The European-style Tryp hotel in New York City has become the first in the United States to introduce a temporary social media network that allows guests to connect with other guests and hotel staff members.
The Wyndham hotel’s network, LobbyFriend, is expected to set the pace for other hotels across the United States,
USA Today reported. LobbyFriend is an app that taps into smartphones, that is designed specifically for hotel guests.
On a TV screen, network content resembles Facebook to some extent. The screen displays the Tryp logo and a logo for “LobbyFriend,” with a headline that says “Join the conversation.”
The first step in accessing Tryp is to download the app from iTunes. Then, a hotel clerk will hand a guest a card with a password to activate membership, USA Today reported. One of the many uses of the app is help finding a specific store. A guest would post a message, and a hotel staffer would reply with an answer.
Guests concerned about privacy should be aware that their names pop up on TV screens, including those in the hotel lobby, when they use the network.
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