night Awards at more than 1,200 hotels
and resorts and Award Flights on over 350 major airlines without
blackout dates, the Starpoints® that members earn through SPG can be
redeemed for access like no other to experiences in music, sports and
the arts through SPG Moments. SPG offers the opportunity for meeting and
travel professionals to earn rich rewards including Starpoints and elite
status through SPG Pro. SPG also has an ongoing commitment to digital
innovation to meet the needs of today’s connected global traveler – from
the SPG app for iPhone that utilizes state-aware technology to create a
more personalized hotel stay to Starwood’s Best Rate Guarantee on
SPG.com, to SPG’s integration within various social media platforms.
Offerings such as these have helped SPG build a passionate member base
among the world’s most frequent travelers. Learn more at spg.com,
spg.com/pro
and spg.com/moments
and connect with us on facebook.com/spg,
twitter.com/spg,
foursquare.com/spg,
pinterest.com/spglife,
and youtube.com/spg.
