The Top 7 Technical Innovations in the Hotel Industry
The hotel industry has undergone several technical innovations in recent years. Many of these innovations focused on improving the guest experience. Here are seven of the most significant technical innovations in the hotel industry:
- Online booking and reservation: the ability to book and reserve hotel rooms online revolutionized the way hotels do business. With the proliferation of websites and mobile apps, guests can now easily scroll through available rooms, compare prices and make reservations with the click of a button. Not only has this made it easier for guests to book rooms, but it has also enabled hotels to streamline operations and better manage inventory.
- Mobile keyless room access: one of the most inconvenient parts of staying in a hotel is having to carry a physical key. Fortunately, many hotels now offer mobile keyless room access that allows guests to use their smartphone as a room key. This not only eliminates the need to carry a physical key, but also makes it easier for guests to access their room and allows hotels to easily re-issue keys if necessary.
- Personalized guest experiences: With the help of technology, hotels can now offer their guests more personalized experiences. This could include things like custom room temperature and lighting settings, personalized recommendations for local restaurants and activities, and even personalized in-room entertainment options.
- Virtual assistants: virtual assistants such as Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant are becoming more common in hotels, allowing guests to easily control various aspects of their stay using voice commands. This can be anything from adjusting the room temperature to ordering room service.
- Contactless check-in and check-out: in an effort to reduce physical contact and improve the overall check-in process, many hotels are now offering contactless check-in and check-out options. This could be using kiosks to check in and out or using a mobile app to scan a QR code at the front desk.
- Energy Management Systems: hotels consume a significant amount of energy and implementing energy management systems can help reduce energy consumption and costs. Think of smart thermostats, LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances.
- Robotized room attendants: while still in the early stages of development, some hotels are experimenting with using robots as room attendants. Equipped with sensors, these robots can perform tasks such as cleaning floors and delivering amenities to guests.
Overall, we believe these technical innovations have helped improve the efficiency and convenience of the hotel industry while also improving the overall guest experience. Nevertheless, the real service comes from the human to human interaction to make guests feel at home.
