The Intercontinental Hotels Group is planning to test a digital application that can turn your cellphone into your room key.
Under a test program that will begin this month, guests at the Chicago and the Houston hotels will be able to download an application to their phone.
How the program works is that once the guest gets a code from the front desk, his phone can play a tone that can open the sound-activated locks on the doors to his rooms.
Under a second phase of the program, guests will be able to get the code directly to their phone. Thereby there would be no need to stop by the front desk and will hasten the check-in process.
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