Starwood: Key Card Optional

On November 3, Starwood Hotels & Resorts debuted the first mobile, keyless room entry in ten hotels in markets including Beijing, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, and Doha. SPG Keyless, the hospitality industry's first mobile keyless entry system, will allow guests to use their smartphone as a key, enabling guests to bypass the front desk (where available), go directly to their room, and unlock their stay with a simple tap of their smartphone. Starwood will rapidly rollout SPG Keyless with plans for it to be available on 30,000 doors in 150 hotels around the globe by early 2015.

"Not only does SPG Keyless alleviate a perennial pain point for travelers, but it also transforms the first interaction with our guests from one that is transactional to something more personal," said Frits van Paasschen, Starwood president and chief executive officer. "This is just the beginning, because through mobile we have the opportunity to marry high tech and high touch to transform the hotel experience in many exciting ways."

How it works:
Guests wishing to use the keyless entry system must register their phone once through the SPG app and allow push notifications. After booking a reservation at a keyless hotel and approximately twenty-four hours before arrival, SPG members are invited to opt-in to SPG Keyless. Guests will receive a push notification noting that they are checked in and the SPG App will update with his or her room number and Bluetooth key when the room is ready. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk (where available) and go directly to his or her room. After ensuring his or her Bluetooth is enabled, the guest simply opens the SPG App, holds the smartphone to the door lock, waits for the solid green light, and enters the room.

For more information on SPG Keyless, visit spg.com/keyless.