Hilton to Adopt Digital Check-In, Smartphone-Based Room Keys Worldwide

[Populism]

This is one of those things I'd have thought would have rolled out long ago, which must mean I highly underestimate the difficulty of implementation, as I usually do.

 

[LouieTheLug]

iHilton

I smell a New App coming out soon!!!! iHilton
A new Dating app where people meet online in the Hotel &
if they like you, then your allowed to electronically get access to there room from your iPhone. Then the Sky is the Limit..!!!

Its my idea now...!!! No Poaching..!!! Lol

 

[Will do good]

Does this mean Hilton will employ less staff?

 

[KdParker]

Like the check in stuff, but lets have an option to not completely rely on the smart phone for entry.

Some things don't need to be networked. Hotel Room locks is one of them in my opinion.

----------

From a security standpoint not much will change. Nowadays most locks for hotel rooms are remote controlled via a server anyway.

Don't like the remote locking/unlocking capablity on a server to begin with and is that really a safe practice?

 

[Antares]

If you still have to wait in line to check into the hotel nothing really has improved...

With this, you wouldn't need to! Just like with flying, you can check in and get your key (boarding pass) without ever having to go to the counter. No lines to deal with, no waiting! It will all be done on your phone.

Key cards will still be available for all those without phone or who chose not to use this feature.

I look forward to the day when all hotels use this....which they eventually will. Most hotels/motels use key cards now instead of actual keys. It will not be too far in the future where your key is your phone.

 

[delnerdo]

I must be missing something.

How are you supposed to get the free cookie if you skip past the front desk?

Room service will want 20%

 

[tdar]

Does this mean Hilton will employ less staff?

Yes

 

[cmwade77]

I must be missing something.

How are you supposed to get the free cookie if you skip past the front desk?

Room service will want 20%

Room service can want 20%, but really, if they are simply bringing the food up to the room, they don't need to get it.

As for the free cookies, I would assume you just go to the front desk when it isn't busy.

My question is more on the properties that offer free breakfast. The hotels are able to keep an eye on who is supposed to be there because they have seen you at check in and have a pretty good memory for faces. How does this work if you are totally bypassing the front desk?

 

[T-Will]

Optimized for the latest technology, the iPhone 4/4S!

 

[SteveLV702]

I'm guessing it just works through wifi/cell connection to interface to the global Hilton computer which is connected to each property and can send a signal to open the room? That would be the easiest way to implement without having to put bluetooth or NFC sensors on each door handle and require a complete infrastructure upgrade. I suppose they could somehow check with location services to make sure you are at least near the property, so you can't open your room from 5 miles away or something.

Anything else would require a lot of changes that take both time and money, so I couldn't see it rolling out quickly. Plus there would be issues with compatibility with too many cell phones as BTLE and NFC aren't universal yet.

I would guess so to so you would probably have to go on their iPhone app and be logged in with your username and password and hit unlock.. So probably no just going near door unlocks it... maybe all people will get a Hilton NFC Case for their iPhones

 

[clukas]

No. They're planning to improve the experience for their valued customers by kicking out everyone with Android, Windows, BlackBerry, and other non-iOS devices (or no devices at all).

They are probably just launching with iOS devices. Perhaps implementation is easier, it will most definitely come to other platforms.

 

[fluchtpunkt]

Don't like the remote locking/unlocking capablity on a server to begin with and is that really a safe practice?

It is the most practical way, and in environments like hotels probably the safest as well.

If you would have a not connected lock you would have to rely on a security feature inside the lock itself. Similar like your regular house key, where you rely on the pattern on the key. Or better you rely that only you are in possession of this pattern.
Without a connected lock, the guest that was in the room yesterday could easily copy the key and gain access tomorrow. Like it is possible with your regular house key.

If you have a lock that is connected to the network you just remove the access keys from yesterdays guest and he won't be able to get access to the room anymore.

Makes it easier and safer when you lost your key card as well. The hotel staff deletes the access code of the key card you have lost and replaces it with the code of the new card they will give you. The lost key card becomes useless immediately.

