Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

MODERN FRONT OFFICE ISSUES AND TACTICS
Technology and the Hotel Room of the Future
Now that most hotels provide high-speed Internet access (and those that don’t will), is the
emphasis on technology over? Not at all.
Hoteliers are testing and implementing new high-tech devices and software that will
allow the use of handheld computers to register guests at curbside. Minibars are being
developed that will know a guest’s food and beverage preferences. Thermostats are avail-
able that adjust guestroom temperature when guests are in the room, and digital movies
are available on demand. Biometric scanners such as those that use iris identification tech-
nology can provide more secure access to guestrooms. What about altering the firmness of
mattresses and changing art work in the room based on guest preferences? (The latter can be
done with flat-screen monitors.) Today, and certainly tomorrow, hotels will use imper-
sonal equipment to deliver highly personalized guest experiences.
Adapted from Stanford, K. High wired: The hotel room of the future. Hotel Online Special Report. Retrieved
April 2, 2004, from http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_2nd/Apr04_HighWiredRoom.html.