iPods that provide room service, a shower that cleans itself, a mirror that broadcasts the weather ufffd technology is breaking new ground in hospitality, and hoteliers want you to be gadget-savvy, James Bond style, says Janaki Viswanathan

iPods that provide room service, a shower that cleans itself, a mirror that broadcasts the weather -- technology is breaking new ground in hospitality, and hoteliers want you to be gadget-savvy, James Bond style, says Janaki Viswanathan

The good news? It still plays music. The better news? It also switches on the television, dims the reading lights, turns down the central air-conditioning, tells you who is standing outside the door, and sets up the Internet. Docked in each one of the 72 rooms of Hotel Suba International, Sahar, is a jet-black iPod Touch that performs the functions of three remote controls.u00a0Managing director Mansur Mehta first spotted the iPod-as-a-remote technology while on a business trip to Hong Kong. The idea took a year to get implemented. "Buying iPods in bulk from Apple, securing a licence agreement from them that allowed us to download applications, getting guestrooms wired, and finally, activating those apps on the iPOD, is what it took," he says.

The iPods at Suba International currently perform six functions. They switch on the television, browse channels, log on to the Internet (the TV screen doubles up as a computer, the iPod as keypad), control lights and air-conditioning, show you who's at the door (a webcam is installed outside each door), and play a selection of movies and music on TV.u00a0u00a0

The three-star hotel mostly plays host to business guests in the city, typically aged 26 to 40. Mehta admits that the older guests are still awkward with tehnological innovations in hospitality. "But that's no problem. We also have conventional systems in every room, so the iPod connectivity can be turned off, and the guest is welcome to use various remote controls for devices," he explains.

Of those game to try the innovation, Mehta says, the younger lot is usually excited with the Internet application, while older ones opt for the movies. "One of our guests even mock complained about how he couldn't sleep for the two nights he stayed here, because he was too busy watching movies!" laughs Mehta.u00a0u00a0
The Hindi films in a movie list that runs up to 2,000, is sourced from Sa Re Ga Ma and 70 MM, although the hotel can only screen films that have been aired on television. The English list is far more extensive, packed with recent releases.

In and around
Suba may be the first in Mumbai to kick off a trend, but they are not the only ones. Sayaji, a one-and-a-half year-old hotel in Wakad, Pune, has been using iPod remotes since they opened in 2009. General manager Jaykannan P says the idea occured to them when Apple launched the iPod Touch, and they realised it would allow them to integrate several applications. Jaykannan says, "Isn't it good to have one device that controls everything in a room. Otherwise, a guest usually spends half an hour in locating various remotes."

It was first tested at their Indore property, and encouraging feedback from guests made it a must-try in Pune.u00a0
While he doesn't believe this means reduced personalised service, Jaykannan admits it helps cut down on human errors. "Eventually, we are planning to launch a room service menu on the iPod, so guests can place orders without calling. It cuts down on time taken to make a call, place an order, someone taking it down and making the delivery." And there's lesser chance that a Paneer Kadhai will land up at your door instead of the Paneer Achari.

Four Seasons, a seven-star hotel in Worli is techno-friendly too. "Our meeting rooms can be monitored through a single remote control. Shortly, we will introduce ipads at our Front andu00a0 Concierge desks to illustrate in-house and external facilities and services. Our guests can borrow Kindles from the hotel too," says Vincent Hoogewijs, GM, Four Seasons. These two apart, most hotels in Mumbai don't seem to be revolutionalising the hospitality experience through gadgets, the way those in the West are.u00a0

S Karthik, senior vice president, Lodha Construction, doesn't think Indians are techphobic. "Look at how we've taken to Facebook and Twitter. We are a social and techno-friendly country. The number of text messages we send every day is second only to Germany," he states. Lodha Construction doesn't dabble in the hotel industry yet, but they recently introduced an application through which residents could send out SMS commands to appliances scattered across their luxury apartments. Picture this: You are returning home from work, and you send an SMS to a server to get your airconditioner up and running so that your room cools by the time your car drives into the porch. "Our clientele is time-poor, so this works well for them," he smiles.

Karthik finds the idea of the iPod controlling functions exciting. Any device that makes life simpler will be patronised, he reasons.

Coming soon
Indian hotels may still only be just warming up to the concept, but developments are already underway. Suba International plans to activate an application where guests can screen visitors and open their doors using the iPod Touch.u00a0

Meanwhile, Sayaji is going the community way. "We have computers installed in each of our rooms. In due time, we are planning to connect all these computers into one network, to start a sort of community between guests," says Jaykannan.u00a0

It makes life easier for frequent fliers who miss home. When expats travel to India, they are looking for other expats to interact with. "A German guest can connect with other Germans at the hotel, make plans to meet in the evening maybe."

Karthik says any futuristic technology can work, provided it's easy to use. "All of us want control at our fingertips. The simplicity of the device and its ability to perform more functions is what's crucial."u00a0u00a0 The only fallout? Deleting the human element, maybe. But there's always Twitter to reconnect.

How it works

How the iPod touch functions
Every room has a WiFi box in a trapdoor on the ceiling, which is connected to the iPod Touch. Any command given on the iPod is first read by the WiFi box, which is connected to all appliances in the room, and the command is carried out. In case of a power-cut, the iPod can function for eight hours on its own.

The iPod helps do away with
>>Guest directories
>>Doorknob placards
>>In-room menus
>>Drycleaning forms

What it cost Suba
The approximate cost incurred by Suba International to activate the apps in iPod Touch for each room: Rs 2.5 lakh

What it costs you
Suba International's tariff: Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000

Trend forecast
The Hospitality Industry Technology Expo & Conference (HITEC) held last month in Orlando, USA, featured the Guestroom 20X exhibit. This installation picks the best among hospitality technology innovators, andu00a0 displays them in a 'hotel room'. Hotels can then contact the innovators to set up operations in their properties.

In past HITEC events, the Guestroom 20X has featured high-definition artworks, which can change depending on the guest's mood and a self-cleaning shower. This year's highlights were a cell phone application which can unlock the room door, and a mirror which can tell you what the day's going to be like.

Avaya Hospitality also introduced a large screen that can make calls, set alarms, and make reservations. Daryl Page, MD, Avaya, has been quoted saying, "Avaya's hospitality solutions are ideal for hotels seeking to provide a one-of-a-kind guest experience. With this solution, the hotel can meet the guests' needs with a higher level of personalised service."

Go tech, go green
Who'd think technology could save the environment? OpenWays (another hospitality innovations company) has developed an application that can let the guest get most things done by using his own phone. The application is supported by most phones in the market including GSM, CDMA, 4G.
Think about it. No card keys, no register to check yourself in and out, no paper to note down room service orders.