Hoteliers are introducing voice-activated rooms for guest convenience

WILL hotel guests want to use voice-activated technology in their rooms?
The popularity of voice-activated devices and smart homes is moving into the hotel world, with Best Western Hotels & Resorts the latest chain to pilot voice-controlled technology in their hotel rooms.
Set to roll out in a dozen Best Western properties in the US, the program will deploy Amazon Dots throughout hotel rooms, allowing guests to set wake-up calls, play music, tell the time and get the weather forecast with a few simple voice commands, reports online travel trade site Skift.com.
Amazon Echo Dot is a hands-free device powered by the digital assistant Alexa who controls the smart home with voice-activated commands.
"We are working with a company to test the Amazon Dot because I think, in the future, that's how the guest might want to interact with us," CEO David Kong told Skift in an interview.
"A certain segment of the guests might want to do that."
The chain has teamed up with software company Runtiz to develop the program.
The Best Western follows the lead of Marriott and Wynn Resorts in harnessing the Amazon Echo Dot's potential to transform the guest experience.
Last year, the Wynn Las Vegas announced plans to install all 4,748 hotel rooms with the Amazon Echo, allowing guests to control room lights, temperature and their TV via the voice-controlled speaker.
The Amazon Echo is the larger, cylindrical model to Echo Dot, which is smaller and hockey puck-shaped.
Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, has also been testing devices from both Amazon and Apple at its Aloft hotel in Boston.