Marriott Introduces IoT Hotel Room of the Future
Marriott International, now the largest hotel company in the world since its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts last year, is working with Samsung and Legrand to create the hospitality industry’s Internet of Things (IoT) hotel room of the future.
The IoT Guestroom Lab is exploring enhanced guest experiences, more efficient hotel room design and construction, and contributions to Marriott’s global sustainability efforts and goals. Lab employees, hired for their superior innovative abilities and brain power, are working hard to get systems, applications and devices that weren’t designed to communicate with each other to work together for the benefit of guests and better hotel operations.
Marriott’s goal is a future where hotel owners would have a seamless, transparent and flexible end-to-end solution that requires minimal equipment, while customers would enjoy an integrated experience with access to their own data and information, as well as accessible voice and mobile-optimized controls. Such systems would benefit hotel operations while at the same time improving personalized service by, for instance, allowing staff to provide services at a guest’s desired time.
Following the three-month-long IoT Guestroom Lab, Marriott, Samsung and Legrand will analyze feedback to continue innovating with IoT technology. Marriott expects consumers will start to see elements of the technology in hotel rooms within the next five years.
Legrand, which is working with Marriott and Samsung in the lab, is a company that specializes in electrical and digital building infrastructures. It offers comprehensive and innovative solutions for use in commercial, industrial and residential markets. The company’s prime paths for growth are innovation—generating a steady flow of new products with high added value—and acquisitions. It reported sales of close to €4.5 billion (US$6.0 billion) in 2013.
“At Legrand, we offer a suite of power, light and data solutions that bring power and connectivity to previously untapped locations. Legrand is partnering with Marriott to improve the guest experience in a cost effective and intuitive manner. This work further supports our Eliot Program in North America, Legrand’s global IoT program that encompasses our ambition, drives our product innovation and fosters our partnership in the IoT space,” said Ken Freeman, Senior Vice President of Demand Creation, Legrand. “Legrand’s product portfolio can elevate a property by turning everyday features into lasting highlights. We are thrilled to collaborate with Marriott and Samsung to conceptualize and deliver on the future traveler’s needs.”
“We know that our guests expect to personalize almost everything in their lives, and their hotel experience should be no different,” said Stephanie Linnartz, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Marriott International. “By teaming with best-in-class partners, we are leveraging mobile and voice-enabled technology to give our guests the ability to set up the room to best meet their needs – whether that is creating the ultimate relaxation environment or one that enables productivity for business travelers.”
“At Samsung, we aspire to make life easier and better for our consumers, whether they’re at home or their home away from home,” said James Stansberry, Senior Vice President and General Manager of ARTIK IoT, Samsung Electronics. “Partnering with Legrand and Marriott, we can offer users unprecedented levels of control and personalization, thanks to our end-to-end IoT services powered by the ARTIK platform and the SmartThings Cloud. From intuitive lighting to voice-activated room controls, we’re delivering customizable, intelligent experiences that make our consumers’ lives more convenient, productive and secure.”
Marriott says that developing an intuitive system is critical as it seeks to continuously innovate the global guest experience across its 30 brands. The technology inside the IoT Guestroom Lab allows, for instance, a user to ask a virtual assistant for a 6:30 AM wake-up alarm, to start a yoga routine on a full-length mirror, request additional housekeeping services and start the shower at the desired temperature stored in their customer profile – all by voice or app.
“We’re proud to be innovating with industry leading partners to get closer to revolutionizing the guest experience, along with hotel operations and even hotel construction,” said Karim Khalifa, Senior Vice President, Global Design, Marriott International. “Together with Samsung and Legrand, we are well on our way to creating the hotel room of the future.”
