TiVo invades the hotel room, comes to Mondrian in South Beach
It's about time, no? TiVo has finally cut a deal to get its heralded time-shifting box into hotel rooms, and while the first agreement is relatively small in scope, we can see huge potential for this initiative. The outfit has signed on with Morgans Hotel Group -- which owns the Delano in South Beach, Royalton and Hudson in New York City, and Sanderson in London -- in order to bring TiVo functionality to every guest room in the soon-to-open (December 1st) Mondrian in South Beach (Miami, FL). There are no specifics given as to which model will be installed, but it definitely doesn't mention TiVo HD nor the word "high-definition." Still, we'd take an SD TiVo as part of the stay, but we won't stop wishing there was a way to transfer all of our currently unwatched programs at home to the box in the hotel room. Full release is after the break.
Update: We've received word that the units will be TiVo HD boxes connected to HDTVs. Stellar!
TIVO AND MORGANS HOTEL GROUP TEAM UP TO REDEFINE IN-ROOM ENTERTAIMENT
Deal Brings TiVo to the Hotel Room Enabling Guests to Watch TV on Their Terms
NEW YORK, New York and ALVISO, California, November 12, 2008 - TiVo
Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television
services for digital video recorders (DVRs), and Morgans Hotel Group
Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC), the groundbreaking innovator that introduced the
world to iconic brands such as Delano in South Beach, Royalton and
Hudson in New York City, and Sanderson in London, today announced that
they are bringing the luxuries of in-home entertainment to the hotel
by offering the TiVo service in all rooms throughout Morgans' newest
property, the highly anticipated Mondrian in South Beach.
Joe Miller, Senior Vice President, Consumer Sales and Distribution for
TiVo Inc. said, "When traveling, schedules can be unpredictable and
television choices in hotels are typically limited, making it far more
difficult to watch your favorite programs... until now. For the first
time in any hotel, guests of the new Mondrian in South Beach can enjoy
the TiVo service right in their rooms, so they know that after
enjoying dinner in Miami their favorite show will be waiting for them
when they get back to their rooms."
Mondrian guests will be able to use the Emmy(R) award-winning TiVo
user interface to record, pause, and rewind live TV, as well as set-up
recordings of their favorite shows, and even use WishList(R) searches
to find programs with their favorite actors or directors. The benefit
of the TiVo experience doesn't end there, as guests will have the
option of recording two shows at the same time, while watching a third
previously recorded show.
"We don't want our guests to have a compromised TV experience when
they stay with us. Quite the opposite," said Scott Williams Executive
Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of Morgans Hotel Group. "Our
guests expect innovation from every encounter in our hotels. They
love all things digital and TiVo is the coolest, most ground-breaking
digital invention of the century and the perfect complement to our
guest's TV experience. We're giving our guests cool tools to manage
their lifestyle and maximize their experience; no more sacrifices when
they travel."
Miller added, "We are thrilled to be working with Morgans on this
first of its kind initiative. Morgans has a reputation for providing
only the best services and amenities to its guests and TiVo
complements this commitment by offering the best, most personalized
way to watch television."
The TiVo service will be available to all residents and guests of
Mondrian in South Beach when it officially opens on December 1st.
