 DALLAS (February 24, 2010) – VingCard, a leading
hospitality security
provider and part of the ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Group, is part of
a new partnership with Aloft®
Hotels, the much-talked-about new style-at-a-steal brand from Starwood
Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, Inc.®, to employ the first ever Smart Check-In
Pilot Program. The program employs the latest in Radio Frequency
Identification
(RFID) technology from VingCard and currently is being tested at the
Aloft
Lexington hotel in Lexington, MA. Through the pilot
program, select Starwood Preferred Guest® members who choose to
participate receive an enhanced SPG/Aloft-branded
RFID keycard. On the day of a planned stay at the Aloft Lexington, a
text
message is sent directly to the guest’s mobile device which provides
their room
number at the property. Upon arrival, guests can skip the check-in desk
and
proceed straight to the room, where their SPG/Aloft-enabled
keycard will unlock the door, providing unprecedented convenience and
ease-of-operation for hoteliers and hotel guests alike. The 136-room Aloft hotel features loft-like guest rooms and vibrant and engaging public spaces offering guests access to an indoor pool, lounge, bar and 24-hour gym. Located just twenty minutes from downtown Boston, the property is a popular location for on-the-go travelers making it an ideal location for the launch of the Smart Check-In program.  “With the implementation of the Smart Check-In
program, our staff can spend less time focusing on the initial
transaction and
more time focusing on the individual needs of our guests,” said Brian
McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for
Starwood. “Smart
Check-In helps us increase efficiency and productivity to better serve
our guests.” “The integration of SPG/Aloft-branded RFID keycards in the Starwood Preferred Guest® pilot program, is the next step in the revolution of guestroom technology,” said George Winker, vice president of sales for ASSA ABLOY Hospitality in North America. “This pioneer solution streamlines reception and front desk processes.” In the future, the SPG/Aloft-branded keycard may open up doors for additional convenience throughout a guest’s stay at Aloft properties, by acting as an all-access pass to purchase cocktails and bites at the hotel’s signature w xyz bar®, sundries at the re:stock retail kiosk or snacks at re:fuel by aloft, the Aloft brand’s deli-style, grab-and-go pantry. VingCard Elsafe is the world leader in developing locking systems and electronic in-room safes for the hospitality industry, offering user-friendly security systems that meet the unique operational needs of hotels and resorts. For more information, visit www.vingcard.com www.elsafe.com About VingCard Elsafe The world leader in hotel security technology, ASSA ABLOY Hospitality has products installed in more than 39,000 properties worldwide, securing in excess of 6.5 million hotel rooms. The ASSA ABLOY Group, a publicly listed company, is a world leader in security and hospitality systems. VingCard provides numerous electronic locking system solutions, including traditional magnetic-strip, smartcard systems and the latest RFID electronic locks compatible with the main ISO standards: ISO 14.443A (MIFARE), ISO 14.443B, ISO15.693 and NFC-compatible (Near Field Communication), fully integrated PMS interface software solutions, as well as the world leader in wireless online locking solutions for hotels based on ZigBee secured open platform. VingCard has worldwide service and support in more than 166 countries. Elsafe provides the first UL-listed (1037) hotel safe series on the market today in keypad and card-based models. Safes that include a UL-listed internal power outlet to support recharging of laptops and camcorders, full wireless online capabilities and RFID versions compatible with VingCard system. Elsafe customers also enjoy the same worldwide service and support. The ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Group is dedicated to the hospitality industry. For more information on VingCard Elsafe, visit www.vingcard.com or www.elsafe.com. About Aloft Created to shake up the staid, traditional select service segment of the hotel industry, Aloft delivers style at a steal with urban-influenced, modern, open and vibrant design - and a social guest experience - at an affordable price point. In the same way that W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena a decade ago, Aloft is shaking up the industry for the next generation of traveler. Aloft hotels are geared toward savvy, design-conscious consumers who grew up with the democratization of design. With 40 hotels open in the 18 months since Aloft first arrived on the scene and 10 more opening in 2010, Aloft can be found everywhere from Abu Dhabi and Baltimore to Dallas and Beijing and everywhere in between. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com. Aloft Hotels, like all brands within Starwood’s portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest® program, which made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. To learn more, please visit www.spg.com. About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 992 properties in almost 100 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com. |