The Korea Herald

소아쌤

Smartphone hotel check-in service debuts

By Korea Herald

Published : Dec. 25, 2012 - 20:47

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A 30-year-old Korean woman checked in at a hotel in downtown Seoul, but did not receive a room key. Instead, she got a hotel-owned smartphone for her reserved room.

The woman, whose family name is Lee, used the smartphone to unlock the door and control the indoor temperature as well as the lights and television.

Lee was also able to call maintenance to make up the room or ask them not to disturb her by simply activating a mobile application and touching the screen, without having to make a call or hang a sign on the doorknob.
A Japanese tourist receives a smartphone after checking in at the lobby of the Skypark Central Hotel in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. (LG CNS) A Japanese tourist receives a smartphone after checking in at the lobby of the Skypark Central Hotel in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. (LG CNS)

LG CNS said Tuesday that it has implemented a “smart room service” in partnership with Skypark Central Hotel in Myeong-dong, downtown Seoul, for the first time in the world, getting rid of all room keys and remote controls for electronic devices.

The service initially launches at the hotel’s 16 rooms on the 15th floor beginning Wednesday and the Skypark Hotel is expected to make the service available at its fourth branch hotel as well as its two more hotels in downtown Seoul, according to an LG CNS official.

Through the service, the hotel will also be able to establish a unified monitoring system, enabling it to deal with ongoing situations in real time through a single updated management screen.

Launching of the service is a branch-out of LG CNS’ new “Smart Green Platform,” which was introduced earlier in July.

“LG CNS will not only take the lead in the smart hotel market, but it will also offer customized services that have been unheard of to local and overseas clients who manage buildings and cities,” said Kim Ji-seob, business unit leader of the firm’s smart green business division.

By Cho Ji-hyun (sharon@heraldcorp.com)