Hilton Worldwide is boosting the appeal of in-application booking by enabling users to see a hotel’s surroundings and a room’s potential view through a new integration with Google Maps.

The new capability is available exclusively to Hilton HHonors members, who have already used the brand’s mobile app more than 13 million times to choose the exact room they want. The Google Maps integration points to how mobile users’ preferences continue to evolve as they get used to mobile, expecting more personalized services and more control over their stay.

“The integration of Google Maps within our digital check-in and room selection feature allows our guests to see additional details about the hotel’s surroundings and their room’s potential view, which helps them make more informed decisions about the location of their room to create a better in-app and on-property experience,” said Dana Shefsky, director of digital product innovation at Hilton Worldwide.

“Customers often told us that they love our maps and being able to select their room,” she said. “Many told us that they take it a step further by pulling up the hotel map on one screen and Google Maps on another screen to orient the location of the room choices.

“We listened to our customers and the way they were using our maps and created the best of both worlds for them.”

A room with a view
To select a room, Hilton HHonors members sign into their account via their mobile device, tablet or computer beginning at 6 a.m. the day before a booked stay. Upon selecting an arrival time, users are shown a floor plan of the hotel with a green circle denoting available rooms.

The updated digital floor plans in the Hilton app include detailed geographical information about a hotel’s surroundings. Hilton HHonors members can visualize where available hotel rooms are located in relation to city streets, public transportation, parks, bodies of water and other markers.

These app users can also see if an expressway is outside their window or if their room faces east toward the sunrise.

While checking-in on the app, Hilton HHonors members can also request a Digital Key at participating hotels and head straight to their room upon arrival, using their smartphone as their key.

Digital check-in with room selection is available at more than 4,500 hotels.

The map feature is currently available on the Hilton HHonors iOS and Android apps. It will be available on Hilton’s Web sites this summer.

Building loyalty
Hilton plans to build out the new Google Maps integration even further by enabling members to see where points-of-interest such as landmarks or attractions are located in relation to a selected room.

Hilton claims to be the only global hotel company offering the ability for guests to choose their own rooms, which has become one of the most popular features on the app. However, guests asked for more detailed information about a hotel’s surroundings, leading the company to partner with Google and integrate the Maps API.

“Through the Hilton HHonors app, we’ve created a number of digital tools such as digital check-in, Digital Key and Local Scene to create additional touch points with our guests throughout their entire travel journey and help remove some of the friction from travel for our most loyal guests – our HHonors members,” Ms. Shefsky said.

“By listening to our guests and innovating in meaningful ways, we can enhance their experience at our properties, and drive their loyalty to our brands,” she said.