STAMFORD, CT — Starwood Hotels & Resorts has debuted the voice-activated guestroom, giving guests new ways to interact using “Hey Siri,” it was announced Aug. 25.
Each Aloft voice-activated hotel room is equipped with an iPad running a custom Aloft app used for controlling the in-room guest experience, with HomeKit-enabled accessories, including room temperature, lighting options and more. These new rooms are available today at Aloft Boston Seaport and at Aloft Santa Clara.
“Forget the phrase ‘at the touch of your fingertips.’ Today’s early adopter, hyper-connected global traveller wants a level of personalization unlike ever before, and that means being able to control their hotel experience with the sound of their voice,” said Brian McGuinness, global brand leader, Aloft Hotels. “We’re thrilled to be the first hotel brand to bring voice-activation to our guests in this way, using Siri to control room temperature, lighting and more during their stay.”
When guests arrive, they will launch a custom Aloft app on their in-room iPad to control various aspects of their voice-activated room. A personalized welcome screen will advise guests on how to set up their room and use their own voice with “Hey Siri.” Each iPad also offers a simple tutorial to guide guests through the setup process and answer any questions they may have.
Aloft’s ‘smart rooms’ can control adjust in-room temperature via voice-activated commands. Guests can also use Homekit-enabled Philips Hue lights to select current lighting options.
Guests can also use voice-activated commands to customize the playlist archived on their personal devices (guests must be signed into their iTunes account on the iPad).
Using Hey Siri voice commands, guests can also make use of a virtual concierge to explore local attractions.
The new Aloft voice-activated hotel rooms also allow guests to browse the Internet and check the weather, among other functions. At the end of each stay, all iPads are reset and all personal preferences are removed from the device.
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