Two out of three travellers would like to choose their hotel room, and 28% of customers say they are disappointed with the location of their room. Even better: 84% of business travellers would like to be able to select their own room. These are the findings of a study commissioned by Hilton in the US market. With this in mind, the American hotelier is unveiling the features that are set to revolutionise the business hotel sector across the vast Hilton network. By the end of the year, digital check-in and room selection will be available at more than 4,000 Hilton properties, representing eleven of the group's brands in over 80 countries.
In concrete terms, members of the loyalty programme Hilton HHonors will be able to select their room from a floor plan or availability list from 6am on the day before their arrival. Photos will also be available to help refine the selection. From next year, business travellers will also be able to use their smartphone as an access card to unlock their room. We will then have to wait until 2016 to see the digital check out - already available on the American market - make its arrival in Europe and the rest of the Hilton network.
"Travellers can use their smartphones like a boarding pass to access their seat on a plane, so it's only natural that they would want to use [their phone] to access their hotel room," sums up Christopher J. Nassetta, CEO of Hilton Worldwide. "We've spent the last few years experimenting with many different options to make this a reality, and we're developing technology that is safe and reliable for our guests to use, and cost-effective for our properties to install.
