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Westin Launches New Mobile Site For Cell-Phone Enabled, Laptop-Disabled Travelers

Westin Hotels just launched a new mobile site at westin.mobi, offering basic functionality like finding hotels, reserving rooms, and checking reservations.

The project is part and parcel of Westin's ongoing efforts to expand their digital offerings, and it also puts the brand in the same category as other hotels with expanded cell-phone friendly offerings. Now they too are available to travelers who head into strange cities with no reservation, no laptop, a last generation smartphone but a functionally limitless bank account. So if you're among that quirky crowd, the Westin family welcomes you.

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Tags: Hotel Promotions / Hotel Tech / Omni Hotels / → All Tags

Omni's Got A Sweet Summer Amenity: Flip Video Cameras

Have you seen our HotelChatter Video Room Tours? We ask because some of them are filmed using our compact Flip video camera, and it gives you just a little taste of what you could be in for this season if you're staying at an Omni Hotel and take advantage of their "Omni Flips For Summer" package.

Starting at $175 a night at Omni properties, and continuing through September 6, the deal includes a room, breakfast for four with "Flip-jacks," access to a "Summer Fun Counselor" for discovering local awesomeness, and the option to borrow a Flip Ultra video camcorder for your stay. If your video memories are good enough for the big screen—or rather, the internet—upload them to Omni's Local Scoop website for a chance at winning a trip to the 4-star Omni Bedford Springs Resort.

To book the Flip package, check out their special page for it here, or call 1.800.THE.OMNI to see if your preferred location has it available.

[Photos: Omni Hotels]

Tags: Tips / Hotel Tech / Hotel Deals / → All Tags

DealMine Puts Your Points Deals in Your Pocket

Where: United States

An idea from the dot-com bubble years resurfaces after the technology has caught up: deal searching from your mobile phone.

We spend enough time surfing the web without trying to do it from a mobile phone as well, but we can sympathize with business travelers who need to multitask on the move. Anyone who has tried to surf web sites with a slow connection and a little screen knows it's no joy, however. A new service, DealMine, may be the ticket for one task however--keeping track of mileage/points promotions with your frequent guest plans.

We haven't put this service through its paces, but the way it works is you register your frequent flyer and frequent guest programs, then sign up for the deals you want to receive. Then if you're about to say, rent a car for a week, you can quickly see that you'll get double points and an upgrade with Alamo for Hilton HHonors--as in this screen shot. Sending flowers? You can figure out if you'll get more points from Hilton, American Airlines, or American Express.

DealMine is also a comparison shopping site, but that aspect works much better for a Sony Camcorder than it does for a hotel room in London on October 17. In theory you are supposed to be able to see prices across sites and factor those in with the mileage programs. But if you've got that much time to mess around with your mobile phone, well, we're sorry...

Related Stories:
· Get Discounts and Rewards On The Road With DealMine.com Wireless [PRWeb]

Tags: Hotel News / Hotel Tech / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags

Marriott Testing Smartphone Check-In

On the heels of their controversial smoking ban, Marriott Hotels continue to forge ahead in the tech world.

The hotel chain already allows you to check-in for your flight from kiosks in their lobby and now they have announced that testing has begun on wireless check-in with Microsoft's Windows Mobile®-powered devices at the Redmond Marriott Town Center in Washington.

In a collaborative effort with Intel Solution Services and Microsoft Marriott is working toward implementing a mobile wireless check-in process that is convenient and easy for guests to use. During testing, guests with Microsoft Windows Mobile-powered Smartphones-running the PocketPC Platform-can simply download and install Marriott's seamless mobility software from Arrive.Marriott.com. Using the Internet, they can then connect securely to the Redmond Marriott Town Center hotel's property management system and check in to their room while in transit to the hotel.

So essentially, if you have the right type of smartphone and download the Marriott hotel's software, you can check-in from your phone. You will also be able to change room types, reconfirm room rates and pick up a key from the automated key dispenser which will be made available in the lobby.

But don't get too excited yet. Marriott still has to finish testing this plan out, which may take to the end of the year, and then they will revisit a timeframe for rolling out this service.

So gadget freaks, what do you prefer--a hotel that lets you smoke or one that lets you check-in from your smartphone?

Related Stories:
· Marriott's Smoking Ban coverage [HotelChatter]
· Marriott Gets Airline Check-In Stations [HotelChatter]