Something new on the room service menu: ordering online

Room service isn't new. But not having to be in your room to place the order is.

Ordering room service is now going the way of everything else--online, via smartphones or laptops. And it's getting more detailed, offering more food choices with photos and daily specials.

Some of the hotels that are making the jump are Omni Mandalay (Irving, TX), Hyatt Regecy (Monterey, CA), and Westin Maui (Lahaina, HI).

Not that a quick phone call was inconvenient, but the ease of ordering from practically anywhere could be a businessperson or busy parent's dream. And for the hotels, the service means more business--Malibu Beach Inn's room service orders jumped 25% in the first six months. And Omni Mandalay's guests have been spending about $3 more per order when ordering online.

And it's not just food that hotels are offering up online. Other services that are becoming available the same way: housekeeping, valet, wake-up calls, and towel requests.


[Thanks, USAToday.com]

Filed under: Food and Drink, Hotels and Accommodations, Internet Tools