Innovative mobile device allows guests to manage in-room, on-property and around-town environments
BANGKOK (February 29, 2012) ? Tech-savvy travellers who like to stay ?plugged in? now have a hotel designed especially for them ? Aloft Bangkok ? Sukhumvit 11. The hotel recently announced the launch of its ?Touch Room? which will equip guests with Fingi, a mobile revolution of travel connectivity. Provided to guests upon check-in, the mobile personal communications and controls device gives guests unprecedented ability to customize and manage their hotel experience, replacing the traditional room key and operating all amenities in their room and beyond. Aloft Bangkok ? Sukhumvit 11 is also the first hotel in the world to premiere this exciting innovation in the technology sphere.
?Aloft takes the guest experience to the next level with Fingi technology in our Touch Rooms,? says Brendan Daly, general manager of Aloft Bangkok ? Sukhumvit 11. ?Today?s modern traveller will appreciate how we have incorporated the latest technology to improve their convenience, comfort and overall experience. We are giving them something they have likely never seen before, the ability to directly manage their own hotel stay.?
Fingi, developed by a New York based hospitality technology firm, is a hand-held device with a touch-screen interface given to guests upon check in, and it allows guests to control all the technological aspects of their stay, from check-in to check-out. The Fingi device functions as a room key for Touch Rooms, an alternative to the traditional (and easy to lose) electronic card keys. Once inside the room, the device enables guests to set the mood and comfort level with lighting and temperature controls that interact with the electrical systems in the room. The device is also the remote control for the television and stereo, with the ability to preview and select channels and purchase movies.
The Aloft Touch (aka Fingi) device also provides a direct connection to all of the hotel amenities, from concierge service to restaurants and bars. Hungry? Fingi allows guests to review menus and order room service, as well as make reservations at Crave, Aloft?s all-day restaurant. Have an iTunes account and want to listen to your music or watch a movie that you downloaded? Just log on with Fingi and stream directly to the Apple TV in your room. Feeling more adventurous? Take a look at everything Bangkok has to offer?from exciting nightlife and restaurants to the more scenic, old world charm?and plan your trip right from the palm of your hand. Additionally, Aloft Touch functions as a local phone number and wireless hotspot on and off property, allowing guests to make local calls, keeping them connected at extremely competitive rates.
“The Fingi team comes from three disciplines – hospitality, technology and telecommunications,? says Fingi’s Vice President of Product Innovation, Mark Nemeth. ?Due to our background, we are well-suited to develop and deliver a product of this magnitude for this precise industry.”
The Aloft Touch stores guest preferences after one use ? from temperature and lighting styles to television and music selections ? making them easily accessible the next time the guest checks into a Touch room. Although not all rooms at Aloft are equipped with Fingi technology, Touch rooms are available in all room types ? from ?Chic? and ?Urban? Touch rooms to ?Stylish? and ?Savvy? Touch suites. Most importantly, this unparalleled personalized service offers travellers a high level of comfort while visiting a potentially stressful foreign environment.
As an added convenience for guests, Aloft Bangkok ? Sukhumvit 11 is offering the first-ever electronic concierge service, a series of terminals in the hotel?s lobby area with iPads pre-programmed to provide guests with the most current information about Bangkok?s hottest restaurants, spas, nightclubs as well as transportation info and city maps. Additional iPads are located in the re:mix lounge and w xyz bar for guests to play games, surf the internet, and even order wine from Aloft?s bar menu.
Avid wine enthusiasts will love Aloft?s new iPad wine menu, available at Crave, Aloft?s all-day restaurant. Pre-programmed iPads allow guests to view wine offerings by the bottle or by type, and read about the origins, ingredients and recommendations for dish pairings. Guests can then select the wine of their choice, and their waiter will bring it to their table.
About Aloft Bangkok ? Sukhumvit 11
Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, Aloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11 was designed for the tech-savvy traveller looking for a fun, social experience at an affordable price point. The 296-room Aloft is ideally located in the center of Bangkok?s thriving Sukhumvit District and offers accommodations and amenities that cater to modern travellers. With an urban-inspired design, Aloft?s guestrooms feature loft-like design with soaring nine-foot ceilings, Aloft signature platform beds, oversized spa showers and Bliss? Spa amenities. To maximize both work and play, each Aloft room also offers free broadband and wireless internet access, plug n’ play connectivity station for charging all electronics and linking to the 42? LCD HDTV.
What?s more? At Aloft, guests will never stay out of touch. The hotel provides free wireless internet access in all public areas, enabling guests to stay connected and share their experiences with their loved ones.
Aloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11 will offer guests everything they need for their Bangkok visit whether it?s for business or pleasure. re:fuel by Aloft is an easy 24/7 option for savvy travelers on the go, offering light meals, healthy bites, mix & match munchies and dreamy delights. For guests in the mood to sit down, Crave is Aloft?s casual, lively all-day dining restaurant that serves up delicious lunch and dinner buffets with plates of seafood and international favorites. Or, mix and mingle with new friends over a game of pool, signature sips and a snack-attack menu at w xyz bar. The re:mix lounge gives guests a playful place or quiet space, where they can do everything from sip a drink, enjoy free wifi and slip from day-to-night with lighting and music to switch up the mood.
Need to burn off last night?s excesses? Drop into re:charge, Aloft?s full-service, 24/7 fitness centre with state-of-the art fitness and weight-training machines. Or, dive right in and enjoy Aloft?s outdoor swimming pool and adjacent kids pool. Finally, for business guests who want to enjoy a fun and productive experience, the hotel will offer 265 square meter of meeting space & pre-function area.
Aloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11 is situated in the center of Bangkok?s thriving Sukhumvit District, an easy five-minute walk from the Nana BTS Skytrain stop with convenient access to world class shopping at the nearby Siam Paragon and the Emporium Shopping Centre. From European-style pubs to retro bars, the Sukhumvit District hums with endless nightlife. The area?s dining represents the city?s fusion of cultures with a vast selection of food genres and experiences ranging from walk-up street stalls to cafes to Bangkok?s finest restaurants.
For booking and more information on the Fingi rooms, visit www.alofthotels.com/bangkoksukhumvit11.
About Aloft Hotels
With more than 55 hotels open in the three years since Aloft first arrived on the scene, Aloft has changed the hotel landscape offering style at a steal everywhere from Abu Dhabi and Baltimore to Dallas and Beijing and everywhere in between. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com . Aloft, like all brands within Starwood’s portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program, which offers a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. To learn more, please visit www.spg.com.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1071 properties in 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis?, The Luxury Collection?, W?, Westin?, Le M?ridien?, Sheraton?, Four Points? by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft?, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.