As of now, you can officially open your hotel room in a Starwood Hotel with your iPhone.
And, come the spring, you’ll be able to do it with your Apple Watch.
Per 9to5Mac, Starwood Hotels has officially launched its SPG Keyless service, allowing guests to use their iOS device to open their doors. The boutique hotel group first announced the project back in January.
The process goes as follows:
1. After booking a reservation at a keyless hotel, SPG members are invited to opt-in to SPG Keyless and register their phone through the SPG App.
2. Approximately 24 hours before arrival, the guest receives his/her room number and Bluetooth key via the app.
3. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk (where available) and go directly to his/her room.
4. Then, after ensuring his/her Bluetooth is enabled, the guest simply opens the SPG App, taps the smartphone on the door lock, waits for the green light and enters the room.
The service went live on Tuesday at three Starwood brands: Aloft, Element and The W.
The hotel group says the three brands were the obvious place to start. Aloft hotels are already equipped with Apple TV boxes connected to 42-inch LCD televisions.
Based on Bluetooth LE (not NFC), it will work with all iPhones from the 4s onward – and you’ll still have the option of a physical key in case your iPhone battery doesn’t make it through a full day and long night out. The company has posted a (rather loud) promo video for the service:
Hilton will be piloting the system at 10 U.S. properties in early 2015, with Conrad Hotels & Resorts following soon behind and Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Canopy by Hilton properties beginning next summer.
Both Starwood and Hilton will also be supporting Android handsets as well.