Is It Me, Or Did This Hotel Room Just Get Smarter?

Technological advancements have been coming at us fast and furious over the past several decades. And even the ludite among us has got to appreciate some of what’s available. C’mon, the tech in your smart phone is far more advanced than what NASA had at its disposal to land a man on the moon.

So why shouldn’t the hospitality industry be on the cutting edge, or close to it?

In a recent article in the Boston Globe Magazine, Hiawatha Bray dove into the way the “Internet of Things” (the extension of Internet connectivity into physical devices and everyday objects) is being employed by Disney, hotel chains and cruise ships.

Bray paints the picture of being able to bypass the check-in desk and going right to your hotel room where the door unlocks only for you. Inside the temperature is just to your liking and on TV you can pick up on that Netflix series you were binge watching before you caught your flight.

Writes Bray, “Vacation hotels that recognize us and cater to our desires are already here, with more on the way, powered by the up-and-coming Internet of Things. Walt Disney World has taken an early lead. In 2012, it introduced My Disney Experience, an app that lets users plan their visits well before they set foot in the Magic Kingdom, and MagicBand, a wristband stuffed with radio chips that can interact with sensors scattered through the park.”

And Hilton’s Connected Room app is available in 2,000 rooms in 10 U.S. hotels with tens of thousands on the way. Yes, your hotel room is brilliant!

At NHS Global Events the, we “talk shop” daily about hotels and brands and welcome any input from our astute clients and friends