While cleanliness and comfort is a priority for any hotel, using smart technologies inside a guest room is becoming just as critical for retaining guests. Thankfully, new innovations have come along way from the times of old coin operated beds and hoteliers touting the availability of HBO in their guest rooms.
Recently, Hotel News Resource put together has put together a few other examples of how technology has advanced over the years.
New Information Hub
The hotel TV has impressively evolved over the past decade. It was not so long ago that televisions in hotel rooms were tiny portable affairs, often mounted high up on a wall bracket and with somewhat unreliable reception. The advent of digital TV and flat-screen technology changed all that forever. Nowadays, guests expect and demand the very best hospitality TV, at a level that is at the very least as good as their own television at home.
Information at The Touch of a Fingertip
Using the TV remote control – or even a touch screen – a guest is able to access all details of the hotel and the surrounding area’s attractions, such as theaters, restaurants and cinemas. Guests are able to order room service, laundry services, newspapers, alarm calls and check out via their TV, while this hub also enables free Wi-Fi and other useful functions, such as docking stations for tablets, smartphones and iPods.
Hotel Rooms Tailored for Each Guest’s Habits
Automation is the second aspect of the new technological era, giving guests the feeling that their accommodation is anticipating their every desire. Using sensors, rooms open the curtains and turn on the lights when a guest enters. Guests can configure the settings to suit early starts or times to sleep in, depending on preference.
We believe that these new innovations are bringing the idea of the concierge service to the next level. Guests will have an additional platform to order services and learn more about surrounding attractions – all from the information hubs in their rooms. Of course, many hoteliers are using these technologies to augment existing concierge services, providing a combined human and technology avenue for guests.
The core foundation for all of these technologies is to build lasting brand loyalty. Hoteliers who are ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing these technologies will have a clear advantage over the competition. Though, technology advancements move quicker than ever, and it won’t be long before the competition provides these same offerings.