Gone are the days when an HD TV and a whirlpool bath were enough for the discerning business traveller. Like every other sector, the hospitality industry is being propelled by Artificial Intelligence and the power of the Internet of Things. This means that interacting with a team of hotel staff that are all robots or booking into a ‘Space Suite’ may well become the new normal for hotel guests. So, hold off planning your travel schedule for 2018 before checking out some of the most tech-savvy business hospitality around the world…
We’ve recently completed a cloud migration project with the Diocese of Guildford, Portsmouth and Winchester, working with them to develop their long-term digital strategy and shift to digital services. The Diocesan IT Consortium comprises of the three Dioceses who are acting together to procure shared IT services and connectivityReligious organisations may not an obvious sector to target but technology is increasingly being used to manage and engage with parishioners. Recent Church of England digital research* shows that more and more people are using apps, smart speakers and social media to explore and engage in the Christian faith. A growing number of churches are also using specialist software like Churchsuite, a cloud-based church management system which currently has around 1,800 churches of all sizes and denominations.
A ‘Splash of Brilliance’ at The Irvine Marriott, California
After learning that over half of business travellers felt their best ideas came while showering, The Marriott International invented a ‘Splash of Brilliance’ shower room. The group is testing new technology that creates a ‘canvas’ from the build-up of steam on the shower door, allowing guests to “to write or draw whatever comes to mind—name of the next hit song, idea for an app or the framework for a new design.”
If you’re staying at The Irvine Marriott in Orange County, you can write or draw on touchscreen shower doors, and then send it to your email address for future brainstorming use. Pity it wasn’t around in Archimedes day. It could have saved the Greek inventor the embarrassment of running naked through the streets of Syracuse after having his Eureka moment in the bath. Now, he could simply transfer his ingenuity onto his steamed up shower screen as inspiration struck! The technology is available in selected rooms at the hotel for the next two months. Marriott will determine any further rollout based on usage and feedback. You can see the shower in action on YouTube.
The Robot Staffed Henn-na Hotel, Nagasaki
The Henn-na Hotel just outside Nagasaki, Japan is the world’s first hotel run entirely by robots. At the front desk, you will be greeted by multi-lingual robots created to look like young Japanese women that will help you check in or check out. Curiously, English-speaking guests are directed to a robotic dinosaur. At the cloakroom, the robotic arm will store your luggage for you while your room will be cleaned by, well, more robots. The hotel’s website says: “Mechanic yet somehow human, those fun moments with the robots will warm your heart.”
Room temperature is adjusted by a radiation panel that detects your body heat. Each room also has a small ‘concierge’ robot named Tuly, who will control lights, have your curtains pulled and give you a weather report, if you like. If you prefer to control things yourself, a smart tablet is provided.
Living Lab initiative at the NH Collection, Madrid
The NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding is part of a ‘Living Lab Initiative’ where guests are the first to test technological inventions. These include 3D Holographic Technology, wireless inductive chargers that let you charge multiple devices simultaneously without cords or sockets and sleep monitoring systems to ensure you’re totally refreshed for that business meeting or conference presentation.
Blast into space at The Kameha Grand Zurich
Want to stop thinking about that presentation and immerse yourself in an experience that’s out of this world? At The Kameha Grand Zurich, you can check into the Space Suite and ‘blast into space’ without having to leave the comfort of your floating bed. The outer space furnishings have been designed down to the smallest detail with a floating bed, pictures of galaxies, hovering astronauts and models of rockets. Together with the selected literature, music and films about the orbit, as well as original works by Michael Najjar, your overnight stay will become a journey into the universe.
Ambient Intelligence at The Renaissance, New York
The Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel promises to offer a unique experience on every visit. The walls along a digital interactive corridor respond to human movement while the Discovery Portal, will allow you to access all of New York’s best restaurants, bars and attractions at the wave of the hand or point of the finger.
What’s interesting is that the technologies provided by these hotels aren’t just to make our stay more efficient or convenient. They’re also taking care of our mind and body, by helping regulate our sleep or recharging our cognitive resources by letting us switch off and have fun in a space suite. Whether you’re an entrepreneur running a start-up or the CEO of a large enterprise, you’re probably logging numerous hours and wearing multiple hats. Maybe checking in to a handily placed Holiday Inn no longer suits our needs.
Transputec works with top-end hotels around the world to help them deliver innovative, cutting edge services. We like nothing better than getting under the skin of a business, finding out what makes the end user tick and designing and developing a bespoke product or service for them.
Contact us today or call us on +44 (0)208 584 1400 and we will be delighted to speak with you. Got anything scheduled for the next 15 minutes?…
Shalen Sehgal
Services Director
Tags: #Industry News
