In the hotel of the future, ‘there’s a piece of tech for that’
Room lights that transmit Li-Fi, language translation watches for receptionists and entertainment via virtual reality headsets.
It’s what the hotel of the future could offer as envisaged in an Inspiration Hotel display by the Best Western group at its conference at Celtic Manor in South Wales – four hotel rooms of the future to inspire more than 281 independent BW accommodation providers.
In Best Western’s portfolio is the oldest purpose-built hotel in Europe, which has served Salisbury sightseers since 1220. In 2015, Best Western wants to have the most modern hotels as well. The chain is an enthusiastic embracer of technology – it claims it was the first hotel brand to introduce free wifi.
Looking around its Inspiration Hotel wifi seemed very last century. Think instead: Li-Fi, Mi-Fi and coffee machines that remember how you take it.
A global first, Best Western GB revealed LiFi’s capability within the hospitality arena. A 5G light communication system, LiFi is able to transmit data using light visible to the human eye and is set to put wifi in the shade. Not yet commercially available, this was first time accommodation providers were able to see the technology up close and personal.
Other innovations included a table that charges guest’s devices by lying them flat with no need for cables, digital keyboards, smartphone payment, secure door ‘keys’, and 3D printers for guests to create phone cases, cups or even emergency footwear.
The display aimed to demonstrate how the latest technologies can benefit both accommodation providers and guests, from check-in to check-out.
The biggest buzz was around Li-Fi – sending data wirelessly using the light in the room rather than traditional wifi routers. A sensor, attached to a laptop, communicates with detectors fitted to existing lighting via rapid changes in light intensity, invisible to the naked eye. A hotel could fix detectors, offering dense, fast connections throughout. An advantage for the user is security. If someone in the lobby wanted to steal a guest’s data, they would need to hover between the guest’s device and the light.
An advantage for the hotel is that they know where the guest is. “As the user moves through the hotel, you get very precise location information,” explained Nikolai Serafimovski of pureLiFi. “Things could activate when they need to, only for that user – doors might open automatically, relevant adverts might open…”
“Look at the tech you’re using. Every telephone company knows where you are right now. If you are not already suspicious of technology, you should be,” said Richard Lewis, Best Western’s CEO. “Plus it’s all about choice – opting in, opting out.”
The video table is was loaded with menus and guests can design their own burger with whatever ingredients they please. Tables like these might soon be installed in hotel restaurants where guests would tap to send their order to the kitchen via Orderella and pay by phone.
Mr Lewis said, “It’s about what you’re looking for. You don’t want to wait in line, don’t have any questions – if there’s tech that does what you need, it speeds up your experience. For others who want the personal touch – by using tech, you’ve just allowed more time for the staff to look after them.”
Then there’s the table that wirelessly charges your phone; check-in kiosks that zap QR codes; Oculus Rift virtual reality goggles; interactive video walls; digital keyboards projected onto any surface for business travellers; the virtual jukebox…
“There’s the possible and the cost of the possible,” said Mr Lewis. “But I would love every Best Western right now – and we could do it within a week – to check-in a guest in a foreign language.” SpeechTrans, an advanced translation product that can translate 44 languages with no need for voice recognition training, is ready to roll.
“The tech will come in baby steps. But it will come. And much of it – once we’ve gotten our heads around it – will be pretty useful. I love change,” concluded Mr Lewis.
“Every now and then, you have to look in the mirror and reinvent yourself.” And don’t worry if that sounds difficult – there’s probably an app for it.
The purpose built experience at Celtic Manor gave BW accommodation providers a glimpse into a hotel stay of the future as well as the chance to see how a guests’ stay can be revolutionised. No time machine, Tardis or old DeLorean needed.
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