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High-tech Japanese hotel to employ human-like robot staff
Going to Japan? Here's a bit of advice: if you're absolutely terrified of eerie human-like robots, think very hard before visiting Nagasaki prefecture's Henn-na Hotel that's slated to open its doors in July. Why? Because the high-tech hotel will employ 10 robots, three of which are multilingual gynoids that look like they were shipped straight from Uncanny Valley. Kokoro, the robots' manufacturer, calls them "actroids," and yes, you've seen us feature them in the past. Thankfully, they're stuck behind the check-in counter as receptionists, so you can just get that part done as fast as possible. Or, you can try to flirt for a room upgrade if that's your thing, since they can apparently establish eye contact and respond to body language.
Marriott is no longer fighting for permission to block WiFi hotspots
Marriott wants you to know that it's completely done trying to block guests' personal WiFi connections -- it has even given up convincing the FCC to give it permission to do so, a spokesperson told Engadget. The company already announced that it won't be keeping people from using their own MiFis and hotspots in hotel rooms, but its official statement at that time said it "will continue to look to the FCC to clarify appropriate security measures network operators." See, the hotel chain still wanted the FCC to let it continue blocking personal WiFi in its business and convention centers in order to protect guests from rogue internet connections, or so it claimed.
Marriott plans to bring Netflix to your hotel room TV
The next time you're on a trip, you may have something to watch on the hotel room TV besides the usual so-so channels and on-demand movies. Marriott has confirmed to Bloomberg that it's trialing access to streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and Pandora on TVs in eight of its hotels. It's not certain what the company will charge (if anything) if it launches this feature in earnest, although it's reportedly mulling a few options that include a "premium" internet tier with TV streaming on top of the usual WiFi. That last choice might not be very popular when you can already curl up on the bed with your laptop at no extra cost. Having said this, Marriott hasn't committed to anything yet -- there's a lot left to decide before you can watch House of Cards on a big screen during your vacation.
Marriott no longer wants to block guests' WiFi devices
Marriott's (thankfully) raising the white flag and admitting defeat to Google, Microsoft and everyone else lobbying against its plans to block WiFi devices inside its hotels. The company has issued a statement that makes its new stance clear: guests can now use their own WiFi devices without having to worry that their hotspot connections will be blocked in the middle of something important. If you recall, Marriott recently paid a $600,000 fine due to a complaint that it's been blocking guests' personal hotspots. The hotel chain claims it's to protect guests from connecting to rogue hotspots set up by hackers and has even submitted a request to the FCC to let it continue doing so.
Google and Microsoft fight hotels' attempts to block personal WiFi
The battle between hotels and hotspot-toting travelers isn't over just because Marriott settled a complaint that it blocked personal WiFi -- far from it. Google, Microsoft and a US carrier lobbying group (the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association) are opposing a hotel industry petition asking the FCC to let them block guests' hotspots while they're on the premises. Google and its allies contend that the hospitality business is trying not only to make customers pay for expensive WiFi, but also to effectively take control of unlicensed wireless frequencies. Everyone has "equal rights" to use those airwaves, the carriers say.
Check out HelloTel when you check in to your hotel
HelloTel is a brand new social networking app. This app allows users to "check-in" to a hotel much like a user would check-in on location based apps like Foursquare. The user is then also able to see nearby users who have checked into their hotel as well as nearby hotels. It requires iOS 6.0 or later and is compatible with iPod touch, iPad, and optimized for iPhone 5. Once a user has checked-in, they can message others and give them "kudos", which I guess is just a positive quick way to say you like their profile. I think I might be one of the very few female users currently on this app because I instantly was swamped with messages and kudos. Users can also add you to their favorites list. HelloTel is a very easy platform for meeting people if you are from out of town and traveling alone. You might want to have a quick drink to pass the time the night before an important business function or other purposeful visit. There is also an option for a user to indicate that they are on the app for business. Truthfully I don't see people using this app for business because the design has more of a dating app feel and the content that people can put in their profile is all personal. The social aspect of the app is quite appealing though. The interface design is reminiscent of Tinder, without the option to swipe left or right on a user. I like the basic white/teal color palate. The hotel themed icons - such as the bellhop - are really cute. It's easy to navigate from tab to tab and to message other users. Users have the option to add photos of their stay and to post a status about the hotel. Setting up my profile only took a minute and finding other nearby users to message was simple and straight forward. I will probably use HelloTel next time I am traveling alone and looking to socialize with other hotel visitors. Sometimes it's fun to meet a new person to have a drink at the hotel bar and check out an indoor pool with, and it's probably much safer to do this with a person who is staying in the same place you are, versus a random person from a bar or another dating app. I recommend HelloTel for people who travel often and are looking for a social media app that can allow them to meet people where they are instead of staying in their hotel room all alone. Chances are, getting out and meeting people will be much more fun than any of the premium movies you can order from your hotel room TV.
