Far from being a flash-in-the-pan trend, the high-tech hotel is here to stay. That’s because millennials now want more from their holidays through social media invites and smartphone app check-ins. Here are 5 of the best to try.
The Instagram hotel – 1888 Hotel, Sydney
If you’re a fan of the selfie, then you’ll love the 90-bedroom 1888 Hotel in Pyrmont, Sydney. The management are Instagram-obsessed, and have set up a “selfie space” in the lobby: you take a picture to check in, which is instantly uploaded onto a screen beside the reception. They’ve also enlisted the help of a local blogger, Emily Fang of Little Black Book, to create the ultimate insta-walk, a photo tour of the nearby Darling Harbour, and if you’re an Instagram expert with 10,000 or more followers, they’ll let you stay for free. The hotel’s motto? Every level has an Instagram view.
The Google Glass hotel – Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine, Spain
It’s perhaps not what you’d expect from a hotel located in a converted 12th century abbey, but the owners of the LeDomaine in the Duoro wine region of Spain have splashed out on the latest high-tech gadget of them all. It’s the first place in Europe to do so and guests can now use one of eight sets – free of charge – while touring the historic grounds (above) and vineyards. Take photos and videos which you can download to bring home later, look up information on the site or region, or simply phone a friend to make them jealous.
The Twitter hotel – Sol Wave House, Mallorca
Sol Wave House on the Balearic Island of Mallorca in Spain is the world’s first Twitter-themed hotel, and loves a 140-character message. So they ask you to embrace the social media phenomenon by tweeting as you check in and share your best moments online as part of its #SocialWave community. If you’re a novice, the dedicated Twitter Concierge can help you sort out your hashtags from your breakfast buffet hash browns.
The wearable tech hotel – Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel, Ibiza and Hard Rock Hotel, Ibiza
It was only a matter of time before someone came up with the idea of replacing a room key with a piece of electronic fashion. Now both the Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel (pictured) and the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza in Spain give you the option of purchasing a €29 (US$36) bracelet (dubbed a VIB, or Very Important Bracelet) that not only gives you access to your room but lets you pay for food, drinks at the bar and skip lines for check-in and check-out. No more worrying about where to stash your room key when you go swimming. The only thing it can’t do is stop you from over-spending at the hotel shops, where you’ll also receive discounts.
The robot hotel – Yotel, New York City
Yotel – from those same people who gave the world the Yo Sushi fast-food chain – is a budget chain with properties in London, Amsterdam and New York. They’ve gone all Star Trek with the most out-there high-tech hotel development yet: a robot concierge (above) at their New York City outpost. As the hotel was built by aircraft designers to maximise space (rooms are called cabins because of their diminutive size), the 6m-tall “Yobot” helps place luggage in lockers instead. But the robot isn’t just a one-off gimmick. The hotel also has an automated check-in system, bars and restaurants.
Written by Michael Scott for Silverkris
