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Hotel Technology / Remote Controls / iPhone Apps / LodgeNet / → All Tags

You No Longer Have to Put a Shower Cap on the Dirty Hotel Remote, Thanks to LodgeNet's New App

We've long been waiting to use our smartphone as a room key in hotels but it turns out that hotel guests may be able to use their smartphones to control things in the room as well.

LodgeNet, a big provider of the on-demand TV systems found in over 500,000 hotel rooms, has introduced a new iPhone and Android app that will enable guests to control the in-room TV right from their phone.

Here's how it works: Download the app to your iPhone, iPad or Droid. When you get into your hotel room, turn on the TV, then sync your phone with the TV using the code that's found on the TV's main menu. Now you're free to do all the things you would do with the remote control but instead, you can do it with your phone.

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Hotel Technology / iPhone Apps / iPhone4s / Hotel News / Hotel Apps / → All Tags

Will Apple's New iPhone 4S Unleash a Whole New Breed of Hotel Apps?

Apple has just unveiled their new iPhone5 iPhone 4S which doesn't look that much different from the iPhone 4 but on the inside, things have been changed up drastically. Most exciting is the addition of Suri Cruise, er, Siri, the voice recognition app who will serve as your "humble personal assistant" telling you when you have a meeting, what the weather is like today, sending your text messages and picking out a restaurant for you to dine at.

Even though we've not had much success with voice recognition, Suri, er, Siri does promise to be life-changing. Provided she's actually understanding what you're saying.

Naturally, if Apple is demonstrating Siri's ability to pick out a restaurant in a certain neighborhood in their keynote address, we can't help but wonder if Siri can help us find a hotel room.

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Hotel Apps / Firmdale Hotels / iPhone Apps / Hotel Technology / New York Hotels / London Hotels / → All Tags

Firmdale's New iPhone App Keeps it Clean and Simple

If tech-savvy types are correct in their assessment that "[t]he future of mobile is the future of everything"—and what a bold statement to make—then Firmdale Hotels' business future is looking up. Jumping on the very full and happy mobile technology bandwagon, the hotel chain has just released its own iPhone Application, downloadable by clicking here.

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Hotel Apps / iPhone Apps / iPad Apps / Hotel Freebies / Mr and Mrs Smith / → All Tags

Use Mr and Mrs Smith's App for Truth or Dare or Hotel Bookings

Hotel brand and booking service Mr and Mrs Smith did what all the cool kids are doing these days and made a hotel-booking app. But the company's free Plan and Play app will also encourage travelers to be bad.

Okay, we aren't talking Charlie Sheen crazy-bad here, but it does encourage naughty behavior with someone. It comes with a Truth or Dare function, where you can shake your iPhone to play a risque round. The app also has an excuses generator that offers an email template that you can edit and then send off to your boss so you can go play hooky with your date.

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Hotel Apps / iPhone Apps / iPad Apps / Grace Hotels / Hotel Freebies / → All Tags

Never Forget Moisturizer Again with Grace Hotels' Free Packing App

Grace Hotels has come up with a good way for you to remember to bring the toothpaste on your trip. The hotel group launched a new app that is a packing check list and task reminder.

Appropriately dubbed Saving Grace, the app offers preset lists for various trip types, including winter, summer, activity holiday or short break. It also breaks it down with specific lists for surfing, cycling, golfing, fishing and camping.

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iPhone Apps / InterContinental Hotel Group / Mobile Bookings / Hotel News / → All Tags

IHG Releases Not One But Seven New iPhone Apps for All of Its Brands

A few months ago, we posed the question--Have you ever booked a hotel room using a mobile app? And not many of you answered, save for an old "friend" from China, Spammy. We even tried to get Travelocity to cough up their mobile booking numbers but no dice.

But today, with the announcement of InterContinental Hotel Group's iPhone apps for each of its seven hotel brands, we learn that IHG is making $10 million in monthly booking revenue from mobile bookings alone (previously, IHG just had a Priority Club Rewards app for both Android and iPhone.) IHG also reports that 65 percent of consumers who download IHG’s mobile apps become guests the same night or within 24 hours.

So to answer our question--yes, you are booking reservations through mobile apps.

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Expedia / iPhone Apps / Mobile Booking / Hotel News / → All Tags

Expedia to Release an iPhone App (Or You Can Use Their Mobile Site Instead)

We've long expressed our dismay at hotel iPhone apps since they never seem to do much aside from letting you a book a room on your phone, as opposed to your computer or calling the hotel in person. But things have been looking up lately.

