AKA The Best Geek Hotels in the World in 2010, courtesy of Hotel Chatter. My personal favourite is the use of smart phones (iPhone, Blackberry and Android are supported) to replace room keys. A company called Open Ways provides the technology for this.

IHG, who are running the trial, are taking a cautious approach, asking not just if the technology works, but also if it alienates the customer — do customers feel less warmth towards the brand with this kind of change.

More details on that here.

With the competition in the market, particularly at the high end, tech is proving to be a real battleground.

Anthony Green – May 2010