Ever dreamed of tucking into breakfast in bed without having to get up to let in room service? Well, now you can.
Today, Hilton further underlines its commitment to being the world’s most innovative hotel company by launching Digital Key in nearly 10 hotels across the UK. By the end of 2017, Hilton will roll out its industry-leading technology to 100 hotels in the UK – the largest implementation outside of the US – and to 2,500 hotels across the world.
The mobile-enabled room key technology follows the rollout of digital check-in and room selection – still the industry’s first-and-only tool that lets guests select the exact room based on the hotel layout and its outside surroundings. Digital Key enables Hilton Honors members to simply and securely open the door of their room, as well as any other area of the hotel that requires a key, at the touch of a button available through the award-winning Hilton Honors app.
“We previously invested $550 million in global technology infrastructure to lay the foundations which have enabled us to bring to market, at scale, the digital tools we have today,” said Geraldine Calpin, Chief Marketing Officer, Hilton. “We know that our guests are looking for more choice and control over their entire travel journey and through digital tools such as Digital Key and digital check-in with room selection, we are giving guests the ability to personalise their stay at every stage, wherever they are in the world.”
Digital Key provides guests with a secure way to access rooms. Activated the day before arrival, Hilton Honors members who book directly with Hilton can select their desired room on their smartphone using digital check-in and will be asked if they’d like a Digital Key during their stay. On the day of arrival and once their room is ready, they will receive a notification via the app and will need to pass by the front desk to get their Digital Key enabled before heading to their room. When the guest approaches their hotel room, they can simply press the virtual “unlock” button on the app to unlock the door.
The UK launch follows a successful rollout of Digital Key in the US and Canada, enabling guests to unlock doors at1,700 hotels across the world. Since this technology launched, guests have opened more than 11 million doors and counting and the Hilton Honors App has been downloaded once every eight seconds!
To mirror the guest experience globally, later this year Hilton will also be introducing Straight-to-Room to properties in the UK, enabling Silver, Gold and Diamond Hilton Honors members the option to bypass the front desk and go straight to their room upon arrival, using their smartphone as the key.
In addition to Digital Key, further advancements for Hilton Honors members – who book directly through preferred Hilton channels – include a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, and free standard Wi-Fi. Hilton Honors also offers hundreds of ways to earn and redeem Points. Members can redeem their Points for free nights, premium merchandise; make charitable contributions or gain access to unique events through the Hilton Honors auction platform (hiltonhonors.com/auctions), such as exclusive artist experiences and hotel concert events with Live Nation®, or race experiences with the McLaren-Honda Formula 1 team.