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Marriott suffers at least its seventh data breach since 2010
Attackers used social engineering to gain access to an employee's computer and steal around 20GB of files.
Marriott faces $123 million UK fine over data breach
Marriott might soon face a stiff penalty for the massive November 2018 data breach. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office plans to fine the hotel chain £99,200,396 (about $123.7 million) for allegedly violating the EU's General Data Protection Regulation through the incident. Marriott didn't conduct "sufficient due diligence" when it bought Starwood, according to the regulator, and "should also have done more" to improve security.
Exposed database revealed security details for large hotel chains
Yet another unprotected database could pose a security risk -- this time if you're a traveler. VPNMentor researchers have discovered an exposed database that contained security audit logs for hotels run by the Pyramid Hotel Group, including numerous locations attached to major chains. Affected chains included Marriott's Aloft Hotels in Florida, Tarrytown House Estate in New York and multiple Irish hotels (such as Temple Bar), and might include more -- Pyramid operates hotels on behalf of Sheraton, Westin and others.
Marriott plans to take on Airbnb with its own home-rental service
The line between the traditional hotel industry and the home-rental industry has become increasingly blurred. Last month, Airbnb bought HotelTonight, a last-minute hotel booking company. Now, Marriott is looking to take on Airbnb. According to The Wall Street Journal, Marriott could become the first major hotel company to offer home rentals.
Marriott breach included 5 million unencrypted passport numbers
Marriott has good news and bad news for travelers who have passed through its hotels. The good news is the data breach disclosed back in November, which was originally believed to have exposed the data of more than 500 million people, affected fewer travelers than originally reported (though it didn't specify how many). The bad news is the data lifted from the company included millions of peoples' passport numbers.
Marriott says Starwood data breach could affect 500 million guests
Starwood Hotels has been hit by another data breach, the third such incident in as many years. Parent Marriott today revealed that the records of 500 million guests have been stolen from Starwood's guest reservation database. The hotel chain says it determined on November 19th that an "unauthorized party" had accessed the data as early as 2014.
Amazon launches Alexa for hotels
Visitors to Marriott hotels will soon be able to use Amazon Alexa to make their stays more enjoyable. "Alexa for Hospitality" lets guests ask Alexa -- via an in-room Amazon Echo -- for help with hotel information, booking guest services, playing music and managing room controls, such as lighting and temperature.
Marriott wants guests to save and share their shower door doodles
Who doesn't get their best ideas in the middle of a shower? The Marriott hotel chain is piloting a new addition to customer rooms that lets them jot down notes on their shower door -- which can be digitally recorded and sent to guests later.
Innovations transforming city breaks
Sponsored Content By Marriott Hotels Whether you are travelling to a city for business, pleasure or both, new technologies are finding ways to enhance and improve the experience. Apps for your smartphone and innovations in the hotel industry are making that trip to Berlin, New York, Singapore or any other metropolis full of previously undreamed possibilities. Here are seven ways in which technology, present and future, is revolutionising city breaks.
Apps that can change the way you travel
Sponsored Content By Marriott Hotels There are now hundreds of travel-related apps and many are becoming as valuable as a passport when it comes to travelling the world and enjoying all that your destination has to offer. Plenty of ideas are currently in development –- think pool-side drink ordering, apps optimised for slow networks abroad, watching your home Netflix account in your hotel room –- but here's seven great apps that you can download right now.
Marriott wants you to take a VR vacation in its hotel rooms
You've just checked into your hotel after an all-day marathon of running across airports to avoid missing connections; eaten a ton of crappy, overpriced airport food because you missed a connection; are dead tired and just want to go to sleep. But maybe after your travel nap you want to see something new without putting pants on and leaving your room. Well, if you've checked into certain Marriott Hotel locations you can summon a Samsung Gear VR for 24 hours of your stay and do just that with a new pilot program. It's called VRoom Service (get it?) and is a joint deal between the Korean tech juggernaut and the hotelier. The draw here is what the pair are calling "VR Postcards" which is a fancy way of describing video experiences wherein people talk about their feelings regarding travel, according to Fortune.
Netflix is coming to a Marriott near you
After being scolded by the FCC over its plans to block guests' personal WiFi connections back in January, Marriott hotels has announced that it is partnering with Netflix to deliver the streaming service as an in-room amenity. According to a Marriott press release, guests staying at select hotels will now be able to log in to their existing Netflix accounts directly through their rooms' televisions. The service is currently available in six locations -- New York on the East Side, San Jose, Princeton, Newport, Dallas/Fort Worth and Bethesda -- with a half dozen more locations (including San Francisco, Atlanta and DC) coming online later this summer. Marriott hopes to expand the service to over 100 locations by the end of the year and deliver it to more than 300 locations by the end of 2016.
