Hotels getting connected

For many hotel guests location and price are among the top two reasons for choosing to stay at a hotel. For a growing number of individuals , as reported by MSNBC, a third criteria is surprisingly becoming a real added value in their decision making : connectivity!

A first (and very common now) option is for hotels to provide wireless internet for their guests. Another option is to open up communication channels by creating blogs, “so guests can network with each other and make plans for sightseeing, drinks or a night on the town. It’s a customized message board also doubles as a resource guide for guests.”

But hotels are realizing that while guests like to be catered to and pampered while on vacation, they also do no like to change their lifestyles only because they have changed their location. As a result, the ultimate option is the partership of hotels with companies such as Microsoft and Nintendo in order to offer a unique experience to the guests. This includes everything from interactive concierge with the Microsoft Surface to “The Studio – A Microsoft Experience,” which is a new technology that lets guests experience the newest entertainment and guest service technologies from Microsoft.

Written by Sweta Shah on behalf of Vijay Dandapani.

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Vijay Dandapani

Co-founder and president of a New York based hotel company for 24 years. Grew the firm to five hotels in Manhattan and also developed a greenfield project at MacArthur airport, New York. Speaker at numerous prestigious forums including Economy Hotels World Asia, Lodging Conference, NYU, Columbia University Real Estate Roundtable, Baruch College's Zicklin School and ALIS. President and ceo of New York City Hotel Association since January 2017.