Marriott settles complaint that it forced convention goers to use hotel WiFi
Ever suspected that a hotel was forcing you to use its paid WiFi by making your mobile hotspot unusable? Apparently, your hunch has some grounding in reality. Marriott has paid a $600,000 fine to settle a complaint that it blocked third-party hotspots at a Nashville hotel to make convention attendees and exhibitors pay for the venue's commercial WiFi access -- not exactly cheap at $250 to $1,000 a pop. As the FCC explains, the hotel was effectively asking users to either pay twice for internet access or else risk going offline whenever they approached the convention center.
Premier Inn's new smart hotel lets you book, check in and get cosy with an app
More than four years in the making, Premier Inn has taken the wraps off its first smart hotel rooms. The UK's biggest hotel chain has embraced mobile with both hands, letting you book your stay, check in and play with various room settings using its official iOS or Android apps. The 123 square-foot rooms in its flagship "hub" in Covent Garden (which opens in November but is now available to book) come furnished with a 40-inch smart TV and as much free high-speed WiFi as you can guzzle. With an app that can seemingly control everything, including the room temperature and what's on the box, we wonder if London's street performers will notice a sudden drop in donations as guests ditch sightseeing for some technology-enabled R&R.
New York hotel tried to charge $500 fines for negative online reviews
Big brands and colossal companies spend small fortunes to protect their online reputations, so what's a small boutique hotel to do when it's worried about bad reviews? Well, for an object lesson in what not to do, consider the case of Hudson, New York's Union Street Guest House. By now, the broad strokes have been well established: The company had a ridiculous policy featured on its website, under which bad reviews were punishable with $500 fines. Here's the offending bit, before the hotel excised it from the web: If you have booked the Inn for a wedding or other type of event anywhere in the region and given us a deposit of any kind for guests to stay at USGH there will be a $500 fine that will be deducted from your deposit for every negative review of USGH placed on any internet site by anyone in your party and/or attending your wedding or event. If you stay here to attend a wedding anywhere in the area and leave us a negative review on any internet site you agree to a $500 fine for each negative review.
Google now shows what you can do near your hotel
When you land in a strange new city, your first instinct may be to see what there is to do near your hotel. However, searching Google for nearby attractions can be a hassle if you don't remember your hotel's name or address by heart. That memorization is no longer necessary after today, though -- Google has updated its search engine to use the booking confirmation in your Gmail as a locator. If you want to look for a late-night diner, all you have to do is ask Google to "show restaurants around my hotel." You can also get directions to or from your accommodations, so you should reach a welcoming bed (or your flight) just a little bit faster. The addition makes the most sense if you're using voice search in one of Google's mobile apps, but any traveler can give it a spin.
Hilton will let you use your phone as a hotel room key
Starwood isn't the only hotel chain that wants you to use your smartphone as a hotel room key; Hilton is launching an initiative that lets you use your Android or iOS device to control virtually every aspect of your stay. Later this summer, a Hilton app will let you choose your preferred room, make special requests, check in and check out. You'll only have to speak to staff when it's time to pick up or return your keys. And in 2015, you won't even need to do that much -- your phone will also unlock your room, letting you make a beeline for your bed after a long flight.
Data thieves want to track what you type at hotel business centers
You may not want to use your hotel's business center to check email on your next big trip. The Secret Service has warned the hospitality business that thieves are installing keyloggers on hotel PCs to steal guests' data. In a recent Dallas area bust, authorities caught multiple people swiping account logins, banking info and other personal details from travelers typing away at compromised business center systems. The culprits didn't even have to exploit security holes to get in -- the key-tracking software required "little technical skill."
Marriott and MIT want to turn your hotel into a social network
If you travel often, you know that it's hard to socialize at hotels; short of a chance encounter, you'll probably end up drinking at the bar by yourself. MIT and Marriott may have a better solution in store with their Six Degrees app. The mobile software uses LinkedIn to find connections between you and other guests. You'll know if someone is a college alum, works at the same company or shares your love of scotch. Staff can organize events if there are enough people with common interests, and there's even an LED-equipped table that lights up a line between visitors when there's a match.
Guests at the Hyatt Regency in Hong Kong can use this smartphone for free
I've found fruit baskets, chocolates, even a bottle of Honig wine in my hotel rooms over the years. Never a smartphone -- until today. Last month, the Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong installed handsets in each of its 381 rooms. Guests can use the phone throughout a stay, with unlimited data (and tethering!), and calls to Hong Kong, the US, UK, Australia, China and Singapore included for free. It comes with Facebook, Instagram, Skype and a handful of travel applications pre-installed, and once you type in your Google credentials, you can add any other apps you want. Then, when you're ready to check out, simply tap the "clear data" button to wipe your personal info and return the device to its original state, so it's ready for the next guest.