Using Netflix on your hotel TV sounds pretty painless
Surprise! Netflix built into hotel-room TVs doesn't seem awful. When Mariott announced that it'd add streaming apps including the House of Cards outfit, Crackle, Hulu Plus, and YouTube into its in-room entertainment options, there was reason for concern. Would it require any separate fees? What about account security? As Cord Cutters News reports, you need to use your personal logins for 'flix and Hulu and you can either clear your credentials manually, or the hotel will do it for you automatically at the time of check out. The apps apparently run without a hitch and are the most up to date versions like you'd use on Amazon's Fire TV and the Roku 3. Oh, and the remotes have built-in Netflix buttons like you'd find at home and abroad. Now I'm curious when RIchard Branson will implement something similar into his Virgin Hotels. [Image credit: Manybits/Flickr]
Marriott hotels to start accepting Apple Pay this summer
Hey, did you know Marriott already promised to stop trying to block personal WiFi devices? If that convinces you to stay in one of its hotels again, don't forget to bring your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus: the chain will soon start accepting Apple Pay. To check in, you'll only need to go to the contactless reader at the front desk and hold up your phone (or Apple Watch) to pay -- a beep and a vibration will indicate if the transaction's a success. The company will begin its staggered rollout this summer, starting with 11 hotels in the US, which we've listed below the fold. Marriott, is also developing an app for the Apple Watch that's similar to Starwood Hotel's. You can use it to check in before you get to the hotel, checkout and even get notification when your room is ready. The company says the app will be available when Cupertino's smartwatches hit the market, which we've just learned will happen on April 24th.
Marriott is no longer fighting for permission to block WiFi hotspots
Marriott wants you to know that it's completely done trying to block guests' personal WiFi connections -- it has even given up convincing the FCC to give it permission to do so, a spokesperson told Engadget. The company already announced that it won't be keeping people from using their own MiFis and hotspots in hotel rooms, but its official statement at that time said it "will continue to look to the FCC to clarify appropriate security measures network operators." See, the hotel chain still wanted the FCC to let it continue blocking personal WiFi in its business and convention centers in order to protect guests from rogue internet connections, or so it claimed.
Marriott plans to bring Netflix to your hotel room TV
The next time you're on a trip, you may have something to watch on the hotel room TV besides the usual so-so channels and on-demand movies. Marriott has confirmed to Bloomberg that it's trialing access to streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and Pandora on TVs in eight of its hotels. It's not certain what the company will charge (if anything) if it launches this feature in earnest, although it's reportedly mulling a few options that include a "premium" internet tier with TV streaming on top of the usual WiFi. That last choice might not be very popular when you can already curl up on the bed with your laptop at no extra cost. Having said this, Marriott hasn't committed to anything yet -- there's a lot left to decide before you can watch House of Cards on a big screen during your vacation.
Daily Roundup: Google Glass, Xiaomi phones, 2015 expectations and more!
The Google Glass experiment is over, but that doesn't mean Glass is finished. Nest co-founder Tony Fadell will take the reigns as Google builds the next generation of its head-mounted display. Meanwhile, Xiaomi continues to make waves with its lineup of impressive hardware that look, well, suspiciously familiar. With CES finally behind us, we share some of the things we're looking forward to in 2015. All that and more in today's Daily Roundup!
Marriott no longer wants to block guests' WiFi devices
Marriott's (thankfully) raising the white flag and admitting defeat to Google, Microsoft and everyone else lobbying against its plans to block WiFi devices inside its hotels. The company has issued a statement that makes its new stance clear: guests can now use their own WiFi devices without having to worry that their hotspot connections will be blocked in the middle of something important. If you recall, Marriott recently paid a $600,000 fine due to a complaint that it's been blocking guests' personal hotspots. The hotel chain claims it's to protect guests from connecting to rogue hotspots set up by hackers and has even submitted a request to the FCC to let it continue doing so.
Google and Microsoft fight hotels' attempts to block personal WiFi
The battle between hotels and hotspot-toting travelers isn't over just because Marriott settled a complaint that it blocked personal WiFi -- far from it. Google, Microsoft and a US carrier lobbying group (the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association) are opposing a hotel industry petition asking the FCC to let them block guests' hotspots while they're on the premises. Google and its allies contend that the hospitality business is trying not only to make customers pay for expensive WiFi, but also to effectively take control of unlicensed wireless frequencies. Everyone has "equal rights" to use those airwaves, the carriers say.
Marriott hotels will soon offer wireless charging in lobbies
If you find yourself staying in a Marriott hotel later this month, you may encounter wireless charging in the lobby. The lodging outfit is set to install Qi-equipped tech from Kube Systems in the greatroom lobbies of 29 locations in October. Stations can power up to six devices at the same time while replenishing that smartphone and tablet duo without a tether. Support for iOS, Android and Windows is included, so you'll be able to leave those cords in the room when heading down for a drink at the bar. Of course, Marriott has 500 hotels around the world, so this seems to be a limited trial before widespread deployment or significant investment.
