What if your guests could just “ask” their rooms to adjust the temperature, turn on the lights or play their favorite music? Forget the “touch of a button” – they simply say “Hey Siri” and ask. The room of the future is already here at Aloft in Boston Seaport and Santa Clara…and your tech-obsessed, highly-connected traveler is looking for a level of personalization like never before.

Hotels are already incorporating iPads, mobile apps, and even robots into the guest experience. Now they can customize their hotel rooms with the sound of their voices following the recent launch of “Project: Jetson” at Aloft Hotels. Each room is equipped with an iPad that runs the custom Aloft app that allows guests to literally interact with their rooms.

Here’s how it works:

When your guests arrive, they launch the Aloft app on the in-room iPad. The app opens to a welcome screen with tips for how to set up their room and to activate voice commands with “Hey Siri.”  The app also provides a simple tutorial to answer any questions and guide them through the setup.

Once the iPad is configured, your guests can control the lights and TV, adjust the temperature, play music, retrieve information about your hotel and the surrounding area as well as obtain concierge advice about nearby restaurants, tours, and activities.

Your guests can also sign in to any personal streaming media accounts to view movies or listen to their own music playlists or podcasts. The app also allows guests to browse the internet for current weather reports, movie times, restaurant menus, etc.

A few examples:

• Your guest is lying in bed reading and decides to watch a movie… they ask Siri to adjust the lighting to select a pre-set mood such as Re:set (standard lighting); Re:lax (evening); Re:view (movie theater); and Re:vive (morning).
• Your guest wakes up at 3 am and feels cold.  They ask Siri to adjust the temperature to make it warmer.
• Your guest is looking for a sushi restaurant nearby… they just ask “Hey Siri, where is the closest sushi restaurant?”
• Your guest wants to know what attractions are in the area. They ask Siri and take their pick!

When your guests check out, the iPad is reset and all settings and preferences are removed. The system is ready for your next guest to enjoy. During this pilot program, the hotel will refine the voice activation system as it receives feedback from guests. As more people use it and give the system positive reviews, more hotels in the chain will be adding the service.

Other recent technology advances in the hotel industry, such as smartphone-controlled locks on room doors, emoji-only room service menus, and robotic butlers have led to new career opportunities in the industry.  This article describes 6 new and exciting tech jobs on the rise in hospitality.  Technology is changing the way people travel as well as raising their expectations for highly personalized service. The sky’s the limit on future of hospitality.