Changing rooms

Hotel technology is catching up with the rest of the world. Mark Frary looks at what guests can expect in their rooms, and checks out some hotels which are right up to speed

If you were staying in a hotel 25 years ago, the only piece of technology you could expect to find in your room was a digital alarm clock. These days, if you don't find a flat-screen television, an iPod dock and wireless internet access, you might start to think about making a complaint to the manager.

The technological revolution that has taken place over the last few years means that today's business travellers expect more gadgets and gizmos than ever before, and it is a trend that shows no sign of diminishing.

Wifi is the number-one technology factor for corporate buyers, according to a survey carried out by hotel booking agency BSI. In the 2008 traveller requirement study, carried out as a precursor to the 2009 hotel programme season, wifi was ranked as the sixth most important influencing factor in buying decisions. It came after location; product quality; safety, security and ambience; on-site food and beverages; car parking; and 24-hour room service. Access to Sky TV was the only other technology which made the top 10.

The company says that mandatory wifi now appears on more than 45 per cent of all request for proposals (RFPs), up from 14 per cent in 2006. However, just 18 per cent of the hotels in BSI's 120,000 property database claim to have the technology. Time for hoteliers to act, it seems.

Margaret Bowler, director of global hotel relations at HRG (Hogg Robinson Group), says the majority of companies now include the provision of high-speed internet in their RFPs: "The main thing business travellers want is high-speed internet access. The important thing is that they don't necessarily want wireless. Certain companies want their travellers' computers hard wired in the back for security reasons."

Travel buyers are increasingly expecting this high-speed access to be either free of charge or thrown in with an inclusive room-rate.

Most business focus hotels now have high-speed internet as standard. Those that don't tend to be the independents. But while most hotels have it, the big question is over the speed and reliability of connection.

One company that has embraced the idea of technology is Langham Hotels International, which runs the recently revamped Langham in London, where each room has an array of sockets for UK, US and European plugs, as well as ports to plug in portable devices.

Bob van den Oord, vice president - sales and marketing at Langham Hotels International, says: "In today's wired world, innovation in hospitality is about anticipating future needs. Guests staying at luxury establishments such as The Langham expect instant connectivity from the guest rooms through to the meeting spaces. This means ensuring everything from the simple lighting panels in the rooms to their various connections with the outside world."

The group's Langham Place brand is particularly focused on technology. "At Langham Place, technology is a clear differentiator of service," says van den Oord. "Its guest profile is more young at heart and likely to adopt technology earlier. In these hotels, we place technology and will introduce concepts like total entertainment centres which will appeal to a certain type of guest."

However, the inconsistencies of wifi charging are a bone of contention. Andrew Solum of Travel Industry Associates (TIA), who manages travel for a number of organisations and is a regular traveller himself, says: "Why do competitively priced business brands like Courtyard by Marriott offer free wifi yet 'full service' Marriotts, JW Marriotts and Renaissance Hotels charge you a daily wifi access fee?"

It's not just about wifi. BSI's group managing director Trevor Elswood says: "Interestingly, market segments differ in their requirements quite dramatically. The financial sector, including insurance and banking, requires one of the highest levels of mandatory technology services from their accommodation suppliers, whilst the retail sector is comparably low with their requirements.

"Overall, travellers are coming to expect technology features such as wifi as standard when booking travel, and suppliers need to ensure they are in a position to provide this to keep on top of their competition. In the future, it can be expected that all advances in technology beneficial to the traveller will be required as standard without charge, replacing less valued services with a cost to deliver, such as mini bars."

Flat-screen televisions are becoming standard, for example. When you walk into a business hotel that still has bulky, 'old-fashioned' TVs, the tendency now is to do a double-take.

TIA's Andrew Solum says: "I've had many requests for access to flat-panel television screens from the notebooks that many travellers are using - it's easier on the eye to see your work on a larger screen. Some hotels are providing connection cables for these services so you can lie in bed and work on emails or surf the web from your netbook whilst viewing on a large screen."

Technology is not just appearing in the guest room either.

HRG's Margaret Bowler says that 'telepresence' facilities are being requested more and more, too. These are leading-edge video-conferencing [VC] set-ups that mimic face-to-face meetings through the use of high-definition cameras, surround screen and life-size images of meeting participants on flat screens.

"Hotels started putting in VC facilities a few years ago but they didn't take off," she says. "There now appears to be an interest from corporates in having meetings in different ways and saving on travel costs."

Marriott began installing Cisco TelePresence facilities in its hotels last year. The group says it plans to offer telepresence meeting suites in hotels in 25 global gateway cities, including New York, San Francisco, Washington, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Frankfurt and London.

Arne Sorenson, president and COO, Marriott International, says: "We believe telepresence will create more business meetings because people can travel shorter distances and easily connect with colleagues and clients around the world. The addition of telepresence meeting suites in our hotels will give Marriott a leg up on its competition."

Sheraton Hotels, meanwhile, is introducing virtual concierges in some of its lobbies. The company has installed table-like devices that use Microsoft's new Surface platform, which allows users to navigate around a large touch-screen using their hands. The system is being used to make available maps and local information about restaurant and bars, entertainment, recreation, shopping, transportation and other services.