In the past few decades, technology and travel have become intertwined in some pretty amazing ways. Offering the ability to book flights from your smartphone and to take advantage of gadgets that make traveling easier, technology has penetrated nearly every aspect of the travel experience. While travel has seen its share of technological advancements, hotel accommodations have largely gone untouched. A few hotels have begun to integrate technology into their guest rooms, providing the most comfortable and high-tech experience possible. M-Beta by MarriottRecently, the Marriott hotel chain introduced its M-Beta concept hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. The redesigned M-Beta hotel is designed to cater to consumers based on their feedback, and guests are encouraged to use special touchpads located throughout the hotel. The technology allows guests to enter their rooms without a key, to customize workouts in the fitness studio, and to engage in various activities throughout the hotel. Guests are not required to go through the traditional check-in process, which often involves standing in long lines and verifying credit card details. Instead, guests are met at a specific location in the lobby or even curbside—and checked in by a hotel representative. Robotic Butlers
New York’s Yotel features a Yobot designed to make luggage transport easier than ever. Guests can simply put their luggage into one of the bins, enter a unique PIN provided at check-in, and Yobot will then transport and store the luggage. When guests want to retrieve their luggage, they can scan their receipt and re-enter their PIN. In California, the Aloft hotel chain recently unveiled a robot butler at its Cupertino location. The robotic butler brings requested items to guest rooms, including toiletries, items ordered from room service, and even towels as guests lounge by the pool. Botlr is available to guests 24/7, and requests can be made directly from your smartphone. Smartphone and iPad Integration
A few hotel chains are taking this technology a step further and using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. This technology is being used in Paris hotels—Pullman Paris Bercy and Hotel Sofitel Le Faubourg—to allow guests to use their smartphones to wirelessly access their rooms. Instead of fumbling with a key card, guests can hold their RFID-enabled phone near the entrance to gain access. While US hotels are not currently using RFID, many are beginning to the incorporate technology into their menu of services. For example, The Plaza Hotel in New York provides complimentary iPads to guests, allowing them to control the room temperature, lighting, drapes, and a variety of other electronics in their room. The iPads also offer a way for guests to learn more about the surrounding area and even give them the ability to book reservations at local restaurants and other attractions. Infrared TechnologyIf you’ve ever stayed in a hotel, then you probably know how intrusive it can be when housekeeping arrives. Sometimes the hotel staff comes in unannounced, which is not only inconvenient, but can be downright embarrassing. A Seattle hotel is seeking to prevent this from happening through the use of infrared technology. Hotel 1000 activates infrared sensors when hotel staff rings the doorbell of a guest’s suite. The infrared sensors automatically detect body heat, so staff will know whether it’s safe to enter the room. In addition to its ability to help maintain guests’ privacy, infrared technology is used in the hotel’s virtual golf course in order to help guests connect with international virtual golf courses. What the Future Holds Since technology is becoming so prevalent in the homes of consumers, it’s only right that hotels step up and use the latest technology to satisfy guests and improve their operations. Hotels in all parts of the world are trying their hand at technological integration, from fingerprint room access to retinal scans to secure transactions and entry into exclusive parts of the hotel.
Technology continues to grow at a rapid pace, and things we only once saw in the movies are becoming a part of our reality. As time goes on, we are likely to see niche innovations spread into the mainstream, making travel and vacation simpler and more high-tech than ever before. Comments are closed.
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AuthorBruce Eaton is the president and chief executive officer of i2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a hit discovery and lead optimization technology provider serving clients in the pharmaceutical industry. Categories
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