New technologies in the hotel industry 2021

Let's start from the beginning.

For as long as hotels have existed, the hotel reception has been the face and heart of the hotel. It is the very definition of hospitality.

It is the first point of contact for guests and the source of all information about the hotel. Even the rise of online booking and smart technology has had relatively little impact on the job of the loyal receptionist.

But all that is now starting to change.

SiteMinder, in their article, mentioned that one of the pioneers in this regard is Dubai's Jannah Hotels and Resorts. This five-star Middle Eastern property wants to eliminate queues at reception by allowing guests to check-in by tapping a few buttons on a tablet and providing a QR code that opens a video explaining everything the guest needs to know.

This service, called Karim, performs other tasks usually performed by the receptionist, such as wake-up calls and car rental.

While some may miss the human touch, the success of self-service checkouts in supermarkets suggests that convenience and speed may win out.

Another advantage of abandoning receptions is that it would free up space for other projects and a place for customers to work and play.

The hotel, more than just a place to sleep

Hoteliers may be willing to take advantage of the space freed up by their former reception area to expand the bar or lounge areas. And what if the reception desk was replaced by offices?

The line between hotels and hostels is becoming increasingly thin.It is not only the field of work that is witnessing a change in society's expectations.

Travelers have increasingly specific demands. City Hub, a hotel brand launched in Amsterdam last year, aims to blur the line between hotels and hostels.

City Hub optimizes space by using prefabricated capsules that can be placed in any position in their building, by offering shared bathroom facilities, and by offering only one room size (for one or two people).

This high expandability allows them to offer both privacy and low cost to their guests, filling a gap in the market for thrifty travelers who are put off by the overly communal aspect of hostels.

Single rooms for individual guests 

When you book your holiday, you book a specific seat on the plane or train, a specific time slot for an activity, or a specific table in a restaurant. Why not do the same at the hotel and book a specific room?

If you are staying at the Hotel Schani in Austria, this is the case.

When booking a room in this hotel, you can choose your floor, the size of your room, its view, and all sorts of other options.

Once you've made your reservation, you'll receive a room number, so you don't have to go to the front desk to check-in, and you can go straight to your room by following the instructions on the hotel's app.

The experiment is still in its early stages, but the hotel seems to be well on its way to providing an optimized stay for its guests while allowing staff to create more personalized experiences by spending less time on concierge duties and more on meeting individual needs.

The hotel hopes that this personalized experience will build customer loyalty.

And consider the possibility of guests wearing virtual reality goggles to choose the room or view, and thus better manage their expectations. Virtual reality will, for example, help guests to better see what an extra €50 per night can offer them.

Sources: 

SiteMinder. (2020, 28 december). Technologie hôtelière de 2020 : Quel visage pour l’hôtel de demain ? https://www.siteminder.com/fr/r/marketing/technologie-hoteliere-de-2020-quel-visage-pour-lhotel-de-demain/