Sure, connected locks have their problems as well. They can be hacked (and they were hacked in the passed), and they most likely will violate your privacy by logging each access on the server.

But "regular" keys can be hacked as well. It's called lock-picking. For the standard house-key this is most likely easier than hacking a server or the connected lock.

 

[Bruce Oksol]

No need to check in at front desk once you have your key.

If you still have to wait in line to check into the hotel nothing really has improved...

Obviously, once you have your "room key" you have already checked in. There will be no need to check in at the front desk.

 

[laurim]

I love the idea of choosing my own room. Usually when I travel, my client pays for the room so I get the cheapest room possible (which is fine) and I usually get the lovely view of the AC units or the top of the parking garage. More importantly for me, I want a room that's as close to the ballroom where I'm working as possible. I try to remember to ask when I check in but being able to do it before I even get to the hotel would be great. I suppose you will still have to check in to have it activated unless they can automate the system to know when the previous person has checked out and the room turned over before I'm allowed to get in.

 

[bobenhaus]

That is iHotel with iDoor compatible with iPhone.

Its for all smartphone platforms.

 

[sw1tcher]

.... it would be nice if the app could somehow warn the cleaning crew that the inhabitants of the room are IN the room before they knock.

 

[Asia8]

But of course the real reason... Replacing people with machines to cut labour costs.

 

[Akuratyde]

Is it still possible top open the door with a normal key?

It would have to be. What happens if your smartphone runs out of battery while you're away from your room?

 

[osofast240sx]

I'm guessing it just works through wifi/cell connection to interface to the global Hilton computer which is connected to each property and can send a signal to open the room? That would be the easiest way to implement without having to put bluetooth or NFC sensors on each door handle and require a complete infrastructure upgrade. I suppose they could somehow check with location services to make sure you are at least near the property, so you can't open your room from 5 miles away or something.

Anything else would require a lot of changes that take both time and money, so I couldn't see it rolling out quickly. Plus there would be issues with compatibility with too many cell phones as BTLE and NFC aren't universal yet.

This is not new for iPhones and is does not use NFC.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

You all realize this is just a step towards charging more for premium rooms, just like airlines charge for premium seats. Rooms sold through discount web sites or at discounted rates will get poor location rooms, but can upgrade for just another $14.99 a night at the time of check in. They are not doing this to make your life easier, they are doing this to find more ways to make more $$$. Just look at how much additional income airlines make from baggage check fees. It will also help improve customer loyalty by offering upgraded rooms to frequent guests, which translates into less unoccupied rooms and more income for the hotel corporation.

Here ends the lesson.

 

[goulibouli]

Now that's a good thing. Passport was a really great idea implemented by few

 

[laurim]

Obviously, once you have your "room key" you have already checked in. There will be no need to check in at the front desk.

Not unless you've given them a credit card to put an incidental charges hold on. Things are more complicated when you are someone like myself who has someone else arranging/paying for the room. My client makes the reservation and gets billed but it's my credit card that goes on the record for any charges that occur while I'm there.

 

[scottwaugh]

Frankly with what we've seen of internet based security for big corporations over the last couple of years (the Target attack affected 1/3rd of all consumers in the U.S., which is just astounding when you think about it) - this sounds like it is fraught with peril for Hilton. As it appears the folks doing bad things (stealing credit cards, penetrating companies for secrets etc…) are gaining the upper hand in the security department of things over the last several years.

Imagine the lawsuit claims after the bad guys unlock someone's door in the middle of the night…or just unlock a bunch of doors and go "shopping" during the day.

I'm comfortable with keeping my hotel room access away from my iphone and would sleep much better knowing the company didn't have my hotel room lock kept as far away from their IP based infrastructure as possible.

I'm sure the NSA is very much in favor of this new development as well. JMHO...

 

[Arran]

How are you supposed to get the free cookie if you skip past the front desk?

Via your browser!

 

[MacGeek1987]

Great technology, but I think I rather have the key card than to get my iPhone involved. I don't know why, just seems unnecessary.