First, HotelTonight came on the scene offering a great way to get last-minute hotel rooms for a serious discount. And now, Expedia has a free iPhone and iPod app that will find you a hotel room within walking distance should you ever find yourself homeless for the night. The app will also include an interactive map, hotel ratings, reviews ported over from TripAdvisor, hotel photos, amenities and directions to the hotel.

We tried to download the app today but it won't be available for a few more weeks. However, it will be free and it will support 20 currencies worldwide.

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iPhone Apps / iPad Apps / Hotel Technology / Renaissance Hotels / → All Tags

There's Just Enough Choice When it Comes To Renaissance's Navigator App

During our recent check-in at the Renaissance Providence, we noticed an interesting little pamphlet at the front desk, slugged with the line Navigator by Renaissance and chock full of useful local recommendations and a map. Little did we realize at the time that the hotel chain has revamped its entire concierge program—and ported it to a smartphone near you with a hot, hot iPhone app.

Drawing on tips from local staff at its properties worldwide, the Navigator app works like a mini-guidebook, complete with maps and social network integration. (We see you Foursquare.) In Providence, the picks of Cafe Nuovo and Trinity Brewhouse were top-notch; the program highlights just a few recommendations to avoid paralyzing guests with choice. Wouldn't you rather have a couple solid stand-bys than three dozen restaurant tips to sort through yourself?

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Mobile Booking / Hotel Deals / HotelTonight / iPhone Apps / Hotel Booking Sites / → All Tags

HotelTonight Adding Four More Cities This Spring

It's true that HotelTonight, the book-a-room-right-now app that we've already fallen in love with, had us at hello. But the six-month-old mobile startup isn't slowing down to bask in our praise of its great last-minute deals and sign-up incentives. In fact, the iOS-only app is expanding, with South Beach and Seattle hotels coming online early next month, says CEO Sam Shank. Soon to follow? San Diego and, wait for it, Las Vegas, commonly regarded as the world capital of "Yeah, screw it, let's just book a hotel for the night."

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Mobile Booking / iPhone Apps / HotelTonight / Hotel Booking Sites / Hotel Deals / → All Tags

In Only a Couple Months, the HotelTonight App Has Doubled in Awesomeness

When first we touched upon the new-ish HotelTonight iPhone app when it launched in December, we called the idea genius, and nothing has changed. In fact, HotelTonight has gotten way better, even if it's still only available on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

The quick rundown of what exactly HotelTonight does, is that it presents you with three discounted hotel options from noon each day to book for that night. You must download the app and join as a member to be able to book, but once you're in, you can score hotels rated from "Basic" to "Elegant" to "Hip" for what amounts to be serious savings.

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iPhone Apps / St Regis Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Butlers / → All Tags

ButlerLeaks: Messages from the St. Regis New York's E-Butler

On the heels of the InterContinental's bodacious new iPad app, we have another luxury hotel brand going above and beyond the call of duty to serve its guests in a high-tech manner--The St. Regis New York, which has just unveiled its own E-Butler program.

The program is actually a mobile app that is available from the iTunes app store for free. Guests can download it prior to arriving at the hotel and then once they arrive, they can start communicating electronically with their butler. See an example of a butler-guest chat above.

The app also features an "Insider's Guide" from New York's various personalities such as Vogue's André Leon Talley, fashion designer Jason Wu, chef Alain Ducasse, architect David Rockwell and the Village Voice's Michael Musto. These folks have all chipped in with their favorite shops, restaurants and city landmarks and the app does a nice job of organizing their picks simply and on Google Maps as well.

And of course, anytime a guest wants to book one of these recommendations, they can do so directly through the E-Butler.

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Hotel Booking Sites / HotelTonight / Mobile Bookings / iPhone Apps / Hotel News / → All Tags

Now That HotelTonight is Live, What Kind of Deals Does it Have?

The other week we speculated about a new mobile booking site to enter the ever-crowded hotel booking market called HotelTonight. Well, just in time for your last-minute panic attacks about getting a hotel room for New Year's Eve, the site has officially launched.

(But since it's a mobile booking site, we should really say, the app is now available to download.)

So what makes HotelTonight different from other booking sites? First off, the site promises exclusive, members-only rates. And becoming a member will automatically get you $10 off your first booking. Secondly, as its name suggest, Hotel Tonight enables you to book a room for that night as late as 2am. Here's what they say:

Is it 2am and you're too tired to drive home to Marin? Is it midnight in Hollywood and you want to keep the party going? Did you plans change and you need a place to crash at the last, last minute?

We built HotelTonight because we didn't think anyone did a good enough job with the same-day hotel bookings. We only work with top hotels that we personally vet. Since the rooms go empty unless we sell them, we bring you phenomenal rates.

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