Hyatt and LG Develop Hotel TVs with Built-in Google Cast

Hyatt and LG Develop Hotel TVs with Built-in Google Cast

By Nishang Narayan

Published on June 26, 2024

Hyatt Corporation has announced a collaboration with LG Electronics to integrate Google Cast capabilities into LG smart hotel TVs. This innovation aims to simplify content streaming for guests and enhance their overall experience.

Google Cast, pre-installed on all Android devices, allows guests to use their mobile phones as personalized remote controls to stream audiovisual content from apps like Spotify and Hulu. These apps can be accessed via a QR code displayed on the TV, providing a seamless and user-friendly experience. In addition to mobile device controls, the TV remote can also manage play, track, and volume controls. Devices are automatically reset when guests check out, ensuring privacy and convenience.

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With LG’s Pro

platform, Hyatt is set to become the first hospitality brand to deploy these new integrated LG smart hotel TVs globally later in 2024. Hyatt first introduced casting to its TVs in 2017, partnering with SONIFI, a hospitality solutions provider that supports casting in over 500,000 industry rooms.

The new TVs will make their public debut at the HITEC 2024 hospitality technology trade show, held in Orange County, California, from June 24 to 27, 2024. Google Cast is compatible with Android 6 and newer iOS 14 versions, ensuring broad accessibility for guests.

Michael Kosla, Senior Vice-President of LG Business Solutions USA, stated, “LG is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in hotel room entertainment through partnerships with technology leaders like Google to combine our new smart hotel TVs with the latest in casting technology to benefit hoteliers and guests alike.”

Rohan Jani, Associate Vice-President of Guest Products at Hyatt, added, “This is aligned with our purpose of care and goal to make the guest experience even more seamless. With Google and LG, we are exploring taking in-room casting to the next level to boost operational efficiency and improve the guest experience.”

LG has a strong presence in the hotel industry, having previously collaborated with major hotel chains like Marriott and IHG. This partnership with Hyatt marks another step forward in enhancing guest experiences through advanced technology.


CheQin.ai Unveils AI-Powered Bargaining Function for Hotel Bookings

CheQin.ai Unveils AI-Powered Bargaining Function for Hotel Bookings

By Nishang Narayan

Published on July 2, 2024

CheQin.ai, a subsidiary of India's leading travel tech platform EaseMyTrip, has introduced advanced AI-enabled solutions to revolutionize the hotel booking experience. Rebranding from CheQin.club, the new CheQin.ai emphasizes its commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology into its platform.

The new AI-driven enhancements offer a unique way for customers to book hotels, utilizing AI to analyze market trends and hotel pricing. This ensures more competitive and accurate rates across various hotel categories, including 2-star, 3-star, 4-star, 5-star, resorts, and villas. The integration is a response to growing customer demand for better pricing and a more efficient booking process.

A standout feature of this AI integration is the system's ability to calculate average pricing for hotels in specific areas, providing users with competitive rates. If a customer chooses the AI-generated average pricing, they are more likely to secure a booking, thanks to the system's intelligent matching capabilities. CheQin.ai also allows users to specify preferred check-in times, accommodating early check-ins and short stays such as day use or stays for a few hours.

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Venu G, founder and CEO of CheQin.ai, shared his excitement about these advancements: “We are thrilled to introduce new AI-powered solutions that will redefine the hotel booking experience for our users. Our goal is to leverage advanced technology to provide travelers with the best possible deals while setting new standards for hotel operators. By integrating AI into our platform, we ensure that our customers benefit from competitive pricing and enhanced booking efficiency, making their travel planning seamless and more affordable. CheQin.ai is not just a booking platform; it’s a transformative travel companion that empowers users to explore the world with confidence and ease.”

Through AI, CheQin.ai ensures travelers receive the best possible deals by analyzing and comparing a multitude of pricing data, guaranteeing competitive rates and boosting booking confidence. Travelers can easily find prices tailored to their preferences and budgets, making travel planning smoother and more cost-effective.

CheQin.ai continues to lead in travel industry innovation, and this AI enhancement solidifies its leadership. The unique bargaining feature, combined with AI-powered price calculations, offers a distinct advantage over other platforms. The app’s real-time bidding system ensures hoteliers constantly compete to provide the lowest prices, resulting in unbeatable deals for travelers.


Cendyn and Glowing Partner to Enhance Hotel Messaging

Cendyn and Glowing Partner to Enhance Hotel Messaging

By Nithyakala Neelakandan

Published on July 1, 2024

Cendyn, a global hotel technology and services company, has teamed up with Glowing, a provider of omnichannel messaging solutions, to revolutionize guest communication for hoteliers. This collaboration aims to streamline and enhance how hotels interact with guests by integrating various messaging platforms into a single, cohesive system.

In today's digital age, guests use a wide array of messaging platforms such as WeChat, Line, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, and Skype. Effective communication through these preferred channels is essential for hotels to engage guests more deeply. Statistics show that such engagement can lead to a 98% read rate for messages and up to ten times higher redemption rates for promotions.

