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We’re not a huge fan of the Aloft Hotel experience but we are intrigued by the announcement today that Aloft Hotels will be using a new check-in service that allows guest to bypass the front desk and head directly to their rooms.

Here’s how the press release describes the new Smart Check-In:

Through the pilot, currently being tested at the Aloft hotel in Lexington, MA, select Starwood Preferred Guest® members who opt to participate in the program, which runs on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, receive an enhanced SPG / Aloft-branded RFID keycard.

On the day of a planned stay, a text message is sent to the guest’s mobile device with their room number at

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Oscars time is right around the corner, and if you’re dying to see whether Meryl will beat out Sandra for best actress or whether Avatar will sweep all the categories, watch the show in style. This week, we’ll look at Academy-sanctioned hotel shindigs where you’ll be able to dress up, see if you won the office Oscar pool and help raise cash for charity.

Hollywood won’t be the only place for star sightings on Oscar night. A number of celebrities are expected to turn out to the Royal Hawaiian’s March 7 bash.

According to an official from the Hawaii International Film Festival, the party’s host, some celebs from Lost may make an appearance as will the director

Contemplating Spring Break destinations? If the usual Floridian, Texan, and Mexican destinations are too played out, why not head south? Way south, to the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia? The Quay West Resort & Spa Noosa opens on March 18, and it’s never been easier to get to Australia with airlines like V Australia and Delta now in the market.

Remember when we got all excited about the news that NYC would be getting its first outpost of gay-hotel brand Axel? Well, there’s new movement on 42nd Street! The fugly building that used to house a Travelodge and homeless shelter will become a hotel called The Out N.Y.C., set to open some time in 2011.

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Well it looks like we have our very first update to our Master List of Worldwide Hotel Openings in 2010.. So the folks at Trump SoHo still haven’t confirmed an opening date for the hotel, but the clues all point to further delays. That first date available in their online booking system keeps moving back, this time to April 9.

At least it’s not April Fool’s Day, we suppose. On the up side, the rates do look cheaper than the ones that were in the system last time we checked. On the Day That May Be The Opening Day, rooms start at $299 a night (as opposed to $599, which was the starting rate a few

Hmmm…we don’t recall seeing this garden topiary during our stay at the Body Holiday LeSport in St. Lucia last fall but that’s what the hotel is showing off in their print ads. If only our bottoms looked liked this after a week in a hotel. Usually, three days into a hotel stay and we’re already walking around with a top button on our pants permanently loosened.

Then again, the hotel’s mission statement is to combine a relaxing luxury hotel stay with fitness and wellness programs so showing off a perfect backside makes sense. After all, they couldn’t use Amy Winehouse as a spokesmodel, could they?

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What recession? That has to be what so many hoteliers and real estate developers are forcing themselves to say these days because there is an awful of hotels expected to come “online” in 2010. And we’re keeping tabs on all of them here with our Master List of 2010 Openings.

As always, this is just a starting point. We will keep adding and updating these hopeful hotels as we get the info. And instead of handing you some definitive list that cannot be updated or changed, we’re relying on you, and us, to keep the list ever-changing, expanding, shrinking or whatever the hospitality gods have in store for us.

Some trends we’ve noticed with this preliminary list?