TECHBYTES

More hotel industry companies have joined the iPhone applications bandwagon: Best Westernintroduced Best Western to Go, a mobile application that allows users to make reservations at Best Western properties, helps them to connect with friends and enables them to create travel itineraries….The iPhone and iTouch applications from Hilton Worldwide have a Request Upon Arrival feature that allows travelers to place an order for roomservice and have the meal in the guestroom upon arrival at a Hilton, Doubletree or Embassy Suites property. The apps also give users the ability to remotely check-in to hotels up to 48 hours in advance….Guests at the Walt Disney World Swan andDolphin Resorts can use a new iPhone and iTouch application to review menus and photos and make reservations at 17 restaurants at the two properties….Two prominent hotel technology consulting firms — U.S.-based Hospitality Automation Consultants Ltd. and Hong Kong-based Pertlink — have created a partnership to serve hotel clients around the world. The firms say they have more than 100 years of combined hospitality and consulting experience….hotel SystemsPro hired Corey Trautvetteras senior director of eSales and eMarketing systems. Most recently, he was director of hotel content and distribution for Hilton Worldwide….Twenty-one hotels, including four multi-property groups, selected the PCI-certified Maestro property management system from Northwind-Maestro. The new users include three properties operated by Island Lake Resorts, four in the Sherwood Inn Properties portfolio, two operated by Pinnacle International and three from Metropolitan Hotels….The Holiday Inn Express and Suites Atlanta Airport West-Camp Creek will install an in-room entertainment system from Roomlinx.