8 Ways to Convert a Hotel Room Into a Smart Room
What Is a Smart Hotel?
“Smart room” stands for a hotel room equipped with a microprocessor operated station. It controls the key parameters to ensure the optimal functioning of the set features. In a smart hotel, IoT-connected devices enhance the guest experience, optimizing the hotel management system. While the guests enjoy greater convenience and comfort, hotel owners get increased efficiency and lower costs.
The goal of a smart hotel room is to let the guests have greater control over the environment. Why not offer your guests precisely what they are looking for—a seamless and personalized stay. “Remembering” the guests’ preferences creates a solid and trustworthy image of your hotel. The hotels can use a centralized network of automated systems to deliver tailored solutions.
As for the movement sensors, they can detect the exact moment a guest wakes up, triggering the coffee-making process. Likewise, the room occupancy sensors track when a guest leaves a room. After that, the appliances in use automatically turn off, saving electricity. IoT devices present limitless possibilities for smart room customization and control options.
Find Out 8 Ways to Convert a Hotel Room Into a Smart Room:
- Faster Guest Services
IoT allows us to connect devices to hotel services. Hence, it’s possible to set thermostat temperature/lighting based on the guests’ preferences. Many smart hotel rooms feature a voice-activated smart hub or access to the app via the television/tablet. Basic voice command and a simple click on a touch screen let the guests order room service or book a yoga session. For example, the Yotel Hotel chain stands out among its competitors. Its smart self-check-in/check-out kiosks are furnished with a variety of intelligent features.
- Smart room controls
Personalized room controls are another distinctive feature of a smart room. IoT technology allows the controlling room’s lights, AC, heating, and water temperature from a centralized location. Hilton and Marriott have already implemented smart hotel solutions. Their guests can control the room thermostats and set the preferred conditions within their room via smartphone. The devices like Amazon Echo contribute to the extreme popularity of voice-controlled lighting.
- Voice-controlled entertainment
IoT solutions add up to the convenient experience as a guest can use various devices from anywhere in the room. The guests can send complex commands to activate personal music playlists via smart speakers and smart hubs. Also, there’s an option to order pay-per-view movies through voice control. Control via voice recognition, these smart hubs are connected to the entertainment devices in a smart hotel room.
- Sustainable hotel rooms
Many guests support eco-friendly brands and choose sustainability. For the hotels, sustainability means saving on energy costs through automated energy saving. To save money, IoT technology allows a hotelier to detect the level of light in a smart room. Thus, one can adjust heating or light bulbs brightness based on the room temperature. When occupancy sensors detect a vacant room, smart devices adjust dimming and temperature. Likewise, plumbing sensors detect and report any potential leaks, minimizing the cost to repair damages. These days, many top-rated hotel chains use “daylight harvesting”. They use IoT devices to “pick up” daylight that adjusts LED lights based on the detected natural light level in the rooms.
- Data-driven default choices
Maintaining user privacy and proper data collection presents one of the main challenges linked to smart room management. The user data privacy can be managed through basic device usage information. A hotel might gather data about the most popular songs of the month via the smart speakers provided. When a guest enters the room, the obtained data allows us to make a data-driven decision about which song to set as a default option.
- Interactive maps
Interactive wall maps are among the revolutionary elements that transformed a standard hotel room into a smart room. Internet connectivity allows us to put on place maps with real-time information. Online reviews and local landmarks opening times are among the options to take advantage of. Some hotel chains started blending these solutions with augmented reality technology. At first, a user downloads an application and points a smartphone at a wall map. Then, he/she gets access to more details about the local places of interest and eating options.
- Personalized entertainment
Finally, a hotel room transforms into a smart room by means of diverse entertainment options. This transformation allows the guests to manage their accounts with third-party online services. Alexa, by Amazon, is planning to integrate entertainment features to the already existent smart voice control. This will allow the guests to link their own Amazon account to a device and to access their audiobooks and music.
- Enhanced Safety and Security
Smart rooms are characterized by excellent security features, including automated smart door locks. When staying in a smart room, should a room key be lost or stolen, the guests can unlock their door with a secure app on their phone.
You can create an edge in guest satisfaction by meeting guests’ unique needs and providing them with a superb experience. Smart technologies are continually evolving. It means that smart hotels will gain even more popularity in the years to come.
The hoteliers that opt for leveraging valuable data via the use of smart technologies will leave the competition behind. Moreover, the hotels will get a chance to render a better value to the customers and to improve the performance of their business operations.