Hotel Apps

Hotel Apps

If you have an iPhone, you’ve probably run across a few apps that might come in handy the next time you’re ready to book a hotel stay. One of the first hotel groups to jump on the app wagon was Choice with its Choice Hotels Locator. The app is free and it lets users book rooms from the road using iPhone’s global positioning system, generating a list of Choice properties in the user’s vicinity. Each property has its own page with property specific information including standard room rates and the app can provide point-to-point directions to the hotel as well offer the ability to book. You can also access your Choice Privileges account information. According to Hotels Magazine, the app has been downloaded more than 225,000 times in 73 countries and within 45 days after launching, the app was generating about 10 percent of Choice’s total mobile revenue. A future update includes real-time rate adjustments and more property photos along with social media interfaces.

Omni Hotels offers booking hotel stays, checking existing reservations and online check-in through its free app. Users can also find special offers and log in to their Omni Select Guest accounts. According to Hotels Magazine, Omni is also working on an app for Blackberry and future software updates include mobile checkout, virtual concierge information and a possibility of a page that mimics the brand’s pre-arrival emails.

Starwood Hotels offers a free app which focuses on the Starwood Preferred Guest program where members can check their account, find and book hotels, access customer support, visit TheLobby.com blog and more. The app caches user account and reservations information in case you need to access the information while not being able to find a network signal. Hotels Magazine reports that the app is being downloaded at a rate of roughly 2,000 per week and that similar versions are in the works for BlackBerry and Palm devices.