Marriott Partnership to Develop Hotel of the Future

By Adina Marcut

Marriott’s IoT Hotel Room

Technology is disrupting the real estate industry in many ways, and the hotel sector is no exception. Marriott has partnered with Samsung and Legrand to develop the industry’s first Internet of Things hotel room, a smart hotel room designed to show the hotel experience of the future. The IoT Guestroom Lab, part of Marriott’s 10,000-square-foot Innovation Lab at its corporate headquarters in Bethesda, Md., was created to develop more efficient hotel room design and construction, explore new concepts to create a better guest experience and contribute to Marriott’s global sustainability efforts.

The IoT Guestroom Lab incorporates multiple IoT systems, devices and applications communicating with one another in order to optimize hotel operations. The new prototype will allow guests to use a mobile app or their voice to control the temperature, request additional housekeeping services, start the shower at a desired temperature or ask a virtual assistant for a wake-up call. 

“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,” Stephanie Linnartz, global chief commercial officer of Marriott International, said in a statement.

Revamping the hotel experience

The companies have built two different prototype rooms, each programmed with scenarios for three different types of travelers: a yoga-minded meeting planner; a frequent “road warrior”; and a family of four on vacation. One of the rooms mimics a standard hotel room that could be refurbished to allow for more technological control, while another shows a room built from scratch to fully implement the latest advancements, according to Bethesda Magazine. In the new-build room, some of the tech features on display include:

• smart mirror
• smart art frame
• smart shower
• faucet
• Amazon Show for voice-activated commands

“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,” James Stansberry, senior vice president & general manager Samsung Electronics, said in a statement.  “From intuitive lighting to voice-activated room controls, we’re delivering customizable, intelligent experiences that make our consumers’ lives more convenient, productive and secure.”  

The Lab was created to help hotel owners offer a more seamless experience for hotel guests that requires minimum equipment, as well as provide guests with an integrated experience with access to their own data and information. The systems would also help hotel manager offer more personalized service. Marriott’s goal is for alll tech-embracing hoteliers to be a part of the new technology. 

The IoT Guestroom Lab will run for about three months. Marriott, Samsung and Legrand will analyze feedback to determine their next steps. Guests can expect to see these new technologies implemented within the next five years.

Marriott International encompasses a portfolio of 6,400 properties across 30 brands in 126 countries. The company’s latest development was a 192-key hotel in Lower Manhattan.

Image courtesy of Marriott