By Scott Kramer
Some 20,000 feet above Nevada four weeks ago, it dawned on me that I probably should’ve left my laptop computer at home. Crammed into 23B — a middle seat — aboard an Air Canada flight heading to Toronto, I went to open the laptop to edit an article. It couldn’t open all the way. And no, the seat in front of me was not reclined. Rather it sat in its “upright” position — still an angle just shy of allowing me to open up the laptop enough to even see the screen. No wonder tablets are so popular among air travelers.
Then when I got to my hotel, I realized that it had two brand-new and relatively unused desktop computers available for free to any guest. It’s fairly common for hotels to offer guests the use of PC’s, but they’re typically old and slow models, in my experience. After I used this one, I was pleasantly surprised when it informed me that when I closed the window it would wipe all of the data from my session, for my peace of mind. I’d never seen that before on a hotel computer. And in fact, I experienced the same thing later that week in my New York City hotel. Which is when I declared that I will never shlep a laptop on an air-based trip again, unless absolutely necessary. Especially when I can just load any files I need on a USB stick before departure and plug it in at the hotel’s PC. I wouldn’t consider emailing it to myself or storing it online, because I still wouldn’t trust logging into my accounts on a public PC.
Hotels are starting to go further, realizing that offering travelers the proper technology is a selling point. In Hawaii, the Four Seasons Resort Lanai for two years now has stocked each room with an iPad that allows guests to control the TV, read newspapers from around the world, and order room service. And that’s just what Universal Orlando Resort took even further with its Aventura Hotel that opened just last week. Each room is stocked with a tablet. Guests can do the above, but also control the room lights and smart thermostat from it, check their up-to-the-minute room charges, summon housecleaning, set the alarm clock, rent a car, and surf the internet. There’s even a digitized version of the Bible on it — because, hey, this is a hotel room. And you can have a real-time text chat with the front desk for all other needs.
By the way, the tablets are also used as remotes for the TV — you can even select the network logo you want, and it will jump directly to that channel. You can also cast Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and radio content through your personal devices. Once you check out, all of your information is removed from the tablet. Kid suites have two tablets — one for each TV. And each bedside has a charging station of two plugs and two USB ports. The desk lamps double as charging stations, as does a desk which is in each room. Bluetooth speakers also grace each room. Why tablets, as opposed to putting the controls on interactive TV? Tablet “functions were created to enhance the guest experience within the guest rooms, making for a more relaxing and seamless stay,” says Russ Dagon, Universal Creative’s senior vice president of resort development. “The features we decided would be most convenient for our guests function best via tablets. However, we continue to work with our parent company Comcast, to keep our eyes on emerging technologies relative to all things TV- and internet-related.”
The Aventura also has a virtual reality gaming room. Without doubt, it has raised the technological bar for upcoming hotels opening on property next year — let alone perhaps all other hotels in the world. “As we move forward, our guests will look for more technology elements within their hotel stay,” says Dagon. “The hotel business will evolve to cater to this demand. We’re always looking for new ways to improve our guest experience and there’s no doubt that technology helps us accomplish this.”
Scott Kramer is veteran, Southern California-based writer primarily versed in golf and personal technology. Studying Computer Sciences in college, and then working as a programmer/software engineer for about a decade, triggered my passion for today’s high-end, high-tech gadgets. I can’t help myself whenever I see any kind of cool new personal technology. I feel compelled to further check it out and see what it’s all about. And even if I have no use for it personally, I’m always thinking who it might best suit. There are exciting new innovations emerging daily that are shaping the future and simplifying life. And I hope to be your eyes to that world, through the words of this column.