Hospitality Design - December 2011 - 94

forecast
ordering technology, we are offering a truly unique airport travel experience.” “Digital eating is a natural profession of the touchscreen technology we’ve invented, although it does seem peculiar when you regard dining as a social activity,” adds Jeremy Gutsche, chief trend hunter of trendhunter.com. “Regardless, people crave immediacy and control, both of which you get when you take your order ‘into your own hands’ on a tablet or touchscreen device.” The iPad is not just a tool for restaurants, but also for hotels, as many brands are making them standard in rooms. And they can be another way to customize and enhance the guest experience. “Devices like smart phones and iPads, along with smart cards, have an increased ability to gather data on each individual guest,” says Ellis Katz, executive VP of the hospitality studio of John Portman & Associates. “The iPad, for instance, can be pre-programmed with preferences derived by the actual guest database. It can allow a guest to make reservations at the spa, select their entrees at the restaurant, or book tickets for the theater. Apps provided to members of loyalty programs put more aspects of the guest experience in the guest’s own hands. They can alert your staff in advance of special dietary needs, request culturally appropriate in-room amenities, or arrange for hypoallergenic bedding choices.” Savigar says that it is up to the brands to understand the value of this data, and take it one step further in what he says has been termed “intention recognition.” Companies should “start to work with the consumer and say, ‘The more we know, the more we can anticipate, and make sure the newspaper [you want] is in your room, the coffee is the way you like it,’” he says. “There are pros and cons on each end, but more and more consumers are saying this is better because my choices are made for me, and I get more convenience in terms of not wasting time.” Gutsche adds: “Tangible personalization has been one of the hottest trends for the last ﬁve years, empowered by advances in technology that make customizing products easier than ever before. Accordingly, hotels that ﬁnd ways to incorporate customization will end up getting both word of mouth and social media love.” And Stuart Grief, VP and GM of the travel practice of J.D. Powers and Associates, wants hotels to take it to the next level: “It’s nice when you are traveling to provide a Kindle or a device, but I want my life and my technology to plug into the room. Whether it is a hotel room or rental car, I need my MP3 player and my phone to sync.” Technology can also provide a huge impact in design, notes Gutsche, in what he dubs “digital décor.” From social media wallpaper to columns that are actually video installations, technological advances are allowing walls to add another level to the design. “The rise in digital décor is mostly driven by new technologies and dropping prices,” says Gutsche. “But also, a decade ago, technology was interesting, but most interesting for nerds. Today, the internet and social media has made everyone a bit of a nerd, and fascination with technology has become more mainstream.” Gutsche also says the immersion of media and social media into people’s lives has led to pop culture vacations, pointing to superhero hotel rooms, cartoon hotels, and fantasy vacations. Take the Batman-inspired room at the Eden Motel in Taiwan, the kid-friendly Spiderman room in the Days Inn in Red Deer, Alabama, the Wanderlust hotel in Singapore with rooms ﬁlled with “friendly monsters,” or the Hello Kitty Villa, also in Taipei. “Today’s traveler has become more interested in experience,” Gutsche says. “It’s not simply about visiting a location and checking that location off your list. Now it is about taking on new, unique experiences that are ‘share’ worthy.”

IPads at every table at the ICRAVE-designed Bar Brace in Delta’s JFK terminal.

Kiosk ordering at FoodParc at the Eventi hotel in New York.

Less is More
With technology pervading the consumer’s world, there’s also somewhat of a backlash, with an outcry for face-to-face interaction and meaningful products and experiences. “Psychologically, people are wanting some basic things in life. They want a big hug,” says Savigar. “We are in a conviviality culture, which is the importance of face-to-face and intimacy. But it’s not about me totally disconnecting—I want to see you, but when we are together, let’s do something digital.” One result: invisible design, says Gutsche. That means see-through furniture, illusory staircases, transparent TVs, invisible bookcases. There’s even a light switch without a switch called the Niko Mysterious Wave Control; the lights come on with a wave of the hand. Along the same lines, Gutsche says brands are applying the idea of minimalism to logo and packaging design, what he calls “unlabeling,” opting for cleaner details and less in-your-face selling. Transparency also translates to the

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - December 2011