High expectations from high-tech hotels

James Clemmons is a US-based space physicist conducting research into the aurora borealis and other space phenomena. He has sent unmanned spacecraft in the magnetospheric and ionospheric orbits. The job brings him all over the world and into countless nights spent in hotel rooms. He is very conversant in space jargon. He knows what and what does not work out there in space.



When it comes to high-tech features of hotels, though, Clemmons’ requirements are plain and simple and should put to shame erring hotels who tout themselves to be in league.



“His primary concern is high-speed wireless internet connection. Wireless should work inside the room and not just in the lobby and it should be for free. If you are paying at least US$250 a night for a room don't you think wireless connection should come free?” said his wife, Ruby, who has served as his sounding board on numerous occasions.



“On a recent trip to Washington, DC, James paid about that much. But you log on and a message pops up that the wireless load of the hotel is maxed out! Meaning you have to queue up until a line frees up.”

Wired connections are less desirable for him. If would be great if rooms include printers. Otherwise, meaning guests should be able to print at the business centre from a wireless connection anywhere in the hotel.



Beyond the wi-fi access, technology in hotels come in different forms and guises, which could be manifested in the quality of indoor air, speed of lifts or brightness of the lights. But it seems that all the spotlight is being hogged by information technology. Perhaps it is because of the instant gratification which best describes the world we now live in.



The Singapore Tourism Board, recognising the importance of wi-fi in hotels, has began offering a financial assistance programme to qualified hotels.



Because of the investment involved, there are hotels which may be happy enough in making wi-fi access the highlight of their high-tech offers. At the same time, there are hotels which continue to forge on, priming up repeat-guests to have something to look to each time they check in.







Langham Place Hotel Hong Kong touts itself to be the most technologically advanced hotel in Asia-Pacific. For a start, guests enjoy extremely high-speed wired and wireless internet access in every corner of the hotel, including guest rooms, swimming pool and even inside the elevator. Guests can take their in-room mobile Internet Protocol (IP) phone to any part of the hotel and continue to make and receive calls. It is also the world's first hotel to deploy colour touch-screen IP phone in every one of its guest rooms for quick access to services such as weather, news and hotel services. Among the latest addition to the IP phone’s offer is featuring the guest’s photo of choice as custom wallpaper.



“As we get to know our guests, we will not only ask their usual preferences like pillow type and room type, but we will also gather frequently dialed numbers, personal stock profile, home photos, radio stations and news preferences. When guests return to stay at Langham Place Hotel, they will find personal, customised content fully uploaded on their guest phones, even before they enter the room, including their family picture!” management said.



Hotels entering the market are faced with self-imposed minimum requirements.



The Luxe Manor, a 159-room boutique designer hotel, and is set to open in Hong Kong in Autumn 2006. Its inroom technology includes interactive infotainment system viewable through an LCD flat panel TV, high definition video-ondemand and wireless VoIP telephone. And, of course, wireless broadband internet access is available throughout the hotel. A departure from the sleek steel and glass that usually accentuates the high-techness of the property, the new luxury hotel features a “surreal” concept and design.



Innovation through technology is part of Langham Hotel’s history. When it opened in 1865, it was the first hotel in London to have hot and cold running water and hydraulic lifts.



Certainly, a lot of progress has been made since the first guest was technologically hoisted up to his floor of preference. And more possibilities are waiting to be tapped and brought to hotels in this part of the world.



There is already an option which enables the guest to unlock the room door and charge F&B and miscellaneous bills with the swipe of one card. It is said to provide an easier, more secure payment method since the guest does not have to divulge his room number or use a separate magnetic stripe card. It can also allow the guests to set spending limit, especially if they are travelling with children who may be room service-happy.



There is biometrics, which is envisioned to assist the guest in checking in or locking the hotel rooms with a simple glance.



And then, there is the 3-D holographic teleconferencing. Prototypes have already been developed, according to a report, by two of the top educational institutions in the US.



The list goes on.



At a glance, some look very feasible and others, best left to realm of sci-fi. In the US, “customer-centric” technologies, representing a wide range of expertise, have banded together to “fix the problem” by creating “an infrastructure to deliver integrated, personalised technology to each hotel guest room.“ The world awaits.

Alan Bowman, GM for Asia Pacific and Greater China, Entertainment and Devices Division, Microsoft. EDD is the business division that handles Xbox and Windows Mobile brands, among others. What current hotel high-tech features work for you and what don’t? Beyond in-room amenities such as broadband Internet that just works and advanced IP-based phones, technology delivers unmatched convenience when you first step up to the check in counter. With a swipe of my credit card, the hotel confirms my room reservation made through the Internet. As a regular patron in some of the hotels around Asia-Pacific, I get a lot of personalised service tailored to my needs. Hotel employees keep track of my preferences and previous stay history through their business intelligence system. I love that many hotels in Asia now offer wireless Internet coverage in public areas like meeting rooms, hotel lobby, restaurant and bars, etc. On the experiential side, high-tech in-room lighting is fantastic as it can be adjusted to suit my mood and it translates to the perfect ambience for any occasion. Also some hotels have installed a digital music device in every room with the music customised by some of the world’s best DJs. At the end of the day, “personal recognition and service” is really valuable for frequent business travellers. “Personal safety” today is a big issue for frequent travellers and if technology can help then that would be a bonus. What's your perfect high-tech hotel? One that delivers all the technology I need for both business and leisure. I don’t need to go out to the business centre when my room is already equipped with all the things I need to work and communicate with my office in Australia – advanced phone system, fax machine, printer, broadband internet access and the like. For leisure, nothing beats cable channels, video on demand as well as console games – an Xbox 360, naturally! However, a high-tech hotel worth its salt is one that puts some technology investment in things that guests rarely do or do not see but are quite essential in the smooth backend hotel operations.