Sheraton Launches Portal Powered By Microsoft Bing

Sheraton Hotels and Resorts has unveiled a new portal for guests created with Microsoft's new decision engine, Bing.

Designed as a social, interactive, online global destination, the new "Sheraton Guest Portal powered by Bing" will be featured worldwide in the "Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft" in addition to in-room web access. As part of the brand's USD6 billion revitalization effort, Sheraton Hotels have redesigned nearly 400 lobbies worldwide with the addition of its Link@Sheraton experience with Microsoft, a lobby lounge that enables today's travelers access to information and technology for work, leisure, and social networking.

The new portal was specially designed to provide guests with an intuitive, tailored on-line experience specific to their destination that Sheraton compares to having a personal concierge in the palm of one's hand. As part of the new online experience, guests will find content specific to each Sheraton location, such as local maps and the top search results for area restaurants, attractions, special events, and services. The new portal uses a mix of imagery with a dashboard of tools that aggregates the top items requested from the concierge and makes them easy to find. With one click of the mouse guests can print a boarding pass, find the nearest entertainment and must see sites, get the local weather forecast, read the top news stories of the day or discover more about their hotel, e.g. the restaurant hours and spa offerings.

According to Hoyt Harper, the senior vice president of global brand management for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Microsoft had been an integral partner during their revitalization of the Sheraton brand from the beginning with the launch of the Link@Sheraton powered by Microsoft. Harper added that by utilizing the Bing technology Sheraton has created a portal that will provide its guests with a geographically relevant and unique online experience whether they're in the lobby or their room.