Creating the world’s most popular voice-controlled speaker for the home is not enough for Amazon, who has now officially launched its voice assistant into the hotel market with its ‘Alexa for Hospitality’ platform.
Those who frequent select Marriott Hotels in the US will have something new to play with and/or unplug following the hotel chain’s recent partnership with Amazon. Guests will soon be able to access hotel information, play music and manage lighting and temperature in their room via an Amazon Echo thanks to the retailer’s ‘Alexa for Hospitality’ platform. They can also use it to book services, such as spa treatments, in the hotel.
This of course is not the first time hotels have looked to voice technology different to offer something different to sell a stay at their facilities – one Last Vegas hotel installed nearly 5,000 rooms, allowing guests to create their ideal environment by only voice.
The introduction of Alexa for Hospitality steps things up a little, however, as guests now can have an even more personal experience by (temporarily) hooking up their Amazon account to the Echo to enjoy their own audiobooks and music or other services like Amazon Music and Spotify. Marriott affirms that as soon as a guest checks out, their account is automatically disconnected from said Echo.
Staff at the Marriott will additionally be able to configure and customise voice features for individual rooms and their guests. Hotels can also choose to give guests access to thousands of Alexa skills suited for travellers (i.e. checking flight times and local transport information).
Alexa for Hospitality will first be rolled out in Marriott hotels in Charlotte, NC, and Irvine, CA, before apparently being rolled out “internationally” later on in the summer.