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Entertainment
I
f the advent of artificial-intelligence-driven smart speakers like Google Home and
Amazon
2016 Echo is any indication, the Internet of Things is that much closer to
Skift
Deanna Ting, Skift - Nov 30, 7:30 am
becoming a reality, even when we check into our hotel rooms.
Take
Deanna Ting

It might be crazy to think of this especially at a time when some of

SHARE
us still agonize over the super-slow speed with which it takes to
download a simple PDF in some hotel rooms but were calling it: In


just a few years time, its highly likely that the Internet of Things (IoT)
Tweet
will be coming to a hotel room near you.

 What does that mean, exactly? It means that the only smart product
Share in your hotel room wont be limited to your phone anymore. It means
that your TV, the temperature, the lighting, the curtains, will all be
 connected via the Internet, and controlled by the guest.
Post
Robert Cole, the founder of RockCheetah (http://rockcheetah.com/), a
hotel marketing strategy and travel technology consulting firm,

envisions a future where guests wont even have to log in to access
Send
Wi-Fi.

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of travel, subscribe.

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You can walk into a hotel and be on your mobile device, and
whether you have a reservation or not, you can automatically log into
the high-speed guest network, he said. If you have a reservation, the
hotel recognizes youre there and accessing the Wi-Fi or using

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and use your phone to get in and as soon as you enter, your Netflix
will show up. Everything should happen seamlessly. Your apps and
services will help you with your journey.

Were not there just yet, and there are still some obvious challenges
for the IoT to work itself out, especially when it comes to
cybersecurity (http://fortune.com/2016/11/03/light-bulb-hacking/).
But there could be a day in the not-so-distant future when voice-
activated rooms, like the ones being piloted by Aloft, will become the
norm.

And even more likely? That well all be able to watch the latest season
of Netflixs House of Cards or Amazons Transparent from our hotel
rooms.

Heres where we currently stand when it comes to in-room

technology and entertainment.

CASTING CALL

More hotels are enabling guests to be able to watch streaming

channels like Netflix and Hulu from their hotel room TVs, and
exploring casting technology solutions to be able to do so.

In June 2015, Marriott became the first hotel chain to allow its guests
to watch Netflix from their hotel room televisions
(https://skift.com/2015/06/10/marriott-becomes-first-hotel-chain-to-
offer-guests-netflix/). Working with hospitality technology provider
Enseo (http://www.enseo.com/)(which has a partnership with Netflix),
Marriott was able to allow guests to sign into their own Netflix
accounts on their in-room TVs and watch their favorite shows, in
addition to accessing other services such as Hulu and Pandora.
Marriott expects to have 1,000 contracts for this signed by the end of
2017.

Scott Hansen, Marriott (http://www.marriott.com/default.mi)

International director of guest technology, said that Marriott realized
the video-on-demand model wasnt sustainable anymore. People
just werent buying at the pace they were. You cant upgrade the
infrastructure with ties to a video-on-demand operator. We had to go
in a new direction. Guest habits have changed. They want more over-
the-top content and less linear programming.

The solution, Hansen said, was to provide guests with access to

everything we take for granted in our own living rooms and, since
then, its been a tremendous success.

Enseo, the tech provider whichMarriott worked with to bring Netflix

and other streaming channels to hotel guest rooms, said that Netflix
is consistently among the top three most watched channels among
properties that use its technology. It accounted for 11 percent of total
viewership time and was the No. 1 watched channel in July 2016. In
July 2015, it was the No. 2 most watched channel and accounted for
7 percent of total viewership time.

Marriotts system for accessing channels like Netflix is simple enough:

Guests simply log into their respective accounts on the TV screen.
Typing in every email address and password on the TV, however, isnt
always the most seamless.

In a hotel room obviously typing in your credentials with a remote

control is tedious, Hansen said. Doing it from your mobile phone is
easier. This is why other hotels, Marriott included, are exploring more
options that enable guests to simply cast their entertainment
preferences directly onto their TV screens.

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My Device, which is based on Google Chromecast protocol and

hardware. Weve patented a solution that allows for very simple
pairing of a guests device to the in-room TV, he said. Its proprietary
software weve developed that works with Chromecast products in
guest rooms. Guests enter a simple code and it pairs their mobile
device to the TV and isolates it to that room. It pairs it down to just
the in-room one.

