Travel & Hospitality Awards | Travel Innovation, Design & Technology 2021 | www.thawards.com

Smart Rooms
The use of smart technology in shaping a guest’s experience
is on the verge of becoming commonplace. Guest data can
now be used to better accommodate needs. For frequent
travelers, especially those loyal to certain brands, this is
game changing. Using data from previous visits, smart
technology can predict and personalise guest preferences to
create fully customised experiences. Lighting, background
music, media favorites, room temperature, bedding, room
type, energy management, and meal preferences call all be
adjusted to suit the guest pre-arrival.
The Contactless Experience
Contactless is a common payment method when it
comes to small cash transactions; in fact the use of
contactless cards, mobile wallets, and wearable tech
payments are on the rise. In the wake of the Covid-19
pandemic these contactless payments have become
more of a necessity rather than a convenience. While
some hotels already accept contactless payment, the
notion of “contactless” is expected to spread to other
parts of the hotel experience.
Contactless hotel check in is now possible through
company websites and mobile apps, much like with
airline check in. The same goes for room access;
technology is now available where key cards can be
programmed on to mobile phones or smart devices.
Robot Servers
This one sounds like something
from an 80’s science fiction film
or the hobby of an enthusiast,
but it is actually so much
more than that. This in part
enhances the “contactless
experience” mentioned overleaf.
The technology is improving
rapidly and there are frequent
examples of hotel having robots
greet guests on arrival, provide
real-time tourist information,
clean floors, transport luggage,
provide room service and even
wait tables at restaurants. The
technology has taken on a more
relevant position in a Covid-19
secure world. As robots become
more reliable, better equipped,
and capable of machine learning
expect to see this much more
often.
30 31