Starwood Hotels now lets you use your iPhone to completely bypass the desk
If you hate carrying around -- or perhaps losing -- a hotel room key when you're on a business or leisure trip, Starwood Hotels has you covered. The popular lodging company which includes the Sharaton, W Hotels, and Westin brands among others, has updated its Starwood Preferred Guest app which now allows you to not only ditch that plastic room key, but also check in up to 24 hours ahead of time and receive your room number. In short, it eliminates the need for you to stop at the front desk whatsoever.
Upon checking in via your iPhone, the device will then function as your room key. The app uses Bluetooth connectivity to unlock your specific room door with a tap of the touchscreen. Apple already revealed that similar functionality will also be supported on the Apple Watch, though we'll of course have to wait until its early 2015 launch before we get too excited about that.
