Starwood Hotels and Resorts has just rolled out a new Bluetooth-enabled room unlocking app which allows guests to access their hotel rooms through their smartphone, and avoid checking in at the front desk. Back in the day, hotel rooms had real metal keys that unlocked room doors much in the way most of us still unlock the front doors of our homes, by inserting the key in the grooves and turning it. Over the past two decades, the hotel industry has gradually switched over to plastic programmed key cards which need to be entered into the slot on your room door to gain access, and are now an industry standard, even in budget properties. It seemed inevitable that the next technological breakthrough in the evolution of hotel room keys would be the use of smart locks, which open the door via the hotel guest's smartphone. Earlier this year Starwood announced a pilot program to test the idea, and now the company is rolling it out in 10 of its top hotels worldwide. To use the "keyless" option at one of the 10 hotels, the guest needs to register for the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) loyalty program, download the app, and have an Android or iOS device with Bluetooth Low Energy support.

When the room is available, the guest receives the "key" via a push notification, and is informed of his or her room number. Then the guest just has to go to the room, hold the phone up against the smart lock, and gain entry to their room, bypassing the often time consuming check-in process completely. Frits van Paasschen, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide CEO, said "Not only does SPG Keyless alleviate a perennial pain point for travelers, but it also transforms the first interaction with our guests from one that is transactional to something more personal." The company is rolling out the system in 10 hotels on Nov.5, including the Aloft Beijing, Aloft Cancun, Aloft Cupertino, Aloft Harlem, W Doha, W Hollywood, W Hong Kong, W New York-Downtown, W Singapore and Element Times Square hotels. Starwood expects to expand the program to 150 Aloft, W and Element hotels, covering more than 30,000 rooms, by early 2015. Smartphone, Bluetooth, Keyless Entry, SPG, Starwood Hotels, Apps

Starwood rolls out smartphone-based room keys, starting with 10 of its hotels Depending on your sensibilities, smart locks might not make much sense in the home -- we don't know, maybe you can't break your keys habit or something. But we think we can all agree on this: Smart locks make a hell of a lot of sense in hotels. Think about it: Those plastic room keys are easy to lose anyway, and they don't always work properly on first swipe. Indeed, the hotel giant Starwood is already on it. Following a pilot test earlier this year, the company is rolling out Bluetooth locks in 10 of its hotels, with more to come early next year. Gallery: SPG Keyless screenshots | Even by now, you should already have a pretty good idea of how the "keyless" system works, but here's a more detailed rundown. First, you'll need to register your phone through a one-time setup and also allow push notifications. Twenty-four hours before your scheduled arrival, you'll be prompted to opt in to the keyless program, assuming you're staying at a hotel that offers it.

You'll get a push notification when you're checked in and when the room is ready, allowing you to bypass the front desk. And, of course, the app knows which room you're in, so don't worry about that. Then, just make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone, open the Starwood Preferred Guest app, hold the phone to the door lock, wait for a solid green light and, voila, you're all set.french doors internal ebayFor the time being, at least, the tech is limited to 10 hotels in New York, LA, Beijing, Hong Kong and Doha, including the Aloft Beijing, Aloft Cancun, Aloft Cupertino, Aloft Harlem, W Doha, W Hollywood, W Hong Kong, W New York-Downtown, W Singapore and Element Times Square. triple sliding glass doors costFrom there, the company hopes to roll it out to 140 more locations by early 2015 (again, these are Aloft, Element and W hotels, specifically). bifold shed doors

If you get to try it out soon, let us know how it goes -- and take extra care not to leave your phone at the hotel bar. From around the web ear iconeye icontext fileA front door can say a lot about a house – and the people who live inside. A front door can be solid and traditional, made of long-lasting wood that’s kept well-varnished and perfectly clean. used 1967 chevy impala 4 door for saleA front door can be modern in style, filled with beautiful glass panels that allow plenty of sunshine and light inside. garage door service roseville caA front door can be painted in bright and cheerful colours, surrounded by plant pots filled with flowers. garden shed door glidesOr, a front door can be dark and forbidding, with a heavy security screen and a bevy of deadlocks to keep out unwanted guests.    shower door repair cypress texas

Whether buying a new front door, back door or internal doors, there are plenty of options to choose from. One of the first things to consider when buying a new door is the material it is made from. The material of the door will determine how strong it is, and how much soundproofing it offers. For houses that are built on a busy street or close to an airport, soundproofing would be incredibly important. For houses that are situated in built-up areas, having strong doors with good locks is essential. Buying a new door often means investing in door hardware essentials as well. To hang the door, door hinges are needed. To ensure the door opens and closes, door knobs and handles are required, while door locks and lock mechanisms make sure the door stays closed and safely locked. Door handle and lock sets are another option for door security, as are latches and bolts. Want visitors to be able to announce their arrival? Doorbells and door knockers are perfect for this task, while door viewers can allow anyone inside to check on who is standing outside before allowing them entry.