The integration of Cendyn's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system with Glowing's messaging platform ensures that every guest interaction, regardless of the messaging platform, is synchronized with the guest's profile in Cendyn CRM. This enriched profile allows hoteliers to build stronger relationships with their guests and execute more targeted marketing campaigns. Personalized communications and offers can be delivered seamlessly, enhancing the overall guest experience.

Chris Egan, Chief Product Officer at Cendyn, highlights the power of this integration: “Integrating Glowing’s platform with Cendyn CRM empowers hoteliers to communicate more effectively, tying every message back to their unified guest profile. This first-party data is one of the most powerful assets in today’s world as it puts hoteliers in control of how they communicate their unique products and services to every guest. It creates bespoke guest experiences, strengthening the relationship between a guest and a hotel, which almost always leads to increased revenue.”

Glowing’s platform leverages generative AI to provide tailored messaging recommendations based on individual guest preferences and past behaviors. This technology ensures that messages are crafted in the hotel's unique tone of voice and saved back to the master profile, making guests feel valued and recognized while reducing the workload on hotel staff.

Jasen Lew, CEO of Glowing, expressed excitement about the partnership: “At Glowing, we’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Cendyn, a premier brand in the hospitality space. This close collaboration represents a significant opportunity for the hospitality industry to reach new heights with the guest experience by integrating our globally recognized GenAI messaging platform with Cendyn’s comprehensive suite of products. Together, we are committed to upleveling and completing the customer journey by helping hoteliers deliver exceptional service that defines a successful guest experience.”

This partnership between Cendyn and Glowing is set to redefine how hotels manage guest communications, ensuring more meaningful interactions and ultimately driving better business outcomes. By leveraging advanced technology and a unified approach, hoteliers can now provide a more personalized and engaging experience for their guests, fostering loyalty and boosting revenue.


HCN to Debut Its ‘AI Concierge’ on In-Room Tablets at HITEC Charlotte

HCN to Debut Its ‘AI Concierge’ on In-Room Tablets at HITEC Charlotte

By Nishang Narayan

Published on June 30, 2024

At HITEC 2024, Hotel Communication Network (HCN) is set to reveal AiMe, an innovative AI-powered in-room tablet that will transform the guest experience in hotels. From June 25 to 27, attendees can visit Booth #3836 at the Charlotte Convention Center to see this cutting-edge technology in action.

AiMe, the AI Concierge, allows guests to request services, communicate needs, and place F&B orders from local restaurants using natural language voice commands in multiple languages. The system uses advanced natural language processing to understand unstructured requests, translating them into actionable tasks that are seamlessly relayed to hotel service systems and staff.

A Seamless Guest Experience

AiMe provides a personalized and efficient service experience:

  • AiMe: “Hello Mr. Stevens. I’m AiMe. How can I be of service?”

  • Mr. Stevens: “I’d like to order lunch.”

  • An ordering screen appears.

  • AiMe: “May I verbally take your order or would you like to see the menu?”

  • Mr. Stevens: “Yes, please take my order. I’ll have . . .”

Meals are delivered to the specified location, enhancing guest convenience and satisfaction.

Neil Schubert, HCN Product Officer and former Advisory Board member of Hotel Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), emphasized the importance of AiMe: “Leveraging technology for room service and service requests is not new, but existing solutions have shortcomings. AiMe addresses these by allowing guests to make requests in their preferred language directly through the in-room tablet, bypassing the front desk and streamlining the process.”

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Enhancing Hotel Operations

At HITEC, HCN will highlight AiMe's capabilities, including:

  • Interpreting Tone and Escalation: AiMe can recognize guest frustration and escalate requests to managers.

  • Granular Housekeeper Location Tracking: Integrates with panic button platforms to provide precise locations of housekeepers in distress.

  • Room Status Updates: Housekeepers can update room status via voice or typing, integrated with the hotel’s PMS.

  • Replacing In-Room Electronics: AiMe eliminates the need for outdated electronics, including TVs, alarm clocks, and bedside phones.

  • Personalizing Experiences: Guests can control room environments and make service requests using natural language commands.

  • Broadening App Adoption: Promotes brand app usage, reaching all guests through the in-room tablet.

  • Reducing Room Clutter: Eliminates printed materials and QR code table tents, providing a cleaner room environment.

Interactive Guestroom Tablet

The AI-Powered Navigator 2.0 tablet platform offers:

  • Modern Interface: Netflix-inspired UI with compelling content in multiple languages.

  • Immediate Content Updates: Hotel staff can update guest room devices instantly.

  • High-Quality Speaker Base: Bluetooth pairable with USB A&C charging points and HD graphics. The base also functions as a voice assistant.

“We invite everyone to Booth 3836 at HITEC to see AiMe in action,” Schubert added. “This AI-powered tablet ensures 100% guest engagement, enhancing customer service and satisfaction.”

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