Hotel Of The Future

Last week, the HotelCIO Exchange conference was held in St.Petersburg which brought together hotel industry professionals.

At the online event, which was held under the hashtag # edom, speakers talked about the latest technologies and technical solutions in the hospitality industry. In addition, the conference organizers invited the participants to think about how our industry will change in a few years and present their concept of the hotel of the future.

As part of this interesting idea, SMARTEQ did not stand aside and reflected on what generation Z would expect from the hotel of the future.

First, let's see who these people are from the Z generation and why are they so important for the hotel industry of the future? Generation Z is the term used in the world for young people born after 1997. These people value freedom and modern technology above all else. They love travel, need round-the-clock Internet access, prefer virtual communication to live, messengers over calls, actively use social media and are supporters of a healthy lifestyle.

What previous generations called “new technologies” or “future technologies” is already present for Generation Z. This is the first truly digital generation for which in the near future these ideas will become familiar things:

The virtual assistant never sleeps and helps to serve guests around the clock, offering them an economical, but powerful and convenient support system. Artificial intelligence bots will be able to perform the same tasks as a hotel representative in real time.

We are confident that in the near future it will be possible to manage the room directly from a hotel tablet, TV or personal gadget from anywhere in the room: adjust the light and temperature, open and close curtains, communicate with the concierge using a video call, and control all room features with a voice.

When registering a guest, GRMS simulates a specific welcome scene (lights, blinds, etc.). For a newly arrived guest - his name on the TV screen with a user interface in his native language and even with some tuned music depending on the guest profile in PMS.

Opening the blinds and turning on the TV with quiet waking music and weather forecast

When leaving the room, all room devices go into a special energy-saving mode.

Room devices can automatically change their mode depending on the state of the room (busy, free, clean, dirty, etc.).

Despite the fact that the idea of ​​an individual approach is gaining momentum today, we hope that in the future this trend will become commonplace. The hotel management will know all the information about the guest, his tastes and expectations. Based on the preferences of the guests, the hotel will always be able to simulate welcome scenarios: put his favorite TV channels first on the list or set the temperature to +22 degrees in the room before his arrival. For example, the guest said that he does not eat fish and meat in his profile. In this case, the hotel will immediately offer him vegetarian dishes.

Using augmented reality glasses or lenses, hotel staff will know the name, profile or preferences of the guest as soon as he appears in the lobby. We are sure that such a function will exceed all the expectations of guests and give them premium service.

The presence in hotels of kiosks or applications for self-check-in (self check-in) will become one of the most important indicators of excellent service. Providing self-catering facilities, those guests who appreciate the quick and convenient check-in / check-out process will be completely independent of their stay.

Soon, the guest will not have to carry a key card with him, he will be able to open his number using a smartphone. The mobile key will be easily activated during registration and will be automatically deleted after the guest leaves, in addition, he will eliminate the need to stand in line at the reception, and the staff will have to work around the clock to transfer room keys.

More and more hotels are using screen sharing technology, allowing their guests to broadcast their own content (favorite TV shows, movies, music) to the screens of their rooms. This makes it possible to feel at home and enjoy HD-quality video and great sound. We are confident that in the near future this feature will become a must-have for all hoteliers.
8. Room service: ordering any services directly to your room
Guests with one click on a smartphone or TV will be able to order any service: room service, shopping, table reservations, room cleaning, wake-up service, booking a transfer, recording spa treatments, replenishing a minibar and much more. Guests can familiarize themselves with interesting offers in detail, learn more about the hotel, and leave feedback.
9. Assistant robots
Just imagine: robots in a hotel as cleaners, administrators, assistants and porters, they do not take sick leave and never complain about work without days off. The main feature that will surprise any person is that all the actions that are usually performed by hotel employees are performed by automated devices: baggage claim, check-in, storage, or even a morning wake-up call. Lovely and unobtrusive robots will help guests with all organizational issues, while providing an unforgettable experience.
10. Cross-integration
Cross-integration - seamless seamless integration with PMS, POS, GRMS, SOS and others, which are very important for the smooth operation of the entire hotel. They will simplify the work of staff, streamline processes, help reduce costs and take the hotel to a new level.

Generation Z is a generation that travels always and everywhere. His philosophy was perpetual motion. Representatives of Z do not sit still, open to new experiences, and are ready for experiments. They are not tied to the office 24/7, and most generally work remotely. These guys are about twenty, but they already dictate the rules in the tourism industry.