InterContinental Hotels Group is now testing new technology that allows guests to bypass the check-in process at the front desk and instead use their mobile device as a room key.

The pilot program began in September at the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago O'Hare Rosemont and the Holiday Inn Express Houston Downtown and gives travelers the choice between MobileKey access and the more traditional way of using plastic keycards.

“Through technology we are able to find new ways to enhance the guest experience at our hotels,” says Bryson Koehler, senior vice president of revenue and guest technology, IHG. “More and more of our guests — especially Gen Y and business travelers — are looking for simpler, more efficient ways to check in and get to their rooms. “

The technology from OpenWays uses the principle of Crypto Acoustic Credential (CAC) and text messaging to securely deliver an encrypted tone or credential to the right user anywhere in the world. During the pilot, guests will have the option of enrolling for MobileKey via email prior to arrival or at the front desk.

The solution is compatible with the latest smartphones and even the most basic cell phones. On the day of arrival, guests receive an email with their room number and a second link to retrieve the room key. When they get to their room, they dial the MobileKey number and hold the phone to the top of the lock, and voila, it will open if properly authorized.

OpenWays works with the major electronic-locking systems and access-control systems and the process is highly secure. Each encrypted sound produced becomes obsolete once it's used, making fraudulent recordings inefficient, the company says. During the pilot, IHG is offering guests who try the new technology a $10 gift card for filling out a short survey afterward.

The test was launched in cooperation with two electronic locking companies. At the Houston property, locks from Saflok were upgraded to OpenWays, while in Chicago the program was done with Onity.