When you pay for a luxury hotel, you expect a little extra in the form of good concierge service. Santa Barbara-based SocialStay wants to put that service in your pocket on your mobile phone, along with a way to stay connected to other guests.

The firm has built a mobile application that lets hotels stay in touch with their guests and vice versa, with a social networking platform built right in. The firm is targeting upscale hotels and has lined up 31 of them across the country, including the Canary Hotel in downtown Santa Barbara.

The premise is that tech-savvy travelers have come to rely on their mobile phones while on the road. Having to pick up a wired phone or walk to the front desk seems a little 1990s.

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