UK hotel group launches express check-in service

At last, a system that means when your boss checks in to a hotel you don’t have to monitor the process to make sure everything goes to plan. An intelligent smartphone express check-in service has been launched for business and leisure travellers staying at any of the 36 Guoman and Thistle hotels across the UK.

The new service uses Apple Passbook and Google Now technology for guests with iPhone or Android devices, allowing them to simply pick up their room key on arrival and eliminating waits at the check-in desk. The technology automatically pops up on the user’s smartphone screen when they come into the vicinity of their chosen hotel, allowing staff to quickly and easily locate booking information.

Now part of the GLH brand, the hotel group is one of the first to offer the service, which will be available UK-wide across the Guoman and Thistle estate, such as at the Charing Cross Hotel (pictured). It aims to create a seamless check-in experience and save guests time when they arrive, making it ideal for business travellers and groups on a tight schedule.

The group is also working closely with web development agency MediaConcepts to develop the technology further to allow guests to use a QR confirmation on the Passbook system to pick up their room key on arrival.