Essentially, a smart hotel is a hotel which makes use of internet-connected devices, which are capable of communicating or interacting with one another. This is sometimes referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT) and means that even ordinary devices or appliances can send or receive data, making them ‘smart’.
The ability for these devices to communicate with one another can allow users to control multiple devices from a single control point, such as a remote control, smart phone, tablet or smart speaker. Moreover, devices are often able to find and use information from the internet, allowing them to respond intelligently to user requests.
۵ Ways Smart Hotels Benefit Hotel Owners and Guests
۱٫ More Sustainable Hotel Rooms
One of the biggest advantages of a smart hotel room, from the perspective of a hotel owner, is the improved sustainability available. This is primarily linked to energy saving possibilities within the rooms, which can be aided by the automation that the Internet of Things offers.
For instance, light bulbs can be set up to automatically increase or decrease in power, based on the levels of light in the room at the time. Similarly, heating can be configured to automatically maintain a certain temperature, with radiators cutting out once that temperature is achieved. All of this then leads to lower energy bills.
۲٫ Improved Levels of Personalisation
A smart hotel also offers excellent opportunities to deliver personalisation. As an example, TVs can be remotely set up to refer to guests by their own name, while a central control point can be used by guests to set conditions within the room. Through IoT technology, the various devices can then automatically create those conditions.
Additionally, smart TVs and smart speakers can provide guests with the ability to access their own accounts on services like Netflix and Spotify. In fact, the Alexa for Hospitality service is aiming to introduce a feature in the near future, where guests can sign in with their Amazon account and access their own audio books and music files.