When Skift spoke with Hansen in October, he said Marriott was

testing this new technology in 6 hotels and that several continents
have already made this a brand standard for future Marriott
properties.

Prior to its acquisition by Marriott, Starwoods Aloft Hotels

(https://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/index.html?
language=en_US) were also piloting a somewhat similar system as
well, called RoomCast (https://skift.com/2016/06/24/following-
marriotts-lead-starwoods-aloft-pilots-an-in-room-streaming-service/).
Sarah Downing, vice president of global guest initiatives and
innovation for Aloft Hotels, told Skift that the RoomCast pilot at the
Aloft hotel in New Orleans was a continuing process and that by
November, the entire property will have the technology in every guest
room.

Wyndhams Wingate by Wyndham

(https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/wingate) brand is also piloting a
casting service, working with Sonicast, which is powered by Google
Chromecast. Lisa Checchio, VP of brand marketing and insights for
Wyndham Hotel Group (https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/), told Skift
that a pilot was launched in September at a property located outside
of Chicago that is password-protected and secure.

You can fully cast content from thousands of different apps without
having to enter your personal credentials, without having to enter it
into the personal TV, and its automatically disconnected when you
leave, she explained.

She added that this new technology is easy for hotel owners to
implement as well because it leverages existing infrastructure
wired or wireless, and that nearly 50 percent of the portfolio of
Wingate owners wants to install the technology into their properties.

THE HOTEL TV CHANNEL EVOLVES

While we, like most people, dread turning on the TV and having that
default hotel channel pop up, many hotel companies are trying to
update the content on those channels into something guests
willactually want to watch.

Wyndham, for example, launched Wyndham Rewards TV earlier this

summer with a series called, Have Points, Will Travel. It follows a
couple who was given a million Wyndham Rewards points to travel
from Northern to Southern California on points alone.

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Its sort of like Modern Family meets the Amazing Race, Checchio
explained. There is so much you can do with in-room content that
isnt just about the properties themselves. Guests want to be
entertained.

For Wyndhams Hawthorn Suites

(https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/hawthorn-extended-stay) brand,
Checchio said Wyndham is thinking of, perhaps, showcasing mini
cooking demos through the hotel TV channel, in conjunction with
the brands new Homemade at Hawthorn initiative. For this program,
Wyndham partnered with two regional chefs who created an
e-cookbook for guests staying at Hawthorn Suites.

In January, Marriotts Autograph Collection (https://autograph-

hotels.marriott.com/)will debut an independent film channel.
Working with FilmBuff, the channel will broadcast more than 1,500
different titles films, documentaries, shorts, TV shows, and
webisodes that focus on art, design, food and music.

Earlier this year, Marriott Hotels also announced that it would include
exclusive TED content (https://skift.com/2016/09/08/marriott-
partners-with-ted-talks-for-in-room-social-media-and-live-
programming/)in its in-room entertainment for guests. And Marriott
Internationals own content studio continues to produce short films
like the Two Bellmen series (https://skift.com/2016/02/09/marriotts-
content-ambitions-grow-with-new-two-bellmen-movie/).

INFRASTRUCTURE IS GETTING BETTER

All of these innovations, such as casting, are indeed a step forward in

terms of being able to better personalize the in-room guest
experience. But theyre often not possible for hotels to implement
unless they have the tech infrastructure necessary to deliver these
services.

Thats why a number of hotel brands and individual properties are

making major investments in technology infrastructure first, before
they start testing out casting or voice-activated rooms, for example.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

(https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/reservation) is doing so on a
massive scale. The IHG Connect Internet initiative, which began last

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eventually, all of IHGs more than 5,000 hotels worldwide, bringing

faster, more reliable, and more seamless Internet access to guests.

This is a foundational platform for the future of IHG, Jeff Eckard, VP

of technology for the Americas at IHG told Skift. The reason IHG is
investing so heavily in this is because the number of devices in use
worldwide is expected to increase to 33 billion by 2020, and each
person is estimated to have approximately 4.3 connected device by
2020 as well.

