New app unites all Starwood brands

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) has introduced a new application for iPhone and iPod Touch, which creates personalized guest experiences across Starwood’s nine distinct brands. The app offers FaceTime customer service and includes fully integrated booking, member information, comprehensive hotel searches and travel details, customer service and social media. “Mobile is a vital part of our business’s future, and it’s fast becoming the preferred way to book travel in both established and emerging markets around the world, such as the United States and China,”said Chris Holdren, senior vice-president of Starwood Preferred Guest and Digital. “We’ve built the new SPG app to be an all-in-one travel tool that connects our guests with all of the information they need to enhance their experience during their journey with us.”New options include the ability to find hotels by airport code or map and a streamlined home screen with “tiles”that are easily tapped or swiped to access frequent requests, such as account information, upcoming stays, customer support and special offers. The app also offers an “Explore”tab for discovery when users don’t have a specific destination in mind. Explore provides customized hotel recommendations based on individual preferences such as trip type (i.e. beach, city, wedding), brand, SPG category and interests. (http://www.spg.com/iphoneapp)