14 DAY TRIAL // Best Western International has unveiled its free iPhone application, titled Best Western to Go, marking the company’s debut in mobile offerings. The “Best Western to Go” iPhone application marks a first for the World’s Largest Hotel Chain, which plans to launch applications for multiple mobile platforms that cater to the growing number of travelers using their smarphones to stay connected.
“We pride ourselves on being available to travelers no matter their location, which is why mobile accessibility was a natural next step for us,” Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western, said. “We can now be even more of a resource for our guests, particularly those who are making decisions on the fly.”
The hotel chain is set to work closely with application users to incorporate helpful features that best meet their travel needs, according to Best Western. The company then proceeds to list these key features as part of its “Best Western to Go” application:
Search and Book: Find and book reservations at more than 4,000 Best Western hotels in over 80 countries worldwide. Program: Create an itinerary and input addresses of attractions and restaurants. Once these have been entered, users can easily find their location using the app’s GPS-enabled map. Personalize: Capture and categorize favorite locations in specific destinations. Travelers can also upload photos and descriptions to remember the locale. Socialize: Stay connected with family and friends by sharing an experience, such as a lunch at a kitschy diner or a souvenir purchase. Travelers can push this information directly from the app to their Facebook page, email or to other iPhone users.
In the same report, the developer also confirmed plans to unveil multiple upgrades to its iPhone application throughout 2010. In addition, Best Western will introduce applications for other mobile platforms including BlackBerry and Android.
Download Best Western to Go app (Free) (compatible with iPhone and iPod touch; requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later)