New Research Shows 56% of Consumers Do Not Want to Interact with Robots During Hotel Stay

ALICE, a hotel operations platform that empowers operational excellence and meaningful guest experiences, released new research that found a sweeping majority (81 percent) of consumers would like to receive local experience and hotel upgrade recommendations from their hotels. 

The “Hotels’ Digital Divide” report, commissioned by ALICE and conducted by third-party research firm YouGov, highlights the shifting expectations of modern hotel guests, as well as travelers’ technology preferences and the role that technology plays in providing more personalized travel experiences.

Revitalizing a Hotel’s Best Resource: The Concierge

In order to meet evolving guest expectations, hotels should equip their concierge with the most up-to-date information about nearby attractions and cultural experiences. Of the guests that want to receive recommendations from their hotels, more than one in four (27 percent) want dining recommendations for nearby restaurants, and more than one in five (21 percent) want to receive experience or room/service upgrade recommendations (21 percent).

Travelers are most interested in experiences such as:

• Food tastings / food tours of local cuisine (40 percent)
• Guided tours of the town they are visiting (36 percent)
• A learning center to learn more about the culture / life of the city they are visiting (33 percent)
• Spirit/wine/beer tours of local distilleries/wineries/breweries (27 percent)

 

Technological Integration is Key

Not all guests are interested in the latest emerging technologies – as more than half of consumers (56 percent) said they did not want to interact with robots during their stay, however, 52 percent did express interest in touring hotels in AR or VR. Consumers also conveyed a demand for improved in-room technology, and the research found that this was a leading priority for modern guests. In fact, they’re willing to give up other amenities in exchange for it, such as:

• A business center (34 percent)
• A fitness center (27 percent)
• A spa (24 percent)
• Room service (15 percent)
• Fresh towels delivered daily (11 percent)
• Later check out times (11 percent)

In addition, more than two in five of those who want hotels to better match their home life (43 percent) list in-room technology to integrate with their personal devices among their top three wishes. However, not all guests are alike – and it’s important for hotels to provide travelers with multiple options to make service requests. The research found that among those who want to use either their personal or a hotel-provided smart device:

• For in-room technology:
  • Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) want to use hotel-provided smart devices
• To order room service and housekeeping:
  • More than 3 in 5 (63%) want to do so from a hotel-provided smart device
  • Nearly 2 in 5 (37%) want to use their personal devices
• To make reservations for dining/spa:
  • More than 2 in 5 (41%) want to do so on hotel-provided smart devices
  • Nearly 3 in 5 (59%) want to use their personal devices
• For check-in and check-out:
  • 2 in 5 (40%) want to use hotel-provided smart devices
  • 3 in 5 (60%) want to use their personal devices

Creating a Home Away from Home: Where Personalization and Hospitality Collide

While guests are seeking new and unique experiences during their travels, the research also revealed that consumers seek lodging experiences that feature a level of comfort that’s close to their home lives – from additional blankets in-room to the ability to select bedding and more. Top amenities of interest to those looking for a “more like home” experience include:

• A better Wi-Fi connection than currently offered (59 percent)
• Their preferred coffee / tea selection in-room (38 percent)
• Their preferred toiletries in-room (33 percent)
• A white noise machine (20 percent)
• An option to select their room’s layout (18 percent)
• A selection of books to read at their leisure (16 percent)

“The digital revolution is at the forefront of the hotel industry – but not all guests need to be wowed by the latest and greatest technology like robots at the front desk,” said Alex Shashou, Co-Founder and President of ALICE. “Hotels should focus on providing both technologies and recommendations that can be used to elevate their staff’s ability to provide hospitality – not replace it. When designing optimal guest experiences, hoteliers must find balance between providing new, unique experiences coupled with the feeling of a home away from home. Above all, hotels must center their services around choice.”

The full report is available here.

Research Methodology

ALICE commissioned YouGov — a third party, professional research and consulting organization — to poll the views of 1,207 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between January 3-4, 2019. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).