Guests of the Hyatt Regency Greenville are now using their iPhones to request everyday hotel amenities and order room service - from anywhere - with a new travel app developed by GBCblue.

Hyatt Regency Greenville launched the free guest-services app in Apple's App Store using GBCblue's mobile e-commerce platform for the hospitality industry, GORION, according to Victor Alikin, CEO of GBCblue. The South Carolina hotel developed the travel app to extend the success of its online guest-services portal, www.HyattRoomService.com, from GBCblue.

The hotel's GORION app has been "extremely popular" with travelers as 80 percent of Hyatt Regency Greenville guests who visit the portal use their handhelds to get there, according to Mike Roebuck, director of sales and marketing for Hyatt Regency Greenville.

"Since we launched our app, we've seen a 300-400 percent increase in usage of our guest-services portal," Roebuck said. "And orders made through the system are 17-20 percent higher per ticket. We've used the app to enhance our guest services and, at the same time, boost our bottom line."

Hyatt Regency Greenville's GORION app allows guests with an iPhone or iPod touch to view photo-enhanced menus from Chef Ben Hardaway and place orders on-site or in advance of their stays. Guests of the stylish luxury hotel order amenities such as towels, linens and soaps from their handhelds and learn more about local attractions, including the nearby BMW Performance Driving Center, award-winning golf courses and historical museums.

"In the current economic climate, cost-effective differentiation is essential in our industry," Roebuck said. "By working with GBCblue to develop an app that enhances our guests' experience, we've added a great service without a large technology investment."

Roebuck added that the GORION app is tied to Hyatt's central reservation system. The integration allows guests to make room reservations from their iPhones and iPod touches without affecting the hotel's back-end operations or PCI compliance.

"The Hyatt Regency Greenville prides itself on being a progressive, fashionable alternative to other hotels in the region," Alikin said. "By extending the hotel experience to guests' mobile devices and allowing them to personalize their stays, Greenville is staying at the leading edge of hospitality service."