All over the world, people are using technology in their daily lives to work, entertain themselves, learn new things and share their experiences. Your guests expect access to the internet, flat-screen hi-def TV’s, enhanced room security and more. So what do you need to know about current trends to keep your guests connected and offer unique high-tech facilities?
Make your guest rooms more convenient, luxurious and exciting:
Free wi-fi
It goes without saying that this number one in-room amenity is a top priority, especially for business travelers. Your guest do not want to carry around small slips of paper with access codes or pay per hour for limited use of the internet. They expect a reliable, fast connection to use their devices whenever they want and at no additional cost.
Self-check-in
Offering self-check-in options can work for both your staff and your guests who can arrive whenever they choose and are issued a key without any help from the staff. There’s no waiting impatiently in a long line at the desk. Instead, your guest is in the door and up to their rooms with minimal frustration and ready to relax or move on with their day’s agenda.
Touch screens in-room
Guests can customize their room’s environment with the touch of a screen to control the lighting, temperature and even the type of music they like… all from a single device. Guests are looking for amenities they don’t have at home to make their stay unique and special.
Laptop and iPad rentals
Hotel guests want easy access to anything they might need during their stay. For business travelers, that means printers, fax service, laptops, phone-charging stations, international plugs and even tablets. Making those devices and services available with little downtime to the client gives you a leg up on the competition.
Smart showers
Smart showers automatically control the temperature and power of your water with pre-set preferences. Some upscale hotels already offer shower stalls that turn the glass from clear to frosted with the touch of a button. How about waterproof TV screens and sound systems to entertain you while you bathe? It all leads to spa-like luxury without leaving your room.
Smart televisions
Provide your guests with an over-the-top experience using advanced tech as well as personalization. In the next-generation hotel room, the television can display the guest’s own content from their mobile devices and premium subscriptions. The TV can also be customized with the guest’s own language.
Virtual reality (VR)
Virtual reality is becoming more affordable and is definitely on the list of what’s next in hospitality technology. Guests can experience extravagant settings and special effects such as “sitting by a lake in Italy” or “snorkeling in the Caribbean” when they’re really just sitting on the balcony of their hotel room.
Virtual reality can also create some unique marketing opportunities for you: perhaps offer a virtual tour of your city and some local attractions to introduce travelers to fun things to do in the area or stage a multi-city tour of Europe or visit remote beaches in tropical locales.
Biometrics
Keycards are on their way out as a security measure for guest rooms. New check-in systems allow fingerprints or retinal scans assigned to the guest’s room to open the doors without a key. These advanced locks also can track who enters the room as well as a date/time stamp for superior access control in high-end properties.
As hotels begin to incorporate new ideas and advanced tech, opportunities for new careers in the hospitality industry are growing as well. Explore new tech jobs that are on the rise with a need for new skills and fresh ideas.