The New York Times reports that some prominent hotel properties, including the Gansevoort South, one of the hottest new hotels in Miami Beach, are working with tech companies to keep uptodate with the geeky needs of gadget-obsessed guests. 

“What we’re trying to do is give people the chance to experience firsthand the latest in technology,” said Elon Kenchington, Gansevoort’s chief operating officer, explaining that choosing the right technology has become as critical as other elements of a hotel’s design.  “It’s an integral part of not only the success of an operation, but also what makes one brand better than another or more interesting to travelers than other brands,” he said. - Susan Stellin, New York Times, Nov 10 2008

Article also cites Sheraton’s tie-up with Microsoft, Westin’s deal with Nintendo, and Control4’s deals with hotels in Chicago and Las Vegas. Control4 has home automation systems such as a single remote for operating the lights, the blinds, the thermostat and the television.

All fine, and I appreciate the geek-friendliness, but shouldn’t there be some kind of standard? I mean, you go to one hotel, there’s something. You go to the next one, its something totally different, and so on.

No doubt the question is a bit frivolous, but shouldn’t there be a set of common standards for what kind of geekiness is waiting for a guest? I mean, there are King beds, and then there are King beds, but end of the day, they’re all King beds. And we’re all geeks. I wouldn’t want to be limited to vacations in Miami Beach just because they have a Sony Cierge lounge with Sony computers and PlayStation 3 game consoles as well as digital book readers and cameras.

Photo courtesy Gansevoort Hotel Group.

Posted on November 11th, 2008 by Thomas
Filed under: Hotels