With the social media revolution and the expectation for high-technology, hotels are competing to get the best twitter blasts about their “cool factors”. WIFI is no longer enough of a bonus to a guest room; tech-savvy travelers are expecting a bit more.
The Upper House, Hong Kong, has replaced reservation desk check-in with computer kiosks. Additionally, the JW Marriott Hong Kong has digitalized their hotel room control system. A touchscreen controller, located
right on the bedside phone, offers everything from local attractions to events during your stay.
At the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas, you can control the room lights and room temperature through the LCD touch panel or the TV. A timer can even be set on the curtains to open automatically in the morning so guests can wake up with the sunlight shining into their room.
The Le Parker Meridien in New York City has taken their gym to the next level. They created a Wii gym room where you can play tennis with computer partners or run on digital tracks.
There are countless ways in which technology can improve and modernize the hotel industry; however, hotel guests can accept or reject as much as they prefer. If the new technology intimidates them, they can stick to the traditional simplicity of travel. No matter what the traveler decides, hotels will continue to move towards a technological dream world.
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