Lee Jamieson discovers that guests are demanding more from their in-room systems. Technology moves fast — but can hoteliers keep up?
Hoteliers across the region are discovering that the technological demands of their guests are becoming increasingly more complex.
The role of in-room technology has evolved: whereas hotels once provided discrete in-room systems, they now have to support a wide range of devices and technological platforms. The travellers of today require “plug and play” compatibility between their own personal devices and the hotel’s in-room technology provision. networks.
“Guests arrive at the hotel with all the technology they need,” explains Rotana corporate vice president for information technology, Samir Abi Frem. “The challenge is to find a way to integrate their devices into the existing in-room hotel systems.”
“Nowadays, nearly every guest is carrying an iPod, digital camera and a 3G mobile. The customers’ changing needs are therefore driving market developments. For example at Rotana, our guests can connect their media devices to our in-room audio-visual equipment to create a more homely experience.”
As guests change their media consumption habits, hoteliers must realign their in-room technology appropriately. It is therefore essential for hoteliers to fully understand the evolving technological and media consumption requirements of their customers and to enable quick and easy connectivity between media devices and formats.
Anticipating the growing momentum behind this trend, Starwood placed connectivity at the heart of its Aloft brand when it opened in Abu Dhabi in October last year.
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“We recognised that being able to connect laptops and media players is extremely important for our guests,” explains Aloft Abu Dhabi’s director of operations, Rainer Weinberg. “We have therefore equipped our guest rooms with a plug and play device connected to a 42 inch LCD TV.”
Aloft partnered with TeleAdapt and installed their in-room media connectivity solution for hotels, MediaHub. The product works by acting as an extension of the in-room TV by providing ports for the guest’s own electronics.
“Business travellers who are away from their families appreciate a conduit to reconnect them with their homes,” says TeleAdapt regional manager Inam Haider. “They want to enjoy their own media choices on the in-room TV without feeling like they have to crack into a safe in order to do it.”
Speaking of safes, the technology for in-room security can also be linked to guests’ own products and systems. This has enabled VingCard Elsafe to secure a sizable market share of the region’s guestroom lock market.
VingCard’s RFID locks are compatible with a guest’s personal technology — with a NFC-enabled cell phone a guest can dispense with the traditional room key. They can check in remotely from the airport, go straight to the room upon arrival and operate the door lock with their mobile phone.
“By having every lock wirelessly connected, a new array of features and benefits becomes available,” explains VingCard Elsafe regional vice president Manit Narang. “You can cancel, extend and also reassign cards with just one click from a central computer.
“You can even use pre-issued loyalty key cards so that guests don’t need to get their room key issued at the front desk. And this same technology also extends to some of our in-room safes.”
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