IHG Connect involves the placement of multiple wireless access

points throughout each hotel that increase bandwidth by at least
four times, creating dedicated pipes that can grab as much
connectivity thats needed so hotel owners dont have to worry about
how much bandwidth theyve signed up for, and hotel guests wont
become frustrated, Eckard explained. Those wireless points also
contain built-in beacons and all are connected to a cloud-based tech
platform that allows IHG to monitor each access point and
implement changes that much more easily. Guests will log in once,
and then have access their entire stay.

In a similar fashion, Samsung

(http://www.samsung.com/us/)isworking with hotels to deliver a
similar type of technology and Internet speed for hotel guests with its
Samsung Hospitality Wall Plate access point. Earlier this year, the
company partnered with New Yorks Le Parker Meridien
(http://www.parkermeridien.com/home/)hotel to test the service in
the hotel, and the results, said John Yu, director of management
systems for Le Parker Meridien, were a success.

At any given time, we have 800 to 1,400 devices running on our

network, Yu said. But during our peak evening hours, we typically
have over 2,000 devices connected to the network simultaneously.
By placing these access points throughout the hotel, however, Yu
said, We used to have difficulty providing a quality network
experience when we hosted gaming or movie companies because of
their VPN, static IP, speed and coverage needs. But our new access
points are robust enough to take care of these issues.

Having all of these access points in place, IHGs Eckard said, will help
IHG further strengthen its loyalty program (all loyalty members get
access to free Wi-Fi) and that because the system auto-recognizes
guests, it will automatically be able to connect them to Wi-Fi more
easily. With the beacons, he said, We can turn on location-based
services, and start to recognize and connect and personalize the
experience for our guests.

Beacon-based technology is something being piloted by Hilton

(https://skift.com/2016/09/06/hiltons-newest-app-feature-ups-the-
game-in-guest-personalization/) and Marriott, enabling both
companies to know exactly where their guests are on property and
sending them targeted marketing messages or offering them
customized information.

Eckard added, This is just the beginning. This is the beginning of our
journey. IHG connect is laying down the foundation to help us
personalize the guest experience and deliver faster performance.
Those latest devices are all engineered to go faster and faster, and
were enabling those devices to go as fast as they can.

SMART HOTEL ROOMS

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groundwork for whats to come: smart hotel rooms, or even voice-

activated guest rooms.

Voice-activated rooms have been a home run for us, said Aloft
Hotels Downing. Weve gotten a ton of feedback from our guests
and operators as well. Theyre asking us: How do we add in-room
delivery on the app so guests can order meals that come to their
room? How can we add electronic drapes there when the sun is
rising, or come up when sun is setting? Its all about putting control in
the guests hands.

Some critics have said the Aloft pilot with Siri, while novel and tech-
forward, can be a bit cumbersome because of the instructions
involved and that some guests would rather just use the provided in-
room iPad to adjust things in the room instead of using their voice.

To that point, Downing said, Thats why piloting in the space is so

important. Youre listening to the guest to tell you whats too much
versus what they want more of. A person not comfortable about the
temp can just tell Siri without getting out of bed. Were also looking
at the voice-activation and making it acceptable for those who arent
as comfortable with being future forward. If you dont want to speak
to Siri you just pick up the iPad and you can use it just as you would
with your own personal devices.

While many agree that voice-activated mechanisms like search by

voice will be crucial going forward, including the founders of Expedia
and Priceline (https://skift.com/2016/09/27/expedia-priceline-
founders-say-voice-based-search-is-the-next-frontier-in-travel/), not
everyone is so convinced its worth the return on investment when it
comes to hotels.

The future of the guest room will be voice activation, said Marriotts
Hansen. Amazon Echo and Apples Siri are consumer versions of this
technology. I have all that in my own home. That is the future.
Whether we use that existing tech or some other voice-activated
mechanism has yet to be determined. The real brick in the road is
trying to get the Internet of Things upgraded to the net-connected
appropriate part of the network. Its very expensive to retrofit
everything in a hotel.

Tags: aloft (https://skift.com/tag/aloft), entertainment

(https://skift.com/tag/entertainment), hawthorn
(https://skift.com/tag/hawthorn), hilton (https://skift.com/tag/hilton), in-
room (https://skift.com/tag/in-room), marriott
(https://skift.com/tag/marriott), technology
(https://skift.com/tag/technology), wingate (https://skift.com/tag/wingate),
wyndham (https://skift.com/tag/wyndham)

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