Android now lets you search for hotels and restaurants you can actually afford
So far, Android search hasn't been very discriminating when it comes to hotels and restaurants; finding a posh eatery one block away is no use if you can't afford it. Google is about to provide relief to wallets everywhere, though, as it just updated the mobile search app to include filters à la Foursquare or Yelp. Ask for a place to eat or stay and you can narrow the results by price range, cuisine style, rating and hours. The upgraded search only works in the US at the moment, but it should eventually be a boon to anyone who's looking for a cheap bite or a late-night crash pad.
HotelTonight app now lets you preview room availability seven days ahead
HotelTonight's namesake feature is also holding it back: You can only book a room beginning at 9AM on the day of check-in. If you're planning to arrive during a major event, say, in Los Angeles during E3 or Rio during Carnival, landing without a confirmed room can add to the already stressful travel process. But the folks at HotelTonight have a good idea of whether or not you'll be able to find a room, and the team's now ready to share that info with you. Now, when you open up the iOS app, Look Ahead will let you preview room pricing and availability for the next seven days. The app will even give you a heads up if there's an event in town, so you can be aware of higher than normal rates, or opt to change your plans to avoid the crowds. Look Ahead is available today in Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, DC. You'll need to have an iPhone to take advantage, but expect the feature to hit Android soon.
Starwood swapping room keys for mobile phones at two hotels
Starwood plans to roll out refreshed SPG apps that can unlock your guest room later this quarter. The new tech, which the company refers to as "keyless key" in its intro video (embedded after the break), will soon let you bypass the front desk and enter your room using an Android 4.3 or iPhone 4s (or newer) device at the Aloft Harlem and the Aloft Silicon Valley. Existing locks must be upgraded in order to communicate with the Android and iOS apps via Bluetooth, according to a WSJ report, but Starwood's CEO says that the "investment would not be substantial." Starwood currently offers a Smart Check-In solution at several Aloft hotels, but the existing system requires guests to obtain (and carry) a compatible membership card. It's also quite limited, with only nine hotels currently participating. Meanwhile, if this initial smartphone rollout is a success, your phone could be the key to all W and Aloft hotels worldwide by the end of next year.
'The world's only 7-Star hotel' is giving 24k gold-plated iPads to guests
The Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai is often referred to as "the world's only 7-Star hotel." And now you can see why. The hotel has announced that it will be giving 24-carat gold-plated iPads to guests at check-in. The iPad will act as a "virtual concierge" for the hotel's guests, with information like maps, housekeeping services, spa services and more. Guests will be required to give the iPads back when they check out, unless they choose to purchase it (there's no word on the cost). The gold-plated iPad isn't the only Apple product that the Burj Al Arab's guests can enjoy: each of its 202 rooms has an iMac as well.
Priceline says mobile flight bookers like taking it easy
Priceline.com is one of the most well-known flight- and hotel-booking sites out there, and the company recently shared some information with TUAW about how its mobile device-based users tend to set up travel. The company identified three trends for the people booking flights from mobile devices like iPhones and iPads, presumably through the company's iOS app. First, those who booked air travel on mobile devices tended to be younger than the average purchaser of a flight ticket on a desktop. The average age for a mobile booker was around 32, about six years younger than desktop users. That still seems old to me, but it makes sense that the people booking flights tend to be older, as they're most likely to have the money for traveling this way. Mobile air bookers also tend to book things closer in advance, says Priceline, and about half of those booking flights by mobile device only booked one-way tickets, which the company says means those users like to make plans on the move rather than far ahead of time. Finally, mobile bookers had one big advantage: They tended to pay less for their tickets, with an average price of $283 as compared to desktop users' $315. I'm not sure that means mobile bookers have a nose for deals necessarily; maybe it just means that people tend to book pricier flights on the desktop in general. No matter what the reason, it's definitely interesting that there are such clear differences between Priceline's mobile users and those on the desktop.
UK retailer GAME invites Londoners to stay at its gamified hotel suite
Hotels and video games aren't a natural fit, so now that UK retailer GAME is inviting people to stay in a hotel suite specially designed to suit a gamer's needs, our eyebrows are raised. The inevitable title of this gamified accommodation? The GAME Pad, of course.GAME is only trying out the one Pad at the moment, located at a Stalybridge Suites hotel in London. On top of an en-suite kitchen and king-size bed, the Pad is decked out like a gamer's den, with GAME describing it as the "ultimate gaming experience."There's a Wii U and a PS3 in the lounge area, and an Xbox 360 in the bedroom. Each console is attached to its own 40-inch TV, and comes with the top 10 charting games for that system. With so much gaming to hand, the idea is clearly to make guests feel like they don't have to move from their butt-sized indentations for the entire night. The room is also pre-loaded with snacks, drinks (including booze), and four pizzas, as well as breakfast in the morning. It doesn't come cheap, though, with one night's stay priced at £199 ($320), with multiple nights bookable. %Gallery-172798%
