Keyless Entry Coming To Aloft Detroit At The David Whitney Building (Video)
By Edward Cardenas
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - When the doors swing open to the remodeled David Whitney Building in Detroit, some guests at the Aloft Detroit boutique hotel won't need keys to get into their rooms.
The 136-room hotel will offer members of the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program to utilize SPG Keyless, a mobile, keyless entry system which lets guests to use their smart phone as a key.
The service will debut Wednesday at Aloft, Element and W Hotels in markets including Beijing, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles and Doha, and will be available when Starwood opens their newest hotel in Detroit on Dec. 15.
"Not only does SPG Keyless alleviate a perennial pain point for travelers, but it also transforms the first interaction with our guests from one that is transactional to something more personal," said Frits van Paasschen, Starwood's President & Chief Executive Officer, in a release. "This is just the beginning, because through mobile we have the opportunity to marry high-tech and high touch to transform the hotel experience in many exciting ways."
Starwood said members must register their phone once through the SPG App and allow push notifications. After booking a reservation at a keyless hotel and approximately 24 hours before arrival, SPG members are invited to opt-in to SPG Keyless.
Guests will receive a push notification noting that they are checked in and the SPG App will update with their room number and Bluetooth key when the room is ready. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk and go directly to their room. After ensuring Bluetooth is enabled on their smart phone, the guest simply opens the SPG App, holds the smart phone to the door lock, waits for the solid green light and enters the room.
The hotel in the iconic 19-story building on the edge of Grand Circus Park is just part of the $92 million renovation and restoration of the David Whitney Building. There will also be 108 apartments, a restaurant, a bar and a grab-and-go food shop. The apartments are also scheduled to open in December.
