Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 - (Page 32)

32| Deliver Televisions take flight Hotels offer first-class treatment, allowing guests to check-in to the airport before they check-out t comes as no surprise that most people find the comforts of a hotel more enjoyable than an airport gate, especially when waiting for a delayed flight. So to make a guest’s stay pleasant down to the last minute, the Sofitel Chicago O’Hare Hotel offers up-to-theminute airline flight arrival and departure information for guests on a high-definition, flat-panel television. Using FlyteBoard by FlyteSystems (www.flytesystems.com), the TV displays electronically transmitted information via a high-speed Internet connection. “It’s a live connection with what’s happening, so if there are delays, cancellations or a change of dates, it’s the most accurate information we have at the time,” says Pierre-Louis Giacotto, the hotel’s general manager. FlyteBoard is I able to account for most delays, including those caused by air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, crew availability and weather. The hotel also offers FlytePass, which allows guests to print their boarding passes at the hotel using a touch-screen, self-service system. The implementation of the systems was simple, and their upkeep is nearly nonexistent, Mr. Giacotto says, citing an occasional reboot of the systems as the only necessary maintenance. The systems are timesavers for guests and staff, as guests no longer have to wait for the front-desk clerk’s undivided attention to get their pass printed or find out their flight status. In turn, it frees up the front-desk staff from acquiring flight information and allows them to accommodate other guest needs. The concern of retaining the style that coincides with luxury hotels was a nonissue for Mr. Giacotto. By placing the systems away from the focal point of the lobby and instead setting them up in special “guest stations,” the hotel’s décor was not compromised. In fact, Mr. Giacotto says it offers luxury to the guest by providing a convenient and perhaps uncommon service. “Being the type of hotel we are, obviously it is important that you give as much service as possible to your guest and give the convenience that they wouldn’t have at other hotels,” Mr. Giacotto says. » BY EMILY HANNA PHOTOS: FLYTESYSTEMS Luxury Hotelier | February 2008 | www.LuxuryHotelier.com http://www.flytesystems.com http://www.LuxuryHotelier.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Hotelier - February 2008

Luxury Hotelier - February 2008 Editor's Letter Publisher's Letter Inform Network Forever Young Evolution for Jumeirah Insight Diamond in the Rough Amenities Televisions Art in Residence Yield Management Development Wine Lists Marketing to Locals Update Advertisers Index Editorial Index Source Listing Dossier

Luxury Hotelier - February 2008

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