Within a couple years, most people will never need to visit the front desk at a Hilton hotel ever again. The company plans to let customers use their smartphones to unlock room doors at most Hilton-owned hotels by the end of 2016. That's over 4,100 properties in all, so it's not entirely surprising that the plan to make plastic key cards obsolete will take some time. But other improvements will arrive sooner, according to The Wall Street Journal. You'll no longer be at the mercy of the front desk when it comes to room placement; customers will be able to choose their own room and even preview its location by the time summer wraps up. So if you've got the inside track on a standout room — maybe it's quieter or offers a better view than others — it should be easier to lock down.

By upgrading its technology and offering smartphone-savvy customers a new level of convenience, Hilton hopes to pull ahead of competitors like Marriott and Starwood. The company has invested $550 million in that effort since 2007 and luxuries like smartphone check-in (already available at many locations) have required "tens of millions of dollars" according to the Journal. Unlocking a door with your phone doesn't have to be a vacation thing, though; smart locks for the home are due to arrive by year's end.