SMARTPHONES ARE REPLACING CREDIT CARDS IN LUXURY HOTELS

By: Christian Stan | 10 March, 2015

Marriott International will become the first global hospitality company to offer Apple Pay. The phased introduction this summer in the U.S. will include brands in popular locations, such as The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, Renaissance Hotels, and Marriott Hotels.

Guests using Apple Pay at check-in will simply bring their iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or soon, Apple Watch, near the contactless reader at the front desk. When their device responds with a subtle vibration and beep, the payment information has been securely captured. There will be no need to provide a credit card upon check-in.

In 2013, Marriott led the hotel industry when it began launching mobile check-in and check-out on its smartphone app. With the app, guests can now access these services at 4,000 hotels worldwide, in addition to finding and booking a hotel stay and accessing Marriott Rewards account information.  At select Marriott Hotels, guests have been testing an app for service requests, enabling them to chat in real time with hotel staff to make requests, such as extra towels, valet service, dinner reservations and more.

Marriott will launch an app for the Apple Watch, upon availability.  With the Apple Watch app, Marriott Rewards members will be able to use it to check-in in advance, receive prior notification when their room is ready, and checkout at nearly 4,000 hotels globally.

Marriott expects to start rolling out Apple Pay this summer beginning at these eleven hotels:

• The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
• The Ritz-Carlton Washington D.C.
• EDITION Miami
• JW Marriott Chicago
• Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel
• San Francisco Marriott Marquis
• San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront
• New York Marriott Downtown
• Courtyard Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile
• San Jose Marriott
• Courtyard Los Angeles L.A. Live
• Residence Inn Los Angeles